Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1904 — SPEECH OF CANNON. [ARTICLE]

SPEECH OF CANNON.

Speaker’s Address Notifying President Roosevelt of Nomination. Speaker Cannon’s address notifying President Roosevelt of his nomination for the Presidency made a great hit with his hearers, and has been complimented everywhere. Speaker Cannon opened his speech with a reference to the responsibility of the people for any mistaken policy of their lawmakers, and said that mistakes had been made, but were Invariably corrected. He declared that under the policy of the Republican party the manufactured products of this nation now are one-third of the total of the entire world. This condition and the condition of the highest-paid labor in the world, he asserted, were brought about through the Republican policy of protection. “Liberal compensation for labor makes liberal customers for our products,” declared Mr. Cannon in commenting on our home market. And he added: “In addition to this we have come to be the greatest exporting nation in the world. In the year ended June 30, 1904, our exports were valued at $1,400,000,000, of which $450,000,000 were products of the factory. The world fell in our debt last year $470,000,000, an Increase of $75,000,000 over the preceding year.” Mr. Cannou reminded his hearers that the national platform of the opposition party recently framed and adopted in St. Louis denounced protection as robbery. Ho continued: Their platform Is as silent as the grave touching the gold standard and our currency system. Their chosen leader, after his nomination, having been as silent as the sphynx up to that time, sent his telegram, saying in substance that the gold standard is established, and that he will govern himself accordingly if he should be elected. I congratulate him. It is better to be right late than never. It is better to be right in one thing than wrong in all things. I wonder if it ever occurred to him that if his vote and support for his party’s candidate in 1896 and 1900 had been decisive we would now have the silver standard. I wonder what mads him send that telegram after he was nominated, and why he did not send it before? When did he have a change of heart and judgment? And does he at heart believe in the gold standard and our currency system, or does he try now to reap where he has not sown? If, perchance, he should be elected by forcing together discordant elements, I aubmlt that, with a Democratic House of Representatives or House and Senate, there would be no harmonious action in legislation or administration that would benefit the people, but that doubt and discontent would everywhere distress production and labor. Consumption would be curtailed. In short, we would have an experience similar to that from 1893 to 1897. If this chosen leader and his friends are converts to Republican policies, should not they “bring forth fruits meet for repentance” before they ask to be placed in the highest positions to affect the well being of all; or, if they profess all things to all men, then they are not worthy the confidence of any man. If clothed with power, will they follow in the paths of legislation according.to their loves and votes as manifested by their action always heretofore, or will they stand by, protect and defend the gold standard and our currency system that have been created under the lead of the Republican party? Oat for Party Isenes. Mr. Cannon emphasized the fact that the Republican party stood for Issues already proved successful. He pointed out that under the recent Republican regimes prosperity, the greatest known, has prevailed. He briefly referred to the carrying out of our contract with Cuba, of our establishment of government in Porto Rico, and of our gradual uplifting of the Filipino peoples. In closing, Mr. Cannon paid President Roosevelt warm praise. He said: In the history of the republic, in time of peace, no executive has had greater questions to deal with than yourself, and none has brought greater courage, wisdom and patriotism to their solution. You have enforced the law against the mighty and the lowly without fear, favor or partiality. Under the constitution you have recommended legislation to Congress from time to time, as it was your duty to do, and when it was passed by Congress you have approved it. You have, under the constitution, led in making a treaty which was ratified by the Senate and is approved by the people, which not only assures, but, under the law and appropriations made by Congress, proceeds with the construction of the Panama canal. The Republican party, under your leadership, keeps ita record from the beginning under Lincoln of doing things—the right thing at the right time and in the right way, notwithstanding the opposition of those* who oppose the right policies from the selfish or partisan standpoint. They dnre not tell the truth about your official action or the record of the party and then condemn it. They can, for selfish or partisan reasons, abuse 1 you personally and misrepresent the party you lead. It Is true, however, that so far their abuse of your action and their alleged fear of your personality is insignificant compared with the personal and partisan '-nrplugs against Lincoln, Grand and McKinley when they clothed j with power by the people, j Speaker Cannon finally referred to the unanimous choice of Mr. Roosevelt by the Republican National Conven- ; tlon, adding: “I am sure all Republicans and a multitude of good citizens • who do not call themselves RepublV cans said, ‘Amen.’ ’’