Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-07

Roosevelt's advisor, William Howard
Taft, and when on the fourth day of
March next he shall stand with I'M
covered head on the east portico Of the
! National Capitol at Washington, and
soleinnly take the oath that shall make
him the President of eighty millions of
; American freemen it will be then, and
not until then that Democracy Will
realize his physical and intellectual
greatness and with one accord Cassius
! like exclaim, why man he doth be-
| stride the narrow world like a Colos-
sns and We petty Democrats walk I'M
| der his huge legs and peep about to
/ find ourselves dishonorable graves"
| Now this remnant of a once great
party met in national convention at
/ Denver, nominated the peerless and
! oerpetual as it's candidate for the
Presidency, and produced that quad
! rennial comedy, Democratic national
| platform. Vocing my deepseated con-
victions 1 make hold to say that that
| Platform borders more closely on the
realms of both comedy and tragedy
than anything heretofore produced by
the barren brain of Democratic lead
! erS.
| 1t is not the height of comedy to as
sumo that the AmerlcanVoter can be
influenced by a platform or declara-
ton of principles known to be design
ed deliberately to please every phase
ana faction of our civilization, and Is
| it not tragedy. If not real crlmlnallty
| to submit deep questions OF govern
ment, intricate questions of finance, or
profound methods of legal procedure
to the arbitrament of popular cleo
torate unequally endowed In temper
ament and intellect. 1 yield to no man
in my appreciation of the sound sense
and superior intelligence of the Amer
lean electorate, but this does not JUS
tifv the assumption that the average
voter is necessarily professor OF po-
litical economy, a graduate Oh Com
financial school, or profound diScl-
nlc of blackstone, l hasten, however,
to say that the majority of our voters
NAV not possess the scholastic attain
ments of Mr.. Bryan, they may IAN 10
comprehend the issuing If lnJunctions
in labor disputes, they may not grasp
the true meaning of the initiative anu
referendum, their minds may be TO-
tai blank on the utility OF a single OF
a double standard, the bowling oe
mand of II years ago for the Tree anu
unlimited coinage at ratio OF 10 W
| NAV not even now be thoroughly uh-
derstood. The receding spectre or lth-
neria]ism may still alarm the untnihk-
ing few. but l here and now serve no
tice on William Jennings Bryan trat
while the American voter may not De
nrofoundly versed on all the mystlly-
ing issues he has sought to inject INTO
three Presidential contests, ne doeS
know, either in intuition or through
divine inspiration, that these ISSUES
are merely the creations OF a selllshly
ambitious politician who changes tneHl
at each recurring election as polltlcal
cxpediency may suggest or the eHiseh-
ces of the hour require
The same voter does know that the
BRYAN platform adopted at Denver
is cuunningly constructed to please
tho Populist. satisfy the Socialist, IN
flame the agitator, arouse the radical,
reass,re the conservative, jolly the
former. caress the laborer, and prom
iscs anything and everything to estab-
fish the Kingdom of Heaven upon
earth if Mr.. Bryan only can be placed
unon the throne, and knowing the in
sincerity of it all, and the impossible
ity of its fulfillment. he will repeat
the dose he has twice previously ad-
ministcred. and bury Mr.. Bryan pollt-
icallv so deep that not even the silver
or the golden trumpet of the Angel
Gabriel could restore him to posi-
BILE political resurrection.
Now, Mr.. Bryan, with remarkapie
adrcitncss. realizing the utter hope
lessncss of his chances did ne again
stand for his abandoned or rejected
policies of the past II years, comes
before the country today with brand
new wardrobe of political wearing APP
parel through a loud display of when
he hopes to win the Presidential rome
Foremost in this list is d fantastic
garment called "Shall the People
Rule" 1t is made of most flimsy ma
tcrial intended for but two months
service, and in order to give the lean
and hungry candidate full and hulty
arearance it is inflated with wealth.
of hot air that would make CONNER
ell traveller look insipid by comparison
"Shall the people rule?' Somehow
there is an impression abroad IN the
land that the people have ruled IN inns
great and glorious land OF ours LOT
1872 historic years. Somehow there IS
AN impression abroad that they ruied
in 1896 and aagin in 1900 when they
twice rejected, by overwhelming ma
iorities the Nebraskan inventor Oh
false political issues.
"Shall the people rule" is an moor
rect and deceptive statement OF the
true question. The real question con-
fronting the American people TO-DAY
is "Shall the people rule under the lead
crship of Bryan and mongrel Delnoc-
racy, or shall they rule under the Lead
ership of William Howard Taft and
marty of demonstrated capacity
Shall the people rule through party
of progress, of patriotism and OF
achievement. a party that preaches
the glad gospel of sunshine. and hope.
and good cheer, and good times, ana
good money, or shall they rule thrugh
a party whsoe only hope of victory Is
in the successful PRONUNCIATION OF
doctrine of gloom, of despair, and as
content?'
Thmat the people shall and Go rule
will be convincingly demonstrated by
their selection of a ruler in November
newt and II requires no special gilt OF