Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-11
BRYAN'S AP0L0CISTS
WON'T M|SLEAD VOTERS
Senator Frye Expresses Faith In Intel
igenCe Of American Citizens---Safe
Man Needed at Nations Head,

| Rangeley, Me, Sept 10-(SpeciaD.-
The voice and presence of Senator
Frye have been missing from the
stump in this years campaign, but if
there is any man in public life who
has earned the right to take it easy"
that man is the president pro tempore
Of the United States Senate, the Hon.
William P. Frye uf Maine. Having
probably made more political speech
IS than any living man. and with an
arduous senatorial winter ahead, he
IS certainly entitled to take it easy,
and this he is doing at his camps in
| the Rancelcys. But though he is not
in the thick Of the fray, he is follow
ing the progress of the campaign in
both State and nation with keen APP
this week that d reporter found the
| senator.
knowing that the Nam" senator
was one of the "origiiiGl" Tafi men,
the first question which the reporter
put had to do with national topics
and mere particularly with tic Re-
publican presidential nominee. IN re-
ply the senator said:
The business of the Senate COM
mittce OH commerce necessarily mad .
me familiar with Mr.. Taft as secre-
tary of war-his habits OF thought,
his method of administration. his ca
! ri n hp
search Tor candidate for the Pres-
dcncy by the Republican party | very
earnestly advocated his nomination
There was no man in public life whose
experience had been SO vast ana SO va
rcd. He was one of the most agree
able men to meet socially or officially
ever knew. His opinions were
formed after careful consideration,
never hastily. He was a iine lawyer,
pminently fitted for the chief Justice
| ship of the Supreme court. He had a
judicial mind l felt that if he were
elected President his messages of adj
vice to Congress would be the result
| II careful thought. a patriotic purpos
to serve we'll the people. and would de
Eland and receive favorable consider
ation''
| I"dtIoItai topics DeluS uppeIi1pSI,
| the next question naturally con-
cerned Judge Taft's opponent.
| What have you to say" asked the
reporter ito the claim of Mr.. Bryan's
! friends that he is not now the Bryan
| of 1885,
81 don't believe" responded the sen
| ator. that the voters of this country
| whether Democrats or Republicans
| will be miSled by this claim of Mr. Bry-
ans friends. or perhaps 1 should say
of his apologists
| I'm the present national campaign
| the voters of this country are enGa Sed
IN electing a President who will be
charged with the administration of its
laws for four years and who will in
| evitably exercise a powerful influence
on its legislation during that time.
| They realize that it is of the utmost
importance that man be selected Who
is not only safe and sane ON the ques-
tions now before the people but also
one who will prove himself to be safe
and sane on the innumerablc new
questions which must necessarily arise
during his term of office.
ut is true that Mr.. Bryan's position
on the silver question. tcnaciousiy adj
vocated in 1896 as the sure panacea
for all our woes real and imaginary
and again adhered to by him in 1900
has been proved fallacy and has been
recognized as such both by Bryan and
the Democratic party. 1t is equally
true that Mr. Bryan's advocacy of
| government ownership of railroads
has been abandoned by him and that
the Democratic platform does not de-
clare for it, but admitting ali his ad-
rlirable personal qualities. honesty of
purpose and good faith in his efforts
to reach sound conclusions. he is still
the same Bryan of 1896 and 1900
| with the same methods of thought
the same characteristics and will
look at new questions from the same
old view points The danger of his
reaching such fallacious results in the
future as he has in the past is too great
a risk for the country to take.
"Mr. Bryan has learned the folly of
his old-time conclusions with regard
to silver by the course of events which
have proved it conclusively. but coll
slider for a moment the disaster which
would have befalIen the country had
he been elected in 1896 and been IN
power dealing with these questions
while the absurdity of his beliefs was
being demonstrated by the history
making of the times. instead Of occu-
rying the position of private citizen
revising his beliefs and theories as time
went on. Had he been President and
dealing with these questions as pract!-
cal matters vitality affecting business
interests. his education would have
been acquired at sore cost to the coun-
try, but as he was a private either
considering these questions only III al
academic field he had the opportunity
TO set himself right on these matters
without injury to the nation.
THE platforms of the great parties
declare only general principles govern
ing the legislation and administration
A..