Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-08-09
Complete Text of
ROOSeUeLPS Speech

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ROOSeUeLfs Speech
HYDE PARK, n. Y. Aug. 9.-The com
pIete text of Franklin d. Roosevelt's
speech accepting the democratic nomi-
nation for vice president, is as follows ::
Mr.. Cummings and ladies and gentle
men OF the committee:
| accept the nomination for the office
of vice president with humbleness and
with deep wish to give to cur beloved
country the best that IS IN me. No one
could receive A higher privilege or OPP
pOrtunity than to be thus associated
with men and ideals which I am conf
dent will soon receive the support Of
the majority OF our citizens.
In fact, could not conscientiously
accept IL If I had not come 10 know
by the closest intimacy that he who
is our selection for the presidency, and
who is my chief and yours. is a man
possessed Of ideals which are also mine
He will give TO America that kind of
leadership which will make Us respect
him and bring further greatness to our
land. In James NJ. Cox I recognize one
who can lead this nation forward in
I'm unhalting march of progress.
Two great problems will confront
the next administration; our rela-
tions with the world and the press
ing need of Orgapized progress at
home.
The latter includes systematized and
intensified development of our resources
and a progressive betterment of our citi-
Zenship. These matters will require the
guiding hand Of 8 president who can see
his country above his party. and who,
having a clear vision of things as they
are, has also the independence. courage
and skill to guide US along the road to
things as they should be without swerv-
ing one footstep at the debating Of mar
rev parusans who whisper party" or
of selfish interests that murmur profits. '
TWO ATTITUDES
ONLY ARE POSSIBLE.
In our world problems, we must
either shut our eyes, sell our newly
built merchant marine to more far
seeing foreign powers, crush utterly
by embargo and harassing legislation
our foreign trade, close our ports,
build an impregnable wall of costly
ornaments and live, as the Orient
used to live, hermit nation. dream
ing of the past; or, must open
our eyes and see that modern civiIiza-
ton has become so complex and the
lives of civilized men SO interviewer
with the lives of other men I'm other
countries as to make it impossible TO
he in this world and not of Il.
We must see that il is impossible TO
avoid except by mOnastic seclusion thoss
honorable and intimate foreign relations
which the fearful hearted shudderingly
miscall by that DEVILS catchword, inter
national complications"
As for our home problem. we have been
awakened by this war into a startled
realization Of the archaic shortcomings
OF our governmental machinery and Of
the need for the kind of reorganization
which only a clear-t thinking business
man, experienced in the technicalities Of
governmental procedure, can carry out
Such man we have. One who has so
successfully reformed the business man
agement Of his own great state is oh
viously capable of doing greater things.
This is no time to experiment with
men who believe that their party can
do wrong and that what is good
for the selfish interests of a political
party Is OF necessity good for the
nation as well.
as a citizen believe that this year
we should choose as president a proved
executive.
We need to do things; not to talk about
them.
MAKES APPEAL
FOR CLEANLINESS.
Much has been said Of late about good
Americanism. 1t is right that it should
have been said, and It is right that every
chance should be seized to repeat the
basic truths underlying our prosperity
and our national existence itself. But
1t would be an UNUSUAL and much to be
wished for thing IL In the coming pre-
eentation Of the issues a new note of
fairness and generosity could be struck
L1ttleness, meanness, falsehood, extreme
with the American spirit. l like to think
that in this respect also we are moving
forward.
Let us be definite. We have passed
through a great war and armed con-
hict which called forth every effort on
the part Of the whole population. The
war was won by republicans as well as
democrats. Men of all parties served in
our armed forces. Men and women of
all parties served the government at
home, They strived honestly as Ameri-
cans, not as mere partisans. Republicans
and democrats alike worked In admin
istratiye positions, raised Liberty loans,
administered food control, roiIed in NUM-
tioE plants, built ships.
The war was brought to a successful
conclusion by glorious common effort
one which in the years to come will
be national pride. l feel very certain
that our children will come to regard our
participation as memorable for the broad
honor and honesty which marked it, for
the absence Of unfortunate scandal, and
for the splendid unity of action which
extended to every position OF the ma
ton. Tt would, therefore, not only serve
little purpose, but would conform i'll to
our high standards If any person should
in the heat Of political rivalry seek to
manufacture political advantage of a
ationally conducted struggle. We have
seen things on too large scale to listen
in this day to trifes, or to believe in the
adequacy of trifing men.
MUST BE BIGGER
THAN MESSENGER.
1t is that same vision of the bigger
outlook of national and individual life
which will, / am sure, lead us to demand
that the men who represent US in the
AFFAIRS Of our government shall be more
than politicians or the errand boys of
politicians, that they shall subordinate
always the individual ambition and the
party advantage to the national good.
In the long run the true statesman and
the honestly forward looking party will.
prevail.
Even as the nation entered the war
for an ideal, so it has emerged from
the war with the determination that the
ideal shall not die. It is idle OF pretend
that the war declaration of April g.
1917, was mere act of self defense, or
that the object of our participation was
solely to defeat the military power of
he central nations of Europe. We
knew then as a nation, even as we know
today, that success on land and sea could
be but half a victory. Fhe other half
So - xyaf -