The Washington times., 1908-10-15
TAFT NOW GETTING WISE
TO THE VOTERS WILES
Finds That Average Citizen Has Already Solved Every
Problem in Political Economy and Has Master
ed Issues of the Campaign.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.

Congress, said the emaciated man,
sis a bunch Of fellows"
What is Congress-" What does the
Congress comply put in the barber.
law, you don't know Can't you see
that, If the trusts got possession Of the
Congress and had the right to go from
one State into another and raise prices
IS they pleased, Bryan could hold them
Gown with the veto power2 You don't
know what the veto IS. The veto is the
only safeguard Bryan would have
against the corporations
Il amt got no right 10 argue with
you anyway said the man with the lat
why amt you? Why amt your"
shrieked the barber.
You're older than I am, and can't
resent H., said the other, and this ShOJ
ended the argument which had brought
out new things about David 3. Hin, the
veto power, and what Congress com
Ohioan's Argument.
It was in a little Ohio town that a
man with a fiery manner pounded the
great truths Of the Republican party in
% another who had a pale and glimmer-
ing eye.
Jaw, go on entreat-d the pale-eyed
victim. Il amt a Republican and I
amt a Democrat
What are you then? Are you a So
ciaIist?"
Nav"
An independent
Nav; I amt nothin','' said the pale
/ eyed man
Then, go of and lay down and die, ;"
! grOWled the fiery statesman. You
amt got a right TO live. A man who
/ won't vote amt a man"
! In West Virginia the political argu-
/ ments one hears on every hand are
! strange, weird, and peculiar, fun Of
] .e~T- -Ta.#E
| the argument depends not so much upon
/ the continuity Of the thought as the
/ continuance of the strong language
| without needless repeutions. Ere
/ qUenty. the abstruse theories Of gov
! eminent are rammed home with a
! piece of gas pipe or punctuated with
| vicious Jabs 10 the jaw OF the man who
] has inaGvisedlv taken the opposite side.
! This may explain why West Virginia
| politics is referred 70 as being "turbu-
Women's Methods.
| Occasionally women are heard IN po-
uucal argument along the route.
! Women do not become excited when
they argue They merely throw on al
! the teachings Of civilization. bid fare
| well 10 the teachings they had in early
| youth about voices soft and low. and
sail in, winding up with attempts to
clutch the hair Of their opponents OF
/ wreck their hats.
But everywhere the chorus Of political
debate enriches the air. Politics is the
national game. and every man is con
WINGED that he is a star player. This IS
the season when they all revive theI,
youthful idea that they should ster
from the first base Of their ball teams
20 the chief uagist~acv OF the nation
A vote IS Ike a racehorse. It's owner
has to trOt il up and down, talk 10 II
brag about 10 and fuss around X fol
weeks before entering Il in the grand
sweepstakes event Of November g.
And the average voter Of this coun-
try IS a wonder. II he does not know
all about every issue by election time
he has persuaded himself that he does
and either achievement Is a wonderful
thing He becomes the aUtOcrat OF hi.
family circle and a leading debater a
the grocery store. He reads the news
papers with a devourinE, II not a dis
eliminating. eye. and he feels. after al
IS said and done, that he Is as apr q
be the victim Of one party as Of another
But this feeling he carefully conceal.
until after the election
At any rate, this land OF the free and
home Of the immigrant IS a hoOting mol
which has the wise old owl dashed Z,
the mast.