The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-13
mHY BRYAN CAN WIN.

WHY BRYAN CAN WIN.
Just as a matter Of habit. the Repub-
lean leaders and newspapers are as
Stunning that this years election viii be
& walk-over for them in case Bryan is
nominated. They had that habit in
1882. when Cleveland defeated Harri-
son, after Harrison had beaten him
four years before. They have acquired
the custom naturally enough from
long term III power and because Bryan
has been defeated twice before. But
they are ignoring the fact that condi-
tons this year are against their COM
Portable theory that they are TO con-
trol the government indefinitely.
Since the days of the Blaine-Conk-
ling feud the Republicans have had 40
such bitter animosities within the party
as they have today. The president has
aIienated all the old-line leaders, he
has defied the men who have hereto
fore controlled both houses of congress;
he has forced unwelcOme legislation
upon them when ne could. and read
ever occasion offered. More danger
Gus than this. he has presumed TO Sc
Iect his own successor and designate
Taft openly as the heir TO the throne,
whereas his predecessors have been
content 70 let the party choose its can
didates uncoerced by. the enormous pow
er of the executive.
X X X
The fruits OF this policy have been
shown within the past week at Chi
cago. The national committee advised
by Roosevelt and guided by Taft's
friends. have shown scant courtesy and
less justice To the other presidential
candidates in deciding contests among
the delegations. It has only needed
10 know which dele~ation was for Taft
10 decide that which was entitled TO
seats in the convention.
Even the pro forma courtesy Of a
hearing has been denied in important
instances until the managers for Knox
and Fairbanks and Foraker have been
driven to protest, hOpelessly, TO be
sure. but with a bitterness that indi-
Gates the seriousness of the split in
the party. Taft will be nominated, just
as Harrison was, with the aid of south
ern delegates from Democratic states,
but his election is another matter since
Il viii depend in larg measure on the
uaity of his party and the loyalty to
him of the men ne has antagonized.
q
a record unparalleled in the history OF
the country for extravaganza and in
competency, a record so vicious that
its ablest apologists have been driven
to hide behind the plea that a helpless
minority Of Democrats was responsible
for the indifference of congress TO the
demands of the country for progressive
Avs.
On the other hand, Mr. Bryan is
stronger with the voters than he ever
vas. and justly so. The principles he
advocated in 1886 and 1900 have been
vindicated in public opinion and adopt
ed in part by the Roosevelt Republic
ans. The claim that Democratic adj
ministratiOn would be followed by a
panic has been made ridiculous by the
panic of last fan under a Republican
administration. IN the midst Of the
greatest prosperity the country has ever
known; a panic which produced bond
issue in times of peace. and whose dam
gerous consequences were averted only
by the utmost exertions of the men
whom Roosevelt had been characterize
ing in terms of the meanest oppro-
brium.
The revision of the tariff, the mother
Of trusts, is likely to be one of the main
issues. The Republicans, driven by the
pressure of public opinion. have pro-
vided for a commission, composed of
stand-pat politicians. which is ostensi-
hly TO investigate the tariff and recon-
mend the line of revision. By the time
the trusts have made their usual lib
eral contributions 10 the Republican
campaign fund, the form of tariff re-
vision, in case they win. Will have been
determined, as usual in favor of tar
Tiff for the trusts only
X X
The average American citizen knows
exactly what that means, and he is NJ.