Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-05-22

People Admire Him-He is So Strong
that Probably He ROOSEVELT Will Have
to Take the Stump to Save Taft.
The Washington correspondent of
the Or,gonion, writing under date of
the Sth inst. gives the following an
alysis Of the political situation. made
hy Mr.. Roosevelt. who is probably
the most aStute politician in the
country.
Now that Taft's nomination at
Chicago is assured and We know Pres
idrnt Roosevelt'S opinion OF the futile
third term talk. it is interesting to
know the opinion of the astutc poll
tician in the White House as to the
Democratic situation. When we say
Mr.. Roosevelt is an aStute politician.
we say that which no one will qucs-
ton. not even his enemies. His
clcverncSs, his leadership. his mas
tcrfuncss over the Republican party,
he has amply demonstrated. Mr..
Roosevelt is a student of public opin-
ion as well as a leader of it. There
fore his impressions as to the chief
men in the opposition ranks and their
relative strength before the people
is not only of interest but of impor-
lance at this public juncture. Mr..
Roosevelt not only believes that Mr..
BRYAN is to be nominated at Denver
but that he is the strongest candl-
date the Democrats can nominate for
President this year Many published
statements have aScribcd to the Pres
idcnt the belief that Governor john
son would be more dangerous to the
Republican cause than Mr.. Bryan.
But these statements were founded
upon misrepresentation. Mr.. Roosc-
welt has said some pleasant words
about Governor Johnson, and, IN
common with all observers of Amcrl-
can politics. realizes the Minnesota
Governor $ peculiar strength. But
in the last analysis Mr.. Roosevelt
thinks Mr.. Bryan the stronger man.
the one most likely to threaten Re
publican success.
The President has discussed this
and other phases of the political stu
alton with his personal friends. One
of these friends made the remark:
" A fact which many people overlook
is that presidential elections are not
decided by professional men. mcr-
,.l,n in, hnfnlS ,.lI1hS
parlor or sleeping cars. Elections
are determined by the men who work
with their hands, and from whom we
rarely hear much till the votes are
counted in the boxes. With that
class of men-with the common PEG
ple-you, Mr.. President, are the
strongest man in America. Mr..
Bryan is second. Both Judge and
Governor Johnson come after Mr.
Bryan.
Without any mock modesty the
President permitted the reference to
himself to stand for what 1t was
worth, without comment; and he
said there could be no doubt what
ever of Mr.. Bryan's very great pop
ularity with the masses of the peo-
pie. He made plain that he is aware
there is opposition to Bryan as well
as to himself among the business and
professional men of the country, but
that also appreciates the fact that
elections are carried by the plain
people. " rs Mr.. Bryan calls them,
and that with this class of voters the
Nebraskan enjoys remarkable popu-
larity.
The suggestion has been made here
that President Roosevelt may take
part in the coming campaign by
making number of speeches for
Taft 1t may be said the President
himself has considered the advisa
bility of this, without as yet reach
ing any conclusion. He may or may
not in the end decide to override all
presidents and play star part in the
struggle. Presidents do not count
for much with Mr.. Roosevelt and if
he should become alarmed over the
outlook for the Republican ticket
during the closing days of the cam
paign, it is not at all improbable he
will take part in the battle. 1t he
should decide to do SO, it goes without
saying he will be able to WELD pow
erful influence in favor of the man
who is to be nominated for his sue
ceSSOr.
Judge Taft has won high favor
with the more conservative men of
the country. He is now looked upon
by all rs of Il steadier and more mod
crate temperament than the Presi
dent, less likely to adopt radical
methods or do startling things. But
he has not made so much progress
in winning the applause of the peo-
pie. He has said nothing very bril-
liant, nothing that has reused en-
thuSiam. He is weak where Mr..
Roosevelt is strong and strong where
Roosevelt is weak. If the campaign
should 60 badly for Mr.. Taft, with
Bryan against him - Bryan, who
has the favor to very great extent
of the same class of people as are
heart and soul for Roosevelt-it may
be absolutely necessary for the Presi-
dent to take part in the campaign.
Mr.. Roosevelt realizes this. and,
therefore withholds his dctcrmna-
ton as to his course.
One of the strangest things in the
campaign is the absolute inability
of the Eastern newspapers to under
stand the strength of Mr.. Bryan as
a popular candidate. They do not
understand his strength, even in the
East. They continue to speak of
him as if he were an ogre, a monster,
or at least an ass. They believe, or
affect to believe, that if he is nomi-
mated at Denver all hope of carrying
New York and other Eastern States
for the Democratic ticket will have
to be abandoned. This is not the
view held by Mr.. Roosevelt and
other perspicacious Republican
leaders. They believe Bryan is u
little less strong in the East than in
the West Init thpv rpa1iza that with