Daily Arizona silver belt., 1908-09-16
APATHY AND OPTIMISM


 Various reasons have been sought by the managers of the political campaigns for the unwonted apathy. It is plain that up to date people have declined to become wildly enthusiastic over the claims of any candidate or party, and for the most part what agitation there has been is due to the efforts of the pro fessional politicians.
 It is possible-just possible-that the reason for this is to be found in the facts published in the Manufacturers Record of September g. This number contains seven pages of telegrams and letters from the various sections of the country, from prominent men of busi- ness and industry, bearing upon the in dustrial and economic situation. It is not too much to say that note of cheery optimism runs through them all. Here is the latest word from the iron and steel men, from men engaged in mining, manufacturers of machinery, men engaged in the lumber business, in engineering, contracting and many other fields of activity, and the note of all of them is that business is steadily, if slowly, improving, and that prospects for good times ahead were never bright CT. They declare that trade conditions are much better than they were two months ago, and that the outlook is en- couraging for steady increase. And these, be it remembered, are the expres- sions of conservative men of business; not the expressions of politicians, but the calm judgment of men who have made business study of conditions and causes and prospects, and who base their opinions on what they know.
 Politics enters much less into the matter of business than some people are inclined to imagine, and running through the opinions of these business men it will be found that they declare that the coming presidential election is having much less effect on business than pending elections usually have had. They do not believe that returning con fidence in the stability of business con- ditions is such that it can easily be dis turbed by the political campaign, no matter what the results of the campaign may be.
 In this, we think, is to be found the primary cause for the present political apathy. There are no striking issues, and when it comes to the personality of the two leading presidential candidates, they are both regarded as such safe and sane men that there is no nervousness over the result should either of them be elected. The politicians will continue to use the old material, will point to the danger of this or that calamity hap pening in case of the election of MT. Taft or of MT. Bryan, but the solid bust ness men of the country, the men who really represent the country's best in- terests, refuse to take these cries seri- ously any longer. They know, better than any other class of American citi- zens, that the election of no man to the presidency will seriously disturb business conditions.
 And so it is that the people are apa- thetic over the campaign. They have to devote their thoughts and energies to a revival of business, to a return of that prosperous condition which slipped away from us some two years ago, and which we find, as people, it is essential to have back again. It is not devotion to politics that will help the business re- vival, but devotion to business. It is probable that majority of the big men of affairs, the captains of industry, do not care a rap which man is elected