Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-01-23
$40. 900 FOR PLATFORM SUG-
GESTIONS BY YOUNG
REPUBLICANS.

Through the Republican National
Committee. Mr.. Truxtun Beale, for
mer United States Minister to Persia
and an ardent republican who has
the best interests of his party at
heart, offers cash prizes aggregating
$4,000 for the best platform sug-
gestions by young republicans in
the country
His offer has been formally accept
ed by Chairman VIII II. Hays, of the
National Committee, and the con-
test viii be open at once and close
March 81, 1920.
A first prize Of $4,000 win be
given for the best manuscript re-
ceived; $4,000 for the second best
and $1,000 for the third.
Manuscripts are limited to 5000
words and must be addressed to
Walker Blaine Beale Contest, OiVi-
sion of Young Voters, Republican
National Committee, --923 Woodward
Building, Washington, D. c. Four
typewriter copies must be submitted
only one of the number being signed.
Under date of November 20, 1919,
Mr. Beale, in a letter to Chairman
Hays, quoted William Roscoe Thay-
ers description of a National Con-
vention, with it's scenes of turmoil
and strife, as given in his life of
Roosevelt. In this chapter Mr..
Thayer said:
"a spectator from Mars might have
remarked, but so important business
as the choice of a candidate who may
become President of the United States
you ought to have quiet. deliberation.
free-play, not for those who can shout
the loudest, but for those who can
speak the wisest'
and to this remark the bowling
vhirIing dervishes who attended the
Convention might have responded. If
they had waited long enough to hear il
through, by yelling. Hail. Han, The
gangs all here and would have
darted off to catch up with their
fellow bacchanals". etc.
Commenting upon this depletion of
a National Convention. Mr.. Beale, in
his letter said:
IF these conditions were strange /
for the nomination of a President
they were still more strange for
working out and formulating the prin-
ciples and planks of political plat
form.
"a political platform would surely
have more clearness if thought out in (
the libraries and studies of the scholars /
of the country than in the turmoil and .
noise of a political convention; it (
would have more consistency if made
away from its jarring elements; it
would have fewer evasions and am
biguities if not made under the pres
sure of its clashing interests, and the
great organic truths of sociology and
economics for the guidance of a party
could be more profoundly considered
and more effectively expressed.
"There never has been a time when
the two great parties have differed so
fundamentally in principle as now, dir
ferences that go to the very foundation
of society; never a time when so
many brands of quack medicine have
been so energetically hawked about
as cures for the distempers of the
state and therefore never a time when
an honest platform and straight think
ing, holding out no false hopes and
promising no short cuts to the mill
lennium. is more important than now"
For these reasons Mr.. Beale sub
seribed $4,000 to the Republican .
National Committee to be offered III ,
prizes as here outlined. The only
stipulation that he made was that =
the Committee assume the responsible ,
ity of furnishing the machinery l
and expense required for reading the
submitted. "Of course" I
he added. sit is not my idea that +
such a platform would necessarily i,
be adopted by the National Convention
but the educative effect on the people
at large might have indirect benefi- 4
cial result; and may aid you in your
well directed efforts to interest young :
people in politics. :.
Mr.. Beaie's original proposal con- \
templated opening the eompe tition to
graduates of Harvard. Yale, Princeton.
Columbia, Johns Hopkins Michigan,
California, University of n
Virginia, University of Kansas, Uni o
,ersity of Pennsylvania and University !,
If Texas, but he waived his limitation n
ipon the suggestion of Chairman Hays II
hat more good would result by open 5,
ng the competition to all young men in
,nd women % years of age of under a,
Chairman Hays formally accepted w
Nr Beale's offer jim the following m