Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-11-12
rHE ELEcrloN RESULT.

1--WE seen the enemy ana they done
u.s."
'Fingy'' Conners, chairman OF the
New York state Democratic COMMITTEES.
thus epitomizsd the result, and no one
will take exception to "Fingy's' sum
ming up.
Even Bryan allows that he was licked,
and thus far be has not asserted that the
Republicans bought the half million Of
votes that gave Taft one Of the greatest
popular pIuralities ever recorded in the +
country. He has even congratulated Taft,
and wished his administration well.
1t was indeed glorious victory. The
latest count gives Taft S21 electoral votes;
Bryan, 1872. Taft has everything north
of Mason and Dixon's line except Nebras-
ka, Colombo and Nevada, all OF which
were narrowly won by Bryan, the rest Of
whose votes in the electoral college come
from the old Solid South and it's new Of
spring, Oklahoma. Maryland is 80 close
that its vote is divided, Bryan getting six
and Taft two, though the highest Taft
elector has more votes than the highest
Bryan eIector. A great surprise is Mis-
sonri, counted all through the campaign
and even after the first returns were in
IS certain fer Bryan, but later swinging to
Taft By plurality Of s,l72. Twice in
succession has Missouri given its vote to
the Republican ticket. and it has fairly
won place in the doubtful column from
now on.
OF the result as a whole, the Republic
can party may well feel proud. IT en-
tered the campaign handicapped by q
quite severe business depression. 1t is al
most an unprecedented thing for party
in power to keep its hold, faced by such 3
condition. However, it happened that
the sharp panic Of last year, and its after
results, had been pretty nearly weathered
before the campaign really opened. Bust
ness was reviving, aud this drift rather
helped the Republican cause. In the
midst Of a general, II slow, improvement,
the country did not take kindly to the
notion Of radical change in control,
with its unknown effects. So that, as it
turned out, last years. hard times may
have helped, rather than injured, Taft's
chances.
There is some question whether the sc-
tive interest Of President Roosevelt in his
successor, and the steps he took to pro-
mote Taft before and after his nomination
resulted in the Iatter's favor or not. In
our opinion, the affair was quite lost
sight OF in the greater questions that
arose. The presidents favor for Taft was
natural and defensible, and the people
are quite accustomed to seeing Roosevelt
carry out by action what is in his mind.
He offended some by his methods and
manner, as he always does, but they gen.
orally subordinated their RULED emotions
to their Judgment and turned in for Taft.
Mr.. Taft has proved a strong candi-
date and vote winner before the people,
whom he got right out among, talked
with and convinced. Wherever he went,
Taft pleased, and even his trip South was
not wasted. He has kept a level gait
through it all, has said or done nothing
: that needs apology and can enter his du-
: ties consistently as PRECEDENT Of the whole
I, people.
The Congress remains strongly Repub
$ lican, and it is likely that "Uncle joe
: Cannon, whom the allied forces Of Meth
II odism and labor failed to rout, viii b
q chosen speaker again, though the wisdom
y Of his selection is open to question.
The effort Of "sam'' Gompers, presi
:. dent of the American Federation OF La
Dor, to deliver union labor's vote I,
= Bryan in return for platform concession
!. failed miserably, and labor will probabl
! take the lesson to heart. The so-calle,
third parties amounted to nothing il
4 affecting the result.
|. was the asset Of the Roosevelt administru
tions and the certainty that their policie
would be continued under Taft. Fo
!, placing his party in an impregnable pos
= tion by leading It away from its conservu
!. tive moorings and making it progrel
sive power in directions that won the al
!. proval of the awakened public, all homo
= to that greatest OF its modern politician
Theodore Roosevelt.
There were some surprises in the N
~ sult--politics is always full Of surprise
On 1t was generally expected that the n
I'D volt against alleged railroad dominatio
to in New Hampshire would result in Il
on defeat of the Republican candidate, WI
% was not CT the radical faction, but 1
ne pulled through, although badly cut. e.
70 identity, the anti-faiIroad crowd over Il
81 Connecticut Is more noisy than hume