The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

THE CANDIDATES NOMINATED 287
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention : The
Republican party has
made no mistakes, consequently it has no apologies to offer. The Republican party
has broken no promises; therefore it enters no plea of confession and avoidance.
Its only guaranty for the future is the record of its past.
During all these eventful years the Democratic party has resisted e\-ory step of
advancement or improvement. They have been stupid objectors, miserable mal-
contents, and common scolds. They have abandoned their Moses and have been
unable to discover a Joshua.
UNSAFE ONLY TO TRICKSTERS
We are told by his enemies that the President is unsafe. He is unsafe only to
the trickster, to the grafter, to the man who would deny the equal protection of law
to any class of American citizens. They tell us that he cannot be trusted ; but
the
people know that one who does a right thing at the right time and in the right way
is entitled to vast, implicit confidence.
In Kentucky, my friends, we have contended with principalities and powers and
the rulers of darkness. We have fought with all manner of beasts—not at Ephesus.
but at Frankfort—but we are nerving ourselves for the conflict in November and we
hope that we will break the chains that partisan legislation has thrown around us
and restore freedom to the .State which gave birth to Abraham Lincoln, and holds
within itself the ashes of Henry Clay.
COTTON PUTS MINNESOTA IN LINE
Joseph B. Cotton of Minnesota was the next speaker. He
said in part:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention: Seconding speeches here are
of no moment, for the nomination already has been made by the American people
themselves. No words of any man are needed to tell you that he is preeminently
qualified to be our great leader.
The State of Minnesota, the mighty empire of the Northwest, whose growth and
prosperity will ever keep full pace with the giant trade of the nation itself, desires to
second the nomination of that intrepid leader, that potent statesman and doer of
things, that greatest workman upon the greater America—Theodore Roosevelt.
NEGRO DELEGATE IS SPEAKER
The chairman then introduced Harry S. Cummings of
Maryland, a colored delegate, who spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Convention: I have been adm.onished that the greatest serv-
ice I can do the great American people to-day. and the opportunity of my life to