Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-10-30
OUR NATIONAL TICKET.
THE CLOSING CAMPAIGN.

The presidential campaign with it
rallies, its speeches, its straw vote
that prove conclusively that bot
candidates have q walk-over and it
sudden startling disclosures from tn
supporters Of either side, that tn
country is tottering on the verge 0
certain dissolution Gf the candidate
from the opposing party is elected
has now entered the final stage of it,
development and has reached tht
point where, as Mr.. Dooley puts it
Everybody runs round in "a circle an
kicks up such dust that no wan car
forsee the outcome"
Enthusiasm, which has languishec
throughout the greater portion of the
quiet campaign is now tardily
aroused. Rally follows rally witt
bewiIdering rapidity and with much
ostentatious blaring Of bands and
flaming Of red fire, aud the spell.
binder, aroused at last to unwonted
activity, darts hither and thither
about the countryside like a perturbed
water bug.
Such things as these stir the blood
and warm men up into the good old
whole-souled partisan enthusiasm of
former years, but in all probability,
the rallies upon rallies and speeches
upon speeches that make lurid the
atmosphere Of the closing campaign,
will have little or no influence in
changing the votes OF the adherents
Of either party. The great mass Of
the voting men have long since
reasoned out the course that they
intend to pursue in the coming elec-
tion and the ones that still remain ION
the fence" probably would not be
strong enough even il they combined
their vote on either of the principal
sides, to turn the balance of the cleo
tion. The judgment of the American
people has already been passed,
although its decision will not be made
ihbAAA until hAbtl lllt bhllOlN nave llttU
counted on November 3.
Opinions differ as to Just what will
be this final decision OF the sovereign
American people, from which there
shall be no appeal, and the straw vote,
personal canvas, and computation
from the registration books, all OF
which are favorite methods used by
political prophets and soothsayers.
throw little light on the subject.
The Observer has, throughout the
campaign, supported Mr.. Taft, the
Republican candidate, and believes
today, although itdocs not claim to be
iufallible 10 its judgment, that Mr..
Taft will be elected. II it had been
equally conildentthat he was to su fer
defeat, 1t should have supported him
Just the same, not because OF any
crowning aud excelling merits in the
man Te7sCnllly, but because il has
unllinching confidence in the merits
OF the rinciples he represents.
In the present campaign, tie
struggle is practically confined to two
parties-the Republican aud the Dem
ocratic. The other parties are negli-
gible quantities. Hearst's Indepen-
dence League was organized more
than anything else to crafty a bitt, r
feeling Of malice against Democratic
party that refused 70 recognize him as
a potent and essential element in its
organism. Il can do nothing in the
present campaign but make things
uncomfortable for the Democratic
party and occasionally one from the
Republican party, also. who chances
20 fall under the shadow Of one Of Mr.
Hearst's oily" letters aud 9. Is devo;
ing the best Of its energies toward the
complete exercise Of that prerogative.
Debs and Chain, Of the Socialist and
Prohibition party. neither one expects
or desires election. Their campaign