Spray courier. (Spray, Or.) 1???-19??, 1916-05-25

sound money. Again IN 1908. tn
choice Of the Democrats was no
known with certainty In advance. ant
while the Republican nominee wa'
fairly well assured. the platform o
that party promised as spirited q con
troversy as ever filed the galleries oi
a convention. Certainly both at Chi
csgo and baltimore the convention
scenes of 1912 were sufficiently enter,
terest In either the nomination or the
platform at St. T.ouis thar 81 any time
Within the memory Of tic eldest con
vcntion- goer; while. on the other hand.
there is more interest Though. as yet,
| less demonstrativel in both the nomi-
nation and the platform at Chicago
than at any time since Lincoln was
first named in that city.
| All Cut ard Dried.
| The cause of all this is quite easy TO
find The denomination OF Mr. Wilson
will be party necessity. even II It
were not party desire. The Demo
cratic platform could be written now
by any newspaper reader In the land
It's major note Will be a strong ap-
provai of the whole course of the pres
ent administra ton. including the diplo-
macy which is said to have kept us out
Of war with Europe. and the wisdom
which. it will be claimed. has charac
terized our dealings with Mexico The
minor notes will have to do with the
government ownership of our mer-
chant marine, the abandonment Of the
Philippines. and the beneficial effects
of the Underwood tariff law The 81
lent measure will be used as to such
matters as n second term. free tolls on
the Panama Canal for American coast
wise ships. anc tho high cost Of living
In sharp contrast with all this cut
lican convention. No man can predict
with certainty the nominee. and no
man can write with safety the plat
form in advance All that can be stat
ed with reasonable assurance is that
the grave crisis in international affairs
and the universal demand for a re-cs-
of the American doctrine
of protection. will bring together both
factions OF the Republican party IN
der one candidate and one declaration
OF principles. Who the candidate shall
be. and how far in this direction. or
that. the platform shall 70. are secrets
now hidden in the processes Of gesta
ton
The Republican party has never
faced a more solemn duty. or n more
inspiring opportunity. That the coun-
try is ready to return it to power is
written large in every political omen
Not only has the fact persisted through
the last four years that the Republican
voters. united. are in clear majority.
but every election held since the last !
Presidential campaign. In which na |
t!OBal Issues we're involved. has shown
an increase in that majority. All the
party needs to do is to stand up square
toe1 TO the occasion.
That there viii be a good fight ~
sfrewd observer doubts. That defeat
10 possible. even that there are ways
to make it certain. every frank and
disintcrested party man win admit
That victory is assured II there is sum
moned to the cause the whole Rcpub.
lean sentiment Of the country. all Re-
luSIicans and all Democrats know
Necessary Qualifications.
III such an emergency who IL the
best man to aominatf: 1t is easier to ;
Ie3cri3e his fype than to find Ills name.
Fa'S!: The RctWbfican ,ominee maS,
he O nan cEpnieaced in pa'}ic gffasrs.
he must know woffd rWiitisS and ne
nuSt lie Skilled III domestic legislation
IheEc is nothing 50 dangerous TO the +
fortunes 0? democracy. or indeed of
any other GaTefumcnt. as i thearist fl
tower No 'naa whose habits Of life
lh1r held l;jh flaof from practical af-
airs eaii N:@e.y load or Interpret pop