Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-15
FUTILE ISSUES ABANDONED
Republican Candidate Takes Demo-
erat to Task for Dropping Railroad
Ownership, Anti.Imperiaiism and
Free Coinage Of Silver for Motives
Of Expediency Alone.
Cry Associated Prcss).

C1NCINNA-I, OHIO. Sept. Ii
William II. Taft devoted himself to-
day principally to political compost
tons. He wrote an answer to Mr..
Bryan's comment on President ROOse-
velts Taft letter. after which he
spent the latter part of the day in
the preparation of two speeches he
Is to make tomorrow-the first to a
delegation from Greenfield Ind: the
other to the Methodist negro preach
crs OF Ohio. Indiana. Kentucky and
Pennsylvania.
When Mr.. Taft was first shown
what Mr. Bryan had said the spon-
tanecus answer was short and tersc:
then MIR. Taft dictated a formal re-
| ply as follows:
I'm my notification speech and in
other speeches made since, I attempt
ed to make clear my position on all
| the issues of the campaign, If Mr..
Bryan has been unable to understand
them l cannot make them clear. |
stand on my record In Office and
what I have said. g.
| Mr.. Bryan should devote a little
time to his own record. from which
he seems to be struggling TO sepa-
: rate himself with all the adroitness
acquired In twelve years hunt for
an issue on which he can re elected
President
Bryan An opportunist.
| THE readiness with which Mr..
Bryan in successive presidential cam
paiSns passes from one paramount
! issue 10 another. shows that the chief
consideration which has affected his
selection of an issue has been its pos.
sibility in attracting voters. He pre-
0nis the remarkable spectacle Of one
who has been seeking the presidency
for twelve years without success and
without official responsibility and
without the opportunity to test the
various positions which he has advo
Gated for reforms, and yet OF hav
ing the events demonstrate what a
colossal failure he would have made
in each instance had he been per
mittet TO carry his proposals into
the policies OF the country. He does
not now say whether he is still in
favor of the free coinage Of silver.
Mr.. Bryan Not Frank.
J He does not now answer the CUES
tioR whether. II he were President
and an exigcncy should arise in
which he would be called upon to
exercise his discretion affirmativeiy
to maintain the party gold and sill
yer. he would exercise that discrc
ton. He has not permitted himself
to discuss in this campaign the Is
sue OF an;i-imperialism, which was
The paramount issue in 1899. as be
declared. and in respect to the policy
of the Republican party has beer
indicated by events. so that tranquil
ity ard good government exist In
the Philippine Islands. and even Tho
Independents prefer Republican vic
tory 10 Mr.. Bryan's promises.
"He no~ says that he fayors the
rigid regulations Of the railroads
In 1900 he expressed the view thai
1.-The railroads could not bc regulated
ltccause the railroads would own tn:
Regulators appointed by laS and
Therefore he was in favor of govern
MEET ownership. We hear nCthins
from him on this subject. Instead
by d, scribing his platform no, onl,
as an announcement Of principle. but
AZ a protection against gncomfor;a
bic issues. he has attempted to give
lbord TO keep the peace with respect
TO govern mcut ownership. which h,
Its mere aEnolnccm~nt showed IL!
lack Of tho vote catching quality
He Processes to have been IN
father and 80 bc the nciT Of th'
Roosevelt policicS. and yet in no can,
lpaign Of the three IN wnich he ha'
taken part. 30 of which hc led, dc
h. maxi IN IN the paramount issue
,Indrcd. in the Parker campaign h
1took occas on to charZc Mr.. RonSc
!vcI with miItaTiSm ard with bcta;
completely subjcct to the innucHc'
NJ corporations only 10 sec him wis
the greatest peace triumph o! IN
world and sccurc such an effective
IstamPing out Of corporate abuses a