The Springfield herald., 1904-09-30
THE CAMPAIGN.
Evidence that Popular Opinion Favors
Republican success.

Although election day is still some
weeks off, it is not too early to review
the progress of the campaign and take
note of the drift of popular opinion. To
doubt that the latter is setting strongly
in favor of the Republican ticket would
seem almost to question the capacity OF
the American people to choose between
approved competence in government and
wobbling incompetence along every line
OF administrative and legislative policy.
From the day when the Republican
convention adjourned after adopting n
positive platform and nominating posi-
tive candidates upon it, the Republicans
have proceeded to organize their cam
paign with the unhcsitatinG confidence
in themselves and their principles that
goes so FAR to assure success. Unlike
their advcrsaries, they have had no in
tcrnal differences to patch up before tax
ing the field.
The Republicans have simply gone be-
fore the American voters on the party s
record, which is not document artfully
concocted for campaign purposes, but n
scroll of splendid achievements written
in the life of the republic during the past
forty-four years. The scroll stretches
from 1860 to 1904 and covers a period
OF national development unparalleled i'll
the annals of the world. The story of
this development and the promise of its
continuance under the leadership of a
man who is the incarnation of American
energy, courage and achievement, has
constituted the Republican appeal to
American voters.
The elections in Vermont, Arkansas
and Maine have shown the natural re-
sponse to an appeal based on things ac-
complished.
In the meantime. the Democrats have
they are at" All efforts to bury the
hatchet between the gold and silver
wings of the party have merely resulted
in burying it in the heads of the leaders
of the respective factions. William
Jennings Bryan has no more affection for
Alton B. Parker now than he had the
night when he denounced the nominee
or the floor of the convention.
The brief enthusiasm created among
gold Democrats and in conservative
business circles by Judge Parker's gold
standard telegram has entirely subsidized
as the conviction has become general that
it was a brick artfully gilded to COM
nit his party to the appearance of re-
pmdiating free and unlimited silver. The
subsequent utterances of the Democratic
candidate have entirely dissipated any
favorab BILE impression made by his tele-
gram, and proved him to be jugSler
with obscure and meaningless phrases.
His proffer of comparison of govern
mental expenditures under Republican
and Democratic administrations has dis
closed that he was i'll informed as to
the details of those expenditures and
the marvellous national expansion that
has come during the past twenty years.
But the most marked feature of the
Democratic campaign has been its in
stability and intirmness of purpose. One
issue after another has been taken up
only to be dropped, until now it looks as
il the party would have to fall back on
the tariff and the trusts, on both of
which issues it has been tried and found
wanting in legislative courage and ad-
ministrative effectiveness.
American voters know that the pro-
tective tariff is not robbery" and they
have more faith in the American anti
trust statute than in any curbing of mod
ern trusts under the old common law.
The Democratic campaign started with
David b. Hill as its sponsor and boss.
but recently Judge Parker sought to
reconstruct its management, going to
New York City and holding number of
gum-shoe conferences at the Astor
House with Senator German and several
Tammany leaders. 1t is reported that
he succeeded in pacating Tammany and
that Senator German will supplant Tom
Taggart as the real director OF the Demo-
cratic campaign. What was the CON
sideration promised for tho loyal sup
port of Tammany has not transpired-