Evening star., 1928-09-25
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
HELENA. Mont, September 25.-
Gov. Smiths speech last night, as pre-
pared for delivery, follows:
The Denver Post of last Sunday calls
to INV attention that the Republican
candidate for President. addressing a
number of young college men from
Maryland, said:
"a new generation must begin row
to take over the responsibility OF the
party and carry it out"
That extract from his brief speech
shall take as my text tonight. and
shall speak to you on the subject OF
party responsibility.
In the election of 1920 the Republican
party received at the hands of the peo-
ple of this country an overwhelming
vote of confidence. The American peo-
| lie renewed that vote of confidence IN
1924.
Let us therefore tonight review briefly
some of the phases of the Republcan
administration for the purpose OF nx-
ing in our minds the Republican partys
responsibility for some of the happen
| ings since 1921.
Iincoln's ideal was not only govern
ment of the people, and by the people,
but government for the people. take
it that mans all the people and not the
| few who use the machinery OF govern
ment for their personal benefit.
Grover Cleveland said that public Of
| flee is public trust" While that eX-
preston came from a Democratic Presl-
dent. it must be agreed to by every
honest candidate for public office and by
every honest holder of public office.
The holder of any trust found faith
less thereto can be brought before the
bar of Justice. The faithleSs political
party should likewise be brought before
the bar of public opinion. And, let 1t
be said to the everlasting glory OF the
senior Senator from Montana, Senator
Thomas j. Walsh, and his associate,
Senator Burton K Wheeler, that they
PLAYED a large part in bringing before
the bar of public opinion the Republican
party found faithleSS to its trust. I feel
that the Democratic party renders a
great public service in bringing home to
the people the faithleSSnesS of the Re-
publican party with respect to the con-
servation of public resources as repre-
sented in their disposition of the oil
fields set aside for the use of the Navy
of the United States in times of need.
AS far back as the administration OF
President Roosevelt the President or
dered a geological survey of the oil
fields of the country and suggested a
policy of setting aside certain proven
and prospective. oil fields within the
public domain as a naval oil reserve
supply for the United States Navy. He
declared: "The preservation of fuel oil
reserve is essential to the very life and
future existence of the Navy" This
policy was carried into effect in the ad-
ministration of President Taft, and con-
firmed during the administration of
President Wilson.
Change Comes in 1921.
1t is a matter of history that during
the administration of President Wilson
large oil combinations diligently sought
to secure leases of these oil reserves
from the Secretary of the Navy. The
Democratic Secretary of the Navy,
Josephus Daniels, was steadfaSt in his
refusal to ALLEVIATE these great proper
ties, having keen understanding Of
their worth to the Nation.
This statement made by Secretary
Daniels sets out his position:
ANY man who would permit the oil
reserves of the Navy to be tapped is
risking the very national existence Of
the United States. It is outrageous and
wicked. Without plenty of oil for fu-
ture emergency, our war vessels will
be as useless as painted ship upon a
painted ocean,"
Under severe pressure exerted, even
by personal friends, the Democratic
Secretary of the Navy stood four-square
| for the preservation of this great re-
source of the Nation.
In 1921, however, the advent of Re-
publican administration marked a