The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-10-15
The Campaign; HOwNOwH
BY LEO.

BY Leu.
The candidates are at it with
might and main. Each is bless
ed with a certain amount OF as
surance, but neither, as Mr.. Bry-
an said the other dav, with quite
the assurance he would like to
have.
President Roosevelt is quite
sure that Judge Taft will win,
and the Republicans, generally,
look for Taft victory. On the
other hand, the Democrats are
more or less sanguine as to the
election of Bryan. They base
their hope on the fact that the
Democratic party is now reunit-
ed, at all events, more united
than it has been for twelve years.
And because of this many DEM
Gratis hope that Bryan will win
in November.
The candidate of the Democ-
racy is making desperate ef-
fort. 1t is with him now or nev-
er, probably the latter, and hav-
ing a fighting chance he fights
with all his brilliant energy. He
seems never to tire speaking to
crowds, and the crowds never
tire of listening. He is a great
campaigner-the greatest now
living-and the peer of any stump
speaker in our history. If mere
oratory could win Bryan would
surely gain a great victory at the
coming election.
But oratory alone never wins.
The eloquent talker will please
the crowd, but pleasing people is
not convincing them. AS is well
known, thousands of people have
gone to the Bryan meetings to
have their emotions aroused by
his magnetic speaking, and then
vote against him.
Judge Taft is no great orator,
but he knows how to put things
so as to fasten them in the hear
er's mind. He pleases by his ap-
pearanee, and convinces by his
terse expressions and infallible
logic. Bryan's rhetoric is up a.
gainst Taft's logic. Logic, we
trow, will win.
There are several things weak
ening Bryan in this race for the
presidency. His own rash words
in 1896 and 1900 rise up against
him in judgment to condemn him.
He can not escape from his made
up record in the past. Too ma
ny people remember his dire pre-
dictions, none of which came to
pass, and they ask, us this false
prophet fit for the presidency"
It was blunder in Bryan to
select Governor Haskell to be the
treasurer of his campaign funds
and then defend him against the
pointed accusations of Hearst
Did Bryan know Haskell's his
tory? He says that he knew
nothing about his connection with
the Standard Oil crowd, but al
President Roosevelt said to hin
in answer to the long telegram
the court records in the case were
available. We are willing to take
Bryan's word that he knew moth
ing against Haskell. But thi'
will convince thousands of vot
ers that Bryan's judgment O.
men is of the poorest. 1.-The ha
no better instinct in the choice
of subordinates how can ne b.
trusted, if elected chief magls
trate, to select the proper per
sons to fill the Offices? The Tag
carts and Haskells would have
feast of it.
Another blunder was the draw
ing of President Roosevelt int
the arena. We agree with Bry
an that the President should hol
himself aloof from the campaign
The chief magistrate of this grea
nation has enough to do withou
entering the political ring. Thi
is the general verdict. Bryan
right in this. But he himsel
drew Roosevelt into the arena
first by maintaining on the Stun
that he Bryan was the prope
heir" to Roosevelt's policy {
reform, and secondly by sendin
-. n..os:ln,nh hhat lnnn fell