Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-08-15
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

Theodore Roosevelt is its candidate
for president. Its declaration OF
principles have been announced and
are clear cut and sound. The plat
form embraces the best of progress
sive principles which have been ad-
vocated by all parties, and many new
and wholesome issues have been
raised
The platform suits the Tidings and
the candidate is the embodiment of
the best craftsmanship of the age
coupled with a thorough knowledge
of the political game and the ability
to successfully launch and lead the
new party to victory.
Roosevelt has been termed a con-
tradiction by those who do not un-
derstand him. In late years in Amer
lea there has been a 'derth of states
manship and a flux of politics. The
condition was created by the combin-
alton of big business with politics
through corrupt politicians. The
country has been run by the poll
tician in the interest of his hackers.
There was no need for statesman
ship, because craftsmanship seeks for
good to the whole. There was much
need for politicians because practical
politics seeks power in the hope of
favors for the manipulation. The in
terests sought not good and equitable
government, but control for selfish
purposes.
In theory politics is the art of gov
ernment. In practice it is the art of
gaining and controlling the powers of |
government. 1t is impossible alike |
for either politician or statesman to !
gain the control of government ex-
cept through practical politics.
The statesman desires control in |
the interest of equitable government. |
The politician fights for control.
Heretofore seldom have both the
qualities Of the statesman and the
politician combined in one individual
AS rule the statesman, high-mind- !
ed and oversenstive, has disdained |
practical politics as medium
through which to put his principles
into force, because it was said prac-
tical politics was murky and corrupt
and his high ideals would brook
neither. He could not be brought
to see that all OF his altruistic ideas
would avail little unless given force
through practical politics, What
matters it to the general good what
beneficent measures are advocated so
long as there is no power to put them
into execution for the general good?
In truth there is no derth of states
men in America, while there are
lew statesmen in American politics.
The true statesman has contented
himself in advocacy and protestation
through the medium OF the press,
many times being deprived even of
that agency because 1t was controlled
by the interests which his policies
would harm, while the politician,
through practical manipulation has
held the legislative and administra-
tive power, thus creating law and
administering it as an instrument of
selfish privilege rather than of gem
! eral good.
| In this Roosevelt disfefa from the
average statesman, He is wise
enough to see that craftsmanship is
nil unless Backed by the power of
execution, He knows that power is
to be gained only by the exercise of
! practical politics. And he is big
enough and brave enough to play the
game, for practical politics is a game,
desperate and conscienceless, for
governmental power
The question is, how is that power
to be exercised when gained? By
the self-seeking, self-interested poll
tician, it will certainly be used to
forward personal interest, just as it
has been for many years by the poll
ticians in control of the republican
party By the true statesman it will
be used in the interest of good and
| equitable government, but in either
event it must be gained before it can
be exercised.
Roosevelt is statesman with
puFely altrustic motives.
He is a practical politician who
understands the methods by which
politicians have held that power from
the statesman and sees the effect of
that control. He proposes to apply
practical political methods to altru-
istic craftsmanship. That is the only
way to gain the power, under pres
ent conditions.
The end justifies the means.
Nothing short of a practical combina-
tion of craftsmanship and political