The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-10-08
Farmers Do Not Believe the
Country Is Going to the
Dogs
BRYAN SCARE IS OVERLAND
TIDE IS TURNING TOWARD Taft
Tour Of the Candidate Has Won the
People Who Like His Maoly Com.
mon Sense, Straightforward Talks
Gloon in Democratic Camp.

based upon knowledge gained by close
observation of William ]. Bryan's tao;
tics in his two previous dashes for
the presidential stakes enabled the
Republican managers to prophecy, as
they did among themselves, that the
beginning of October would find the
relative positions Of Mr.. Taft and Mr..
Bryan in the political armament ex-
actly as they are today, with Mr..
Taft gaining ground steadily as Mr..
Bryan loses.
Mr.. Bryan has repeated once more.
He virtually shot his bolt by October
In 1896 and again in 1900. He is not
q laster. In the vernacular of the
trotting track, he is quarter horse
He gets OF ahead Of the drop Of the
flag, trots like a machine around the
arst turn, breaks on the back stretch
and falls behind, while his antagonist
keeps to his stride and finishes strong
with Mr.. Bryan gaHoping. instead Of
trotting, scores Of yards IN the rear.
When Chairman Hitchcock and his
associates planned the, eanapatyHatwo
months ago there was one element
that they knew they had to contend
with. That was Republican apathy
over-confidence based upon the evil
dent belief of the voters that there
could be no possible question of Mr..
Taft winning over Mr.. Bryan. There
was no question but that majority
Of the Republican electors, when they
heard that Mr.. Taft had been nomin-
ated, and that Mr.. Bryan was to be his
antagonist, settled back contentedly,
quite satisfied that they would do
their full duty by turning up at the
polls on election day and voting the
Republican ticket. The leaders also
took into consideration that this list
lessness to great extent would be
neutraltzed by Mr.. Bryan himself. The
thing which worried them was the
possibility that Mr.. Bryan would
abandon his usual habit, and instead
Df taking the stump as actively as
lad been his wont, would conduct his
campaign from Lincoln. If he be-
gan to travel and Salk as freely as he
did in 1896 and 1900, they figured that
lear Of the old ghost of Bryanism
Ind what 1t represents in principles
Df erratic and untried government
policies would scare the Republicans
Ind bestir them to action.
Fighting Spirit Aroused.
All this came to pass. No more ell
oquent, spectacular and, for the
nonce, convincing political casuist
han Mr.. Bryan ever attained to prime
Importance in national politics. He
possesses the gift above all men now
n public life OF inspiring temporary
enthusiasm and saying things that
found we'll and look equally we'll In
print. From news standpoint alone
Mr.. Bryan cannot be ignored, even
BY the opposition press. When a Re-
publican, no matter how confident he
may be Of his candidates election
picks up his paper day after day and
reads of the cavortness of Mr.. Bryan
how he speaks powerfully and tire
Iessly fifteen or twenty times between
lawn and dusk, covering hundreds
" miles, being listened to by big au-
uences, he is bound to feel doubts
rise within him. It is an old politi-
sal truism that II you can get Re-
publicans thoroughly scared they'll
Iake of their coats and work like SIX
y. That is what is happening now
The Republicans. the rank and file OF
The party, had up to within ten days
sven worse attacks of Bryanitis than
when Bryan was, in prospect. sweep
hg state after state into his train
b the late summer eight and twelve
rears ago. Now, as a Republican SEN
ltor from the middle west who called
It headquarters today. expressed It
they're up and busting like q Jack
.abbit with hound dog three Jumps
,ehind."
The scare Is now over. Mr.. Taft
,egan to turn the tide before he had
,een .twenty-four hours out on his
AN rpaign tour. The people like to
,e6 shown" They want to see the
IN fct. whom they are going to vote
t,.t,.ay him at close range, to size
~: ", face to face and figure II he
Measures; up to their personal stand
lrd OF what presidential candidate
1ught to- be. And 5if they like him.
Heyeryone does who sees and hears
u. TAFT and Il he has the sbility