Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-09-15
For Twelve Years He Has z
ing Issue That Will Elecs
POSITION ALWAYS D1sCRE.
Events Show That His Success Wo
Have Brought Calamity. u
RETREATS BEHIND PLATFORM
NebrnsICan Has Notified People that
Party Instructions WIN Protect
Them From Former Isms
~ He is Elected.

CINCINNATI. o., Sept. 1l-Willlam II.
Taft devoted himself today principally 10
political composition He wrote an answer
20 Ar. Bryan's comment on President
Rovasvelt's TAFT letter, after which he
spent Tie latter part Of the day in the
preparation OF the two speeches ne is to
make tomorrow-the first 10 delegation
from Greenfield, Ind. the other to the
Methodist negro preachers OF Ohio. Indiana
kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Taft's reply TO Mr.. Bryan was
natter the importance OF which seemed to
grow on the candidate when he was first
shown wha. Mr. Bryan had said. the spon-
taneous answer was short and terse; then
Mr. Taft indicated that he would dictate
formal reply. which in turn was revised
and expanded
I his Is Mr.. Taft's reply:
In my notification speech. and in other
speeches made since. / attempted to make
clear my position on all the issues Of the
,anIpaien. IL Mr.. Bryan has been unable
o understand them ! cannot make them
clearer. l stand on my record in office and
what have said Ar. Bryan should de-
vote a little time TO his own record. from
which he seems TO be struggling to separ-
ate himself. with all the adroi,ness
acquired in a twelve years hunt for an
issue on which he can be elected presi-
dent
The readiness with which Mr.. Bryan in
successive presidential campaigns, passes
from one paramount issue to another shows
that the chief consideration which affected
bis selection OF an issue has been its piausi-
billty IN attracting votes. He presents the
remarkable spectacle o. one who has been
seeking the presidency for twelve years
without success and without official re-
sponslbllity. and without the opportunity
to test the various propositions which he
has advocated for reforms. and yet of hav-
ing events demonstrate what a colossal
failure he would have made in each in
stance had he been permitted to carry his
proposals forward as the policies OF the !
country.
Questions Vet Unanswered.
He IDEAS not now say whethvr be is stu 1
IN, favor OF the free coinage of silver ne 4
does not now answer the question whether,
II he were president and an exigsncy
should arise IN which he would be called
upon 20 exercise his discretion aff-rmstlvely
TO maintaining the parity between gold ard
silver. he would exercise that discretion.
He has not permitted himself 10 dis
cuss in .hss campaign the issue OF anti
impc criaiism which wac the paramount issue
in 100 as he declared and IN respect to
which the policy OF the repubicaf parry
has been vindicated by the event. so that
tranquility and a good government xist
in the Philippine slands. and even the in
dependigt prefer republican victory u Mr..
BFysn's PROMISES.
"He nov says that he favors the more
rigid regulation Of the railroads. In nsj
he expressed the -Fv,y that the railroads
could not be regulated because the rail-
roads would own the regulators appoint d
H... l-.rr
government ownership. We hear nothing
from him on this subject. Instead. by de-
scribing his platform not only as an an
nounoen.ent Of principles. but as a pro-
teotion against uncomfortable issues, he
has attempted 10 give bond to keep the
peace with respect TO government owner
ship. which. By its mere announcement.
showed its lack OF the vote-cat ching
quality.
~ - che HeIrshIp.
''He Processes 20 have been the father.
and now TO be the heir. Of the Roosevelt
policies. and yet in no campaign of three
IN which he has taken part. and two of
which he himself led, did he make any Of
them the paramount issue. Indeed. in the
Parker campaign, he took occasion to
charge Mr. Roosevelt with militarism and
with being completely subject TO the infiu- \
znee of corporations. only 10 see him win
lhs greatest peace triumph of the world.
and secure such an effective stamping out
of corporate abuses TO elicit the admira- !
lion Of the entire country.
Mr.. Bryan processes TO be the great
friend of labor, and yet he was one OF the r
,hief supporters in the passage OF the
iorman- Wilson bill that made labor help y
ess for four years. He then proposed as
remedy for the disaster to which labor
vas thus exposed. the issuing OF a 5e-eent
iollar. which would have cut in half such
wages as there were and would have led "A
o the hardest kind OF struggle on labor's Il
art 10 restore It's wages 10 its proper a
'qnivalent under the gold standard. The L
country has been most fortunate that the 81
allacy OF Mr. BEan's railroad proposi- a
ions has been exposed without the cost OF
'utting them into actual governmental Il
raetice, and q would be fortunste indeed n
I the danger Of four years depression. TO Al
Witch q would be exposed In case OF Mr. a.
lryan's election, may be averted. and II by D,
epublican success IN November and subse- sC
uent prosperity and by a elnehing Of the pl
Roosevelt policies. he may again be shown In
b be q prOphat without honor" b,