The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-06-19
ROOT PLEADS
FOR PARTY UNITY
Makes Keynote Speech Of Com
ing National Campaign
CONFERENCE TEST OF FITNESS

COhEREhCE |tSI Ut FIIhtSS
Declares That Without Loyalty and
Unity, Popular Government Becomes
Confused-AppeaI to People Must
Depend on Sound Principles.
Chicago, June l9-Before strange
ly agitated audience, Elihu Root, Sc
lected after day of turmoil, marked
by fierce struggles from both the Taft
and Roosevelt factions to obtain and
hold control of the assembled dele
gates, as temporary chairman of the
Republican national convention, de-
llvered what many declare to be the
keynote speech of the campaign.
Mr.. Root spoke of the administra-
ton now drawing to close, and said
il was working out the practical re-
suits of established Republican poll
cies, including the Mckinley policy OF
a protective tariff and sound finance.
Mr. Root said, in part:
believe that l appreciate this express
sion of confidence. wish were more
competent for. the service you require
Of me.
"The struggle for leadership in the
Republican party which has SO long
engrossed the attention and excited
the feelings of it's members is about
to be determined by the selection of
a candidate. The varying claims OF
opinion for recognition in the polit,
ical creed OF the party are about to
he settled by the adoption of plat
form.
1.-THE supreme council of the party
in this great national convention, rep
resenting every state and territory in
due proportion, according to rules
long since established, is about to ap-
peal to the American people for
continuance OF the power Of govern
ment which the party has exercised
with but brief Interruptions for more
than half century and that appeal is
to be based upon the soundness Of the
principles approved and the qualities
uf the candidates selected by the con-
vention.
In the performance of this duty by
the convention and in the acceptance
CT it's conclusions by Republicans is to
be applied the overcoming test OF
party's fitness to govern, It's conference
and it's formation and power Of organi.
cation.
Must Act in Unison.
"And these depend on the willing
ness Of the members of the party to
subordinate their varying individual
opinions and postpone the matters OF
differences between them in order that
they may act in unison upon the great
questions wherein they agree; upon
their willingness and capacity tc
thrust aside the disappointment which
some of them must always feel IN
failing to secure success for the can.
d;dates of their preference; upon the
loyalty of party members to the party
itself: to the great organization
whose agency in government they be-
lieve to be for the best interests OF
the nation, and for whose continuance
in power their love of country con
strains them to labor.
without these things there can be
no party worthy of the name. With.
ont them party association is rope
of sand, party organization is an inef
fective form, party responsibility dis
appears and with it disappears the
right to public confidence.
Organized Parties Necessary.
without organized parties having
these qualities of cohesion and loyalty.
free popular government becomes q
confused and continual conflict be-
tween a vast multitude of individual
opinions. individual interests, individ
ual attractions and repulsions, from
which effective government car
emerge only by answering only to the
universal law of necessary organiza'
ton and again forming parties.
"Throughout our party's history III
each presidential election we have
gone to the American people with the
confident and just assertion that the
Republican party is not mere for
tuitous collection of individuals, but is
a coherent and living force as an or
ganization It is effective, responsible
worthy of confidence, competent to
govern. The traditions Of its great
struggles for liberty, for the suprem
acy Of the law, for the preservation OF
national law, national honor, exercise
a controlling influence upon its con
duct.
1--WE claim that we are entitled tc
a popular vote of confidence at the
coming election because we have dem.
onstrated that we are the party of af,
hrmative. constructive policies for the
tetterment and progress of our coun'
try in all the fields upon which the
activity and influence of government
can rightly enter. We claim it be,
cause we have shewn ourselves a par.
ty OF honest, efficient and economical
administration in which public moneys