The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-10-15

son with those which Mr.. Roosevelt re-
ceived from corporations. Mr.. Roose-
welt reproaches Mr.. Bryan with Haskell
and Standard Oil and Mr.. Bryan re-
prOaches Mr.. Roosevelt with Hartman.
And so the recriminatiOn has gone on,
with averment and reply, rejoinder and
surrejOinder. Mr. Bryan is to some de-
gree in the predicament of Icarus in the
ancient legend. That promising young
man undertook to fly, but imprudently
approached too close to the sun, and the
heat from that luminary melting the
wax with which his wings were affixed,
lcarus fell into the sea. Mr.. Bryan
went into the campaign flying upon
beautiful white and spotless wings, as
the 'holier-than-thou candidate, the
chosen of Heaven for the destruction of
the wicked trusts and as the terrible
foe OF predatory wealth. But it seems
that these wide-spreading wings, which
have excited the admiration of mankind.
were, like those of lcarus, assumed for
the occasion, and the fierce heat of the
Presidential campaign having melted
the wax, Mr.. Bryan has tumbled from
his lofty height. Apparently the Stand
ard Oil Trust and some other trusts
view the possibility of his election with
no more apprehension THANH excited by
the appearance of the pumpkin head
ghost at Halloween. The fear that has
been excited is among the ordinary men
of business, among the railroad COM
panles that are struggling to put idle
cars and locomotives back into commits
sion; among the workingmen who are
looking forward with anxiety to the
coming winter and the prospects of get
ting employment
All the smoke that is raised by the
elimination and determinations on the
trust question cannot obscure the real
issue in this campaign-t the issue that
concerns the country and every man in
it who is dependent for the success in
his vocation upon the resumption Of
business. That great and practical is
sue is, which of the two ren presented,
respectively, by the two principal par
ties will it be best for the country to
elect as President. One or the other
will be President. in the course Of
human events, on and after the 18th day
Of March next. Which will the people
have theorist, dreamer, an agita-
tor who has been agitating and propos-
ing remedies for II years, but whose
theories and remedies have never been
tested?
Or will the people prefer the calm and
honest man Of affairs who is experience
ed in government and has made good in
each one of the high and important
places in which he has been tested? Do
the people want talk and threats Of an
utilization or do they want action that
will restore confidence? If they want
talk, Mr.. Bryan is the man for the
place. If they want action and achieve
ment, Mr.. Taft is to be preferred.
The country wants a rest from agita-
ton; there is need of business peace.
Mr. Taft promises this, and he will keep
his promise. His whole record is sure
ty for him. He will enforce the law
and punish vIolators of the law. high or
low, rich or poor. But he will not I'M
dertake to establish an autocracy at
Washington and prescribe how much a
manufacturer shall be permitted to sell.
He will not undertake to say what
prices shall be charged; he will not I'M
dertake to wine out the States and es-
tabiiSh new form of government He
will noi take 5way the money of deposit
tors in honest banks to pay the debts of
dishonest hanhs. Mr.. Bryan promises
to keep TIE country stirred up by ring
lng messages to Congress and by all
kinds of political nostrums which will
make the patient worse instead of bet
ter We want no quack political doc
tors or qua,k prescriptions, and conse-
quently we do not want Mr. Bryan. -
Baltimore Sun.