Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-12
judge Taft's Southern Trip.

JuQR0 4&At SOOIACAA AAAP'
Judge Taft left Cincinnati this morn
ing on his second stamping tour and Will
be on the move now constantly until the
day before election. His itinerary Will
take him into several southern states. for
reasons given in the following Cincinnati
letter which appeared In yesterdays New
York Tribune:
"Mr. Taft has been urged by some or
the most influential members Of the party
to confine his speaking tours to the north.
where 1t Is believed he can make more
votes with a given expenditure of time
and energy than in the south. but he has
rejected all such advice and has regarded
1t as a duty to go into the south and
spend rs much time there. as possible.
From the first Ale has admitted the force
of the argument that he Is not likely TO
win a sufficient number of votes to carry
any really southern state. but he mas IN
sisted that IL q presidential candidate
makes speeches at all. he should not ig-
more any section Of the country merely
because it was regarded as surely demo-
cratic. and he has emphatically declared
his conviction that 1t was his duty to win
as many votes In the south as possible.
even If he could not make q sufficient
number In any one state to get IT'S eiec-
toral vote. 1t is. therefore. In accordance
with that conviction that his itinerary
has been planned to include the southern
states he named while 1t Is a matter OF
great regret to him that he cannot also
make at least one speech in Georgia, as
he had intended
This comes under a famous and well
worn designation. 1t is magnificent. but
not war. The point is. can Judge Taft
afford magnincence at this stage of the
game? For war-real warts raging.
Maryland, Kentucky and West Virginia
are within the fighting zone. Speeches
to int CHI rNf ho Inst
In West Virginia a visit from the candi-
date would not have been thought Of ex-
cept for the republican divisions In the
state. They have been wide and deep,
and even now, after all the work Of the
peacemakers, a certain sullenness re-
mains. The presence of Judge Taft
should have q good effect.
In Maryland and Kentucky the repub-
licans. as usual. are we'll led. and In Mary
land are very hopeful. Normally both
states are democratic. but neither has
ever shown any fondness for Organism.
Maryland has rejected Mr.. Bryan twice,
and kentucky once. At present the DEM
ocrats control the affairs Of the former,
and the republicans the Affairs Of the
latter. But local issues explain that stu
alton. Judge Taft will Undoubtedly in
greater activity than ever.
But time spent in Tennessee, North Caro-
lima and Virginia will be time wasted.
Judge Taft will be we'll received there.
The people will like him. His frankness
and downrightness and observation-disclosures
will appeal to their appreciation of man.
Illness. Wherever he goes democrats will
help constitute his audience, and some
will secretly wish him success. But they
will not vote for him in numbers to make
a difference Ia the result. few pro-
fessional men and men of business, a
little more coura geous than their fellows.
will plump down" on election day as
they honestly feel, but the great majority
of the anti-Bryan democrats will either
support Mr.. Bryan or 60 fishing. .Tennes-
see, North Carolina and Virginia are just
as safe SO far as the Denver ticket il con-
cerned as Mississippi. Louisiana and
Texas.
The practical farmer sows his seed
where the land 10 ready for it, and
especially when he needs q crop right
away. In all the debatabie states the
land is ready, and the sewers are busy.
Judge Taft should have given every hour
of his time to those fields. Reaping day
is only three weeks away, and he wants
as big a crop as possible. Sentiment is a
fine thing and reflects credit On its posses
sor. But there are seasons for exhibiting
1t, and of-season exhibitions are some
times dangerous. Judge Taft Is not the
candidate of the whole people. He should
have saved his national sprit-which he
possesses in a large quantity-until White
House days.