Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-10-23

SUPPORT FOR TAFT-ROOSEYELT' :
POPULARITY SAID TO HAVE PRECIP-
| ITATELY DECLINED WHERE HE WAS
ONCE THEIDoL OF THE MAssEs-A Ii
EFFOTs TO BE CONCENTRATED UPON
NEW YORK, WHICH THAT PARTY
MUST HAVE TO WIN.
Washington Herald lind.
A Chicago dispatch of Monday says:
A slump IN the Republican vote of the
Middle West, comparable only to- that
of 1892, will almost certainly be shown
by the returns of the election two weeks
hence.
The Republican leaders are prepared
for it. Unmistakable signs of it con
front them on every side. They are
| hoping that this slump will not be SO
great as to transfer admittedly doubt
! full States into the Democratic column.
| That, today, is the extent of their
hopes.
There is danger in Indiana chaos in
Ohio, uncertainties in Illinois, disturb
ing aspects in Wisconsin, wholesale
objections in Iowa, disquieting condi-
tons in Kansas, threatening surface
indications in Nebraska, Il spirit OF
party indifference and discomfort
| throughout the Northwest, and an APP
parent trend toward Bryan everywhe
Republican hopes as TO Ohio and In
| diana are beginning TO be foriorn hopes.
The leaders will be more surprised if
these States go for Taft than if they go
| for Bryan, and are not now including
| them in their tables of calculation on
the result.
This is not a partisan view of the po-
litical situation in the Middle West. II
is an impartial, unprejudiced view of
| 1.-THE conclusion reached as the result
of close and honest observation through
out this territory.
LOOKED LIKE Ian DSLIDE.
Two weeks ago four Washington cor
respondents who had been travelling
over the political battle ground hap
pened to meet at Milwaukee. After
sending their dispatches they compar-
ed notes and exchanged condolences.
All four of them admitted that they
had not dared write all that they be-
iieved as to the situation. Three of
them unhesitatingly expressed the
opinion that a Bryan landslide was
impending. The fourth said that he
was convinced that the Democrats
would make tremendous gains, but he
thought these would fall short of a
landslide and thus enable Taft to pull
through. All four of these correspond
ents agreed that there was a marked
trend in every quarter toward Bryan
that organized labor was largely for
him. that the church vote was for him,
largely; that the business vote was less
hostile to him than it had ever been be-
fore; that the Democratic party was III
better organized shape and more en-
thusiastic and aggressive than at any
time since 1892; and that the Republic
can party was in poorer trim for a
winning fight than in had been in at
least sixteen years.
ROOSEvELT'S POPULARITY WAVES
A remarkable phase of the Western
situation is the distinct waning of The
OdOre ROoSevelt's personal popularity.
A year ago his name was the one Re-
publican name TO cOnjure with. Ii is
not so now. Ardent supporters of his
administrative course criticiSe him I'M
sparingly. The methods he employed
to force the nomination OF Taft, deeply
resented at The time, and his active
participation in the campaign now
pending, which is almost universally
deprecated, have caused the Roosevelt
star to decline almost pitateIy.
If Taft should lose his own State, as
now seems probable, Republicans will
promptly trace the blame TO Roosevelt
His assault on Foraker and incidental
allusion to Brownsville intensified the
ugly situation there UNNECESSARILY.
Before that episode harmony had, in
part at least, been restored, and there
was little serious thought that Ohio
could possibly go Democratic. Since
that episode il has been a case of NOV
ing heaven and earth to keep it from
going Democratic. And the i'll effects
of the episode were by no means con-
fined to the Buckeye State. They were
felt in Indiana, in Illinois, and all
over the West, and served tomal1e con
fusion worse confounded.
1t is in recognition of the dangers
confronting Taft and his party, with
Ohio, Indiana and other States slipping
away, or showing signs of slipping
away, that the Republican leaders are
turning their eyes toward Tennessee,
ANOi Oll SolollItt anu III tI4S
hope-a very vague hope-of securing
electoral votes from the South to make
up possible deficit of electoral votes
in the West.
WOEFULLY SHORT OF MONEY.
Money has been lacking, and is still
lacking, to make rousing Republican
campaign. 1t is an open secret that
Chairman Hitchcock has been fairly
overwhelmed with troubles. He has
had to fight to hold his place. He has
been put to his wits end to devise ways
and means to meet obligations incurr-
ed, when it was reasonably believed
that an adequate campaign fund would
be forthcoming Instead of raising
$4,000, 600, which an estimate made inn
mediately after the Chicago convention
called for, it is doubtful whether the
amount actually disbursed and in hand
or in sight, at this time exceeds one
tenth of that amount. In other words
within two weeks of the election the
Republicans have had $500, 600 or there
abouts to conduct their campaign.
Contrasted with the Iimitiess resources
at Hanna's command in 1896 and 1900,