Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-30
Opposition Candidates Who
First Lauded Roosevelt
Placed in Predicament
BRYAN AND WHITE AT vARIENcE
Both Endorse Work of President, But
Bryan Finds it Necessary to Turn on
Him and Repudiate His Former At
titude-candidate White Has Other
Troubles
to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept 30.--Iowa demo-
Gratis have been placed in a peculiar
and embarrassing position by the de-
velopments Of the campaign. owing to
the sudden changes Of base elsewhere
along the firing line When Mr. Bryan
opened tine activities of the present en-
gagernent in Iowa, the tactics were
plainly of a conciliatory nature with
reference to his dealings with the
Roosevelt following. Not only did he
find much to commend in the repub-
hcan leaders, record. but the word
was quietly passed along the line. at
conferences with Iowa democrats to
use no derogatory languages in deal
ing with the president.
This line Of action was adopted i'm
mediately after the Denver convention
when Theodore Bell, in conference
with Mr.. Bryan at Fairview voiced the
general indignation aroused by Perma-
nent Chairman Clayton's attack on the
president. Mr.. Bell warned the demo-
cratic candidate that If he looked for
any support In the far west, such at
tacks on Mr.. Roosevelt should be dis
couraged.
Following the instructions of the
democratic nominee. Iowa orators
adopted laudatory tactics in referring
to the president. Fred White. demo-
cratic candidate for governor. went so
! far as to thank him on behalf of de-
mocracy "for having performed for his
! country's good so valuable a service as
to constitute new epoch in the ma
tons history"
Trusting that the president would be
guided by precedent and behave like a
we'll hammered testator when his heirs
are wrangling in the courts for his pos
session, Mr.. Bryan was. encouraged to
go so far as to set himself up as the
sole remaining and bona tlde legatee of
the Roosevelt doctrine He pleaded his
case eloquently before the electoral
/ jury. setting forth his political like
! ress to the man whose property he
coveted. But in this instance the party
most interested in the disposition of the
estate refused to- remain buried in the
graveyard of precedent. With q voice
rejecting nothing sepulchral he took
the witness stand in behalf of equity
and cleared away all doubts as to the
ileirship.
President Roosevelt's Bryan letters
have been the most deliciously trenchant
epistles that have figured in an
American political campaign for many
years.
Thus suddenly rebuffed and unable
| to establish a claim to the coveted
policies, Mr.. Bryan after the first shock
| of contact with the witness, came to
the conclusion that the heritage was,
| after all, not worth having and be-
i gan a vituperative attack on the rec
ord of the president. What had he
accomplished anyway? No trust mag
nate had been placed in Jail. Great
/ combinations existed STILL He had
other remedies for their extermina-
ton which would effectually stifle
all corporate cancers.
| So Iowa is listening, with its sense
of humor sharpened by the situation,
| to Hon Fred White praising Roosevelt
to the skies and at the same time
reading in the newspapers the bitter
attacks on the same strenuous party
from the pen of the leader of national
democracy.
! Mr.. Whites troubles do not cease
here, however In past campaigns he
has been one of the most vehement and
| bitter opponents of Governor Cum
MINIS This year, however, the Iowa
governor was placed in a class with
Roosevelt and held UP as model OF
every political virtue. This was be-
fore an arrangement had been made
for senatorial primary. 1t was hoped
that by soft-soaping the friends of the
executive. they could be wheedled into
voting for the democratic nominee for
governor But when the Legislature
provided for another primary it was
found that every boost for Governor
Cumn1ins was knock on Claude Por-
| ter, who also aspires to THE Allison
toga. This line of tactics is now aban-
doned and the entire republican admin
/ istration is being iberated.
Those who have pointed out the fact
that Mr.. Bryan and democracy could
not be trusted ito maintain action along
| one issue in two consecutive campaigns
have stated the case too mildly. Elk
perience of the past few weeks has
shown that they reserve the right to
abandon one line Of attack, forget 1t
and take up another entirely contra
dictory of the first, even before the
campaign has run half its length.