Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-10-30
s nothing more than a minority

report.
The real contest, is, therefore, be.
tween Taft and Bryan; between the
Republican principles and the Demo
cratic principles; the principles of the
party that has ruled for years and the
one that has for years vainly desired
to rule; the party Of slow, steady con-
servative progress and the party Of
visions and dreams and wierd, radical
remedies for such maladies as may
beset the body polite.
AS radical as is the difference be-
tween the policies of the two major
parties (and that difference is indeed
vast are the characters of the two men
who represent the parties. Taft has
been an administrator in Offices of
public trust that were bestowed upon
him unsought and he has, without
exception, been a careful conscientious
and effective worker. Bryan has been
persistent seeker after offices that
fled before him and eluded him like
will-o-the- wisps. The one is a stolid,
unfinching, slowly (but steadily pro-
gressive force; the other brilliant,
unstable, vacilating and misdirected
energy. The one has behind him a
record Of faithful achievement; the
other a record of fruitless effort.
The characters of the two candi-
dates are almost analogous to the
characteristics of the parties they
The Republican party,
and conservative, recognizes
abuses, but believes in setting about i
heir removal in such a way that the +
lelicate organism of business pros Y
1erity may not be interfered with to a.
my appreciable extent. The Demo a
ratio party, rash and radical and e
nclining toward the wild doctrines OF Fl
socialism, would wipe out the abuses q,
It zone full swoop" and risk what t{[
yer might befall the settled prosperity N
{ the country as result. In other altl
,ords, the one would heal the ulcer u
18th mild medicines that act slowly
ut surely and do not keep the patient
'om going about his daily occupa-
on; the other would administer TT
cut out the offending spot
nd leave the patient to recuperate in
ID.
And lastly, the administration of Fl
resident Roosevelt has been not 50
uch one Of achievement as Of prepar-
ion. Under his hand, during the
epublican rule, vast reform move nr
ent has been barely set in motion
} more. Mr.. Taft stands ready to
ep into Roosevelt's place and take
} and continue the work with a to-
stem Of machinery that has been NJ
epared and worked down to the
lest degree Of efficiency through six
ars Of careful selective development.
le reform movement under these in
nditions can go onward without an Tia
corruption, to its ultimate con-
lsion.
Ir. Bryan on the other hand, if
cted, would have to construct for +.
nself an entirely new system of sm
ecutive machinery. In the mean
le the reform movement would be at
tandstill
The people of the United States are giv
progressive people and at the same Gu
le a conservative people. They
sire that the work of reform should
continued as we'll as it has been
gun and also that the eradication eaC
the evils that beset the nation may A
effected without unbalancing or Ho
npering the business prosperity of
nation.
he Observer believes all this and l
ause it believes this; because it has to
lildence in the safe judgment of the am
lerican people as whole it believes sla
hout resorting to straw votes, per- say
lal canvas or computation from Sci
registration books, that the major Mt
OF the voters of the United States :
| cast their ballots in favor of Will
m H. Taft, the Republican party
! Prosperity in the coming election. l