Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-28
CANDID SURVEY OF THE FIELD
Bryan Has Some Strong Points on
Which He Builds Hopes.
lis WEAKNESS TOO MANY 1sxs
Thinking Element Of People Inclined
to Fear His Election.
TAFT HAS PROVEN HIS WORTH
Not Only Looked UPOn ne Represent
fHE what Roo-cvelt stanas for,
hut Has Record of Accom-
plishinE Things.

plishinE Things.
SAN FRANCISCO. Aus Especial
Telegram )--Unless something unforeseen
happens to change materially the political
situation the great states Of the middle
and far west inquest iona bly viii cast their
electoral votes for William Howard Taft
Of Ohio.
have given In detail in previous letters
the situation as il exists In West Virginia.
Ohio Indiana Illinois. Missouri Iowa. Ne
braska the states Of the northwest and
Of the Pacific slope. but there remains to
be considered some polsts Of general i'm
portance which are worthy Of discussion
in weighing the relative chances Of the
republican and democratic candidates.
Nj Bryan is admired rather than con-
demned for his persistence in seeking again
the presidency. He Is stronger today than
ne ever has been, largely because uf the
extensive advertisement he has received.
il is pointed out too. that some Of the
measures he advocated years aro have
been adopted by the republican party.
There is no stain upon his private life and
II is realized II he were elected he would
make an honest president
Man Of ..Isms"
But Mr.. Bryan has never recovered from
his advocacy OF 'isms," the free silver tag
stin hangs around his neck. II frightens
the business element. The objection enter
/ tanned to him by this section Of the com
munitv has been intensified by his declara-
/ tion in favor Of government ownership OF
railroads about which ne is now silent: his
general attitude towards railroads and crr-
! purationE. and HE support % the Oklahoma
I plan of government insurance Of bank de-
/ posits. Business. too scents trouble along
the lines Of the boycott and labor agitation.
/ from the democratic anti-injunction plank
/ What the democrats might DO with respect
TO the tariff also is OF Importance 10 the
business element. but more than TINS, IL
is Of individual moment 10 the small pro-
! ducer. whether he be manufacturer or
agriculturist. When 1t is considered that
in a southern state like Missouri the demo
cratic candidate for congress finas n
usoesssry 10 declare for high duty upon
raw products Of his district the Importance
Of the tariff in this campaign win be real
lied
Upon the Pacific coast Mr.. Bryan's anti
Imperialism policy Of 1900 is not forgotten
and il is difficult TO make the people Of
the Pacific slope believe that man who
spoke as he did has abandoned his views
| with regard 10 American expansion In the
western ocean. The SOP thrown to them
In the way Of an AsiBtic exclusion plank
in the democrsuc platform has failed Of
any effect iu consequence OF the sRtisfac-
tory arrangement Of the school question
in San Francisco and the immigration
question with Japan. accomplished by Sec
retary Root.
Harmony Not Real.
There is no doubt the democratic party
is more united toduy than II has been since
Grover Clevelands election in 1892. This
is an advantage which friends Of Bryan
argue Will have a wonderful effect when
the votes are cast. Many Of the gold demo
crats have returned 10 the fold and the
remainder have Joined the republican party.
But the earnest pBrtisanE Of Cleveland still
resent the attitude OF the NebrRskzn to-
ward the man who occupied the While
House as a democrat and they propose To
lose no opportunity TO knife the peerless
one"
by the voter IN the matter Of his choice
for the presidency. II is less today ques-
tion Of party Rffilation than 1t ever has
been. ] have heard democrats assert they
viii vote the republican ticket, because they
do not like the radical principles for which
Mr Bryan stands, while practically nc
republicans are prepared TO transfer their
vote 10 The democratic candidate. This
: particularly Is true Of the negro. In spite
/ Of the Brownsville sEitations, be viii re-
, main within the republican party al over
the country.
Taft's strOnE Points.
Mr.. Taft stands before the people OF the
middle and the far west az the man whom
President Roosevelt considers best fitted tt
succeed him IN the presidential office This
means a great deal when the rremsndouI
popularity OF Mr Roosevelt 10 recalled
Since his nomination by the republichn con.
vention. Nj Taft has been standing on hii
own feet. He Is not az well known IN E0ms
communities as Mr. Bryan. because he has
not had the same opportunity TO visit them
but his record as an administrator In th'
Philippines. his work Al the head OF tn,
I War department, IN Panama and elsewhere
and his able solutans OF difficult problems
assigned 10 him by The president. have ere
: ated q respect for him which makes 70,
s votes. Mr. Tar is recognized as the sx
punent Of the Roosevelt policies. The peo
E pie approve Of these policies and they van
D them carried out Confidence is expressed
that M Taft would execute these policie
along safe and satisfactory lines. He hai
E shown by his deeds what he can DO; Mr
% Bryan has merely expressed views. Unllk
Mr. Bryan. M THfi has espoused nothinl
, | which can be clEEsed radical, while q
the same time be has shown he ia progress
sve. This fact appeals strongly 10 IN
e business element, my Investigations hsr
. established that the man in business
whether large capitalist or manufacture
). or a small shopkseper or producer. VIII b
-, inclined 10 support the republican NOMINEES
Attftads of LAbor.
d The tendency u labor In the middle Vef
= is toward the democratic party. This Ia
I been helped by the Huti-injuncti0n plan
adopted by the democrats al the Dcurt
Q convention. II Is ASSERTED BY some tina
= 75 per cent and by others o. per cent
o Tie labor vote is democrEtc. But V-heths
n TINS IL true or not. the demncrEts are mai
ing strong effort 70 induce practically m
. entire labor vote 10 support M BrysI
The republicans on their Hioe. are srpi0f
inE 10 the voters tlA1 f0rEner Bscrelar