The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-04
TIE CRISIS IN THE CAMPAIGN.

TIE CRISIS IN THE CAMPAIGN.
With four weeks remaining for the
campaign, the presidential situation
has begun to define itself clearly In
some ways ii is the most remarka BILE
campaign the country has seen since
that election which placed Lincoln at
the head of the nation. The Republi-
can nominee is running on platform
distinguished more by the rejected
planks than by its own construction:
to this platform he has added some of
the planks repudiated by the conven-
ton which nominated him. and his
chief appeal to the voters is based on
the promise that he will 'clinch" the
policies of Roosevelt. most of which
were quietly inferred by congress at
its last session under the leadership of
Speaker Cannon. followed by the last
sad rites at Chicago.
Mr.. Taft has made his campaign. or
his friends have made it for him,
largely on the theory that his execu-
tive experience has fitted him to be
president His appearance on the
stump and the policies he has enun-
ciated or approved after enunciation
by Roosevelt, fail to justify the argu-
ment. Those who had expected evil
dence Of initiative, of large statesman
ship, have not found it; and those who
thought to see Taft abolish his OPP
ponent i'm popular argument know now
why Chairman Hitchcock did not wish
his candidate TO make a speaking tour.
Mr. Tafts fight, so far, has been cen
tered on Mr.. Bryan's personality and
record. on the bank deposit guarantee
plank, on the tariff question and on
the familiar cry of the Republican
uarty that Democratic success means
industrial depression II does not seem
to have occurred to Mr.. Taft that Mr..
Bryan's personality is better known to
the American people-and better liked
than his own. Possibly Mr.. Taft may
be more Familiarity known to official
dom. but the Nebraskan is known to
the whole people as no other man OF
his generation is known. He is liked
for his clean morality without Phari-
seeism: for his spotless integrity and
wholesome belief in the average Amer
ican citizen Folks believe in him and
trust him. When he says he viii not
accept contributions from the trusts or
be under obligations to them, they be
lieve him. When he says all the cam
psign contributions viii be published
before election, they know it will be
done When Roosevelt suggests that
the Standard Oil is supporting Bryan.
the common American just laughs at
the notion. II M Taft were wise he
would not invite personal comparisons
during the campaign. particularly in
the west.
AS TO the tariff question: Az Taft
repeats with some emphasis that the
tariff will be revised If he is chosen
president Quite so; and it will be re-
vised under the direction of Mr.. Can
non and Mr.. Dalzeu and Payne and
Senator Aldrich and a few other con-
e7'c~ors friends Of the consumer. 1t
will be revised by a congress whose
election hinges on contributions from
the trusts and special interests which
have grown up under a Republican
tariff II will be revised with the help
OF Mr.. Mann. chairman of a special
committee whose special duty il was
TO prevent the removal of the duty on
paper and wood pulp in order that the
paper trust might not be hampered in
the accumulation of profits and the
contribution of campaign funds TO the
Republican party. Even the Republi-
cans know what sort of tariff revision
IS coming forth if the Republicans win.
And they know that Mr.. Bryan's sue
cess would mean honest revision with
special reference to the final destruc-
ton of private monopolies and the re
storation of normal conditions in the
industrial life of the nation.
X X
In the discussion of the bank deposit
guarantee question. Nv. Taft $ at
something OF disadvantage 1t is
true he has the bankers with him,
but the number of bankers. as COM
pared with the number of depositors.
is very small: and the very natural de-
sire of the depositor to have his money
safeguarded has brought this particu