, 1908-07-13
THEIR CHANCES.

1t is surprising with what assurance
n large number of democrats who at.
tended the Denver convention now pro-
claim that Bryan will surely be elected.
They apparently believe that this at.
tutude OF their part will actually bring
about the result.
What ground Is there for their pre-
tended belief? Mr.. Bryan has actually
retreated from the positions he took
that brought him most strength during
his former campaigns and has not
strengthened himself with the eastern
wing OF the democratic party by doing
SO either. Free silver gave him the
mountain states. Free silver Is not a
part OF his 1908 platform and the
mountain states are almost sure to
cast their votes for Taft. Government
ownership has been a part of his po-
htical creed and aided him immensely
with h populists. He a retreated
from the radical stand he took in his
Madison Square garden speech and
those of his admirers who hoped for
a strong government ownership plank
hANS hoPNd ia VAIN. vi TIE QdcSliOu
Of railroad control Mr.. Bryan stands
Just where Mr.. Taft stands, but lacks
h backing possessed by the republi
a candidate. Voters who give care
full attention TO PARTY platforms and
campaign issues will discriminate.
They will take into consideration the
fact that Mr.. Taft's party has a record
for enforcing the laws relating to the
control OF railroads and the further
fact that Mr.. Bryan would be compel
led to depend upon unframed and I'M
willing officials In these matters.
To elect Mr.. Bryan, at least one in
ten of the republican voters of the ma
party, No such condition now exists
nor will exist on election day. There
is no ~dissension among the republi-
can voters of the nation. They recog'
nize in Mr.. Taft perhaps the most thor
oughly rounded presidential candidate
that has yer been before the people
of the nation, not excepting Theodore
Roosevelt. He has the great execu.
tive ability of Mr.. Roosevelt without
the impulsiveness. He has the ire
mendous power TO labor and the ten
acity to overcome difficulties possess.
ed by the president. More than this.
He has one of the greatest and most
sessed by any man living. Judicial
training counts for a great deal in the
White house. No act of the president
should be taken without the legal side
being well considered. Mr.. Roosevelt
has had exceedingly good advice, 1t is
true, but it is well to have this knowl-
edge first hand in addition to the judg
ment of the heads Of the legal depart
ment of the government. Mr.. Bryan's
talent as a lawyer is not sufficient to
do him much good. AS a practitioner
he was superficial and unsuccessful.
He has had no success in life ia as a
talker. He is good at placing fine
spun theories before the people, but
exceedingly lame in execution. In
congress he vas an earnest advocate
Of the Wilson bill and helped to carry
Mr.. Wilson on his shoulders down the
aisle of the house of representatives
after the act was passed. The actual
work out of that measure proved that
in practice Bryan's theories are not
good. Today he stands for nearly ev-
erything that he stood cr during those
unhappy days. At heart he is a free trad
er n his face would be against pro.
tecting any of the great industrial in
terests of Wyoming or of the nation a.
large.
There is absolutely nothing in the
nomination of Bryan to appeal to re-
publicans, There is much in the'nom-
nation of Taft. standing as he does for
the progressive policies SO ably %initiat-
ed and advanced by Mr.. Roosevelt. to
appeal to the independent voter in the
democratic party.