The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-11-19
BRYAN'S GREATNESS.

Bryan is defeated in his third rac'
for the presidency. At the presen
writing New York is heavily agains
MIN, and without New York there /:
no hope. But while fuller returns
may affect popular and electoral ma
jorities, they can have no influence
On the decision New York has ren
dered. Taft is the next president
The News hoped it might be other
wise. We knew perfectly the terrific
forces arrayed against the commoner
but we knew likewise the trend Of
sentiment toward him, and we be-
lieved for long time the tide would
set strongly enough to carry him tt
the White house. We we're mistaken.
Put we are not mistaken in our eS.
innate of the man. Defeated though
he be, defeated for the third time
we hold that Bryan has won place
among the immortals. He has made
his race and fallen, but the race was
abundantly worth running.
For to Bryan, more than any other
man, more than to any other twenty
men, is due the rising tide of reform,
which has been checked, but nc
more, by the election of Mr.. Taft.
When, in 1896, the Interests" felt
that they had gained absolute
mastery OF both parties, Bryan arose
and wrested control of one great or.
ganization from them.
1t was bis magnificent fight on the
| money question That brought mora
issues to the front In American poll.
tics. Every measure for relief from
licensed or unlicensed extortion that
has passed since that day was initiat.
ed by William j. Bryan. The re-
forms for which Roosevelt has taken
credit were tilched bodily from the
commoner's chest. We may add
that Mr.. Roosevelt's violence, bis
recklessness OF laws and constitu.
lions, his firm conviction OF a lone.
some righteousness and policy OF
feeding monopolies with one hand
while more or less whacking them
with the other, are all Mr.. Roose
Velt's own.
MIR. Bryan Is defeated. But In de-
feat we should not be at all surprised
to see him exert a greater influence
on the legislation of tie next four
years than his victorious rival. He
is unquestionably the ADLER man. He
has an immeasufably clear insight
into conditions, and he has a frank,
clear cut way OF stating those condi-
tions which Taft cannot hope to
rival. And, from present indica-
lions, the democrtic party has made
notable gains, both In state govern.
ments and in congressman, and we
repeat that no nan YIELDS the
power in the democracy that Bryan
does. He must still be reckoned
with, and the nation is to be con.
graduated on that fact.
When the political history of the
last tifty years is written. few things
viii seem more remarkable than the
perennial popularity of Bryan. With
out an office, without machine,
without prestige of past success or
the power behind him OF organized
weaith-indeed, with all these things
against him, he is still the tribune OF
the people, the foremost man of a
great though beaten party. We OF
today understand a portion of the
reasons for this strength. We know
the earnestness, the honesty, the
clear-cut intellect and biting speech
or The man. We know his life
against which no man has dared to
cast the mud OF scandal. We know
though we may not fully analyze his
remarkable power over men. The
other factors are hidden from ms
fhey may be revealed in the future.
or they may not. But this we know,
whether history can explain the
greatness Of the man or not, history
VIII recognize that greatness to the
tnil' and will know that IL was a
greatness fraught With blessings for
the nation.
Mr.. Taft is elected. We wish him
well. The best we can wish him ,s
that he will disappoint our every
fear, and drown our regrets In
chorus OF praise. For him personally
we have only the kiudliest feelinys
We thought, and still think, that he
was running under very sinister ans.
pieces. We thought, and still tbink
that he owed too much OF his nomi.
ntlon to the federal machine, and roo
much Of his election to the "in,er
ests' : We hope that be NAV rise
above these influences, and we knou
such things have hear do,. =,