The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-18
TAFT WINNER;
INSTINCT, SAYS BRYAN
Od-Time Republican Campaigner Talks of Election.
Figures Out Victory, But Doesn't Feel IT.
Thinks Hughes Will Win
By ]. c. WELLIYER.

standards OF former years. and some
semblance of united purpose. the other
party would be hopelessly out Of the
running. But they are about on a par
for bad condition. I don't know whether
one has anything on the other in this
regard
It's just simply up to the voters.
That's the whole truth. How are they
going to act, when confronted with this
unwonted responsibility of electing a
President to suit themselves? How many
OF them will be too apathetic 10 vote
How many will pretend that they were
too busy to get TO the polls? How many
VIII lose interest IN performing the
greatest duty of citizenship, simply be-
cause they are not paid for the time?
II wouldn't seem that any considerable
number Of Americans would REQUIRE nay
TO vote. Yet here IS Senator Scott OF
West Virginia.
The only uncertainty" he says.
about our State. Is that We haven't
any funds. There are a lot Of big
logging camps. some OF then thirty or
forty miles from a voting place. In
other years we have been able TO pay
mems expenses cOr the day and night.
or two days and u night, necessary TO
go 10 the voting place This time we
! can't do II, and it will cost a lot OF
votes"
Nobody knows how many votes Will
not be cast because there aren't trans
portation and free hotel expense and
carriages to the polls Nor what party
will suffer most BY the loss But as the
Republicans have had the means, in
the past, with which 70 inculcate these
luxurious ideas IN their people. Il would
seem logical that they would suffer
most when the means are withdrawn
Feels" Like Bryan.
IAN my instincts lead me 70 believe
we are beaten" said a Western Repub-
llcan-the one quoted at the beginning
Of this article because Of what 1 have
seen Of the drift to Bryan Then all
my reason puts IT the other way. that
we will lose heavily. but be saved by
/ New York, and by the fact that the
majority in our favor at the beginning
/ was too great to. De overcome. How
ever, l find myself listening more 10
] instinct and less TO reason and mathe-
/ matlcs' rs we get nearer the end Of the
! campaign"
3 -AAS ANtpubllCdH literary bureau is
sending out 10 the press a vast quantity
/ Of prosperity HteratUre-prosperit news
/ letters, prosperity editorials IN cans
| prosperity suggestions for speakers. II
I seems 10 be their piece de resistance al
/ this time, and 1t is said 70 have pro-
! duced better results THAI, anything else
! they have used. II is calm. earnest. de.
( termined appeal TO the people 10 vote
! for the party OF business and admins
/ tration and stability. It represents pro-
] test against the wave Of sentimentaIisrn
which Is suspected Of sweeping through
the public mind. 1t rs a demand that
! people line up for something concrete
I and good, rather than merely against
/ something bad; for progress. rather
than for mere protest: for business
rather than for conversation This IS
/ the best argument the Republicans
have had IN the last three Presidential
. elections; II IS the one that won the
! immense Mckinley and Roosevelt vic
. tories. and Il IS the one that will win
a victory for Taft. II he wins.
/ It IS moreover the argument the Dem
/ ocrats most dread to have the RepubIi-
cans put out. There is a good deal OF
/ loose Democratic talk about this sort
I Of thing being tantamouut to coercion
Of the working and business commun-
ity; but II is mighty hard 70 read any
thing like undue influence into the mat
ter that IS actually being mailed from
/ headquarters.