The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-06-29
FORECAST Of
NATIONAL ISSUES
THE QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE
BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE
COMING CAMPAIGN.

Deuf6T, June i.-W ltn Cn6 O6m-
ocratic national convention almost
upon us, the presidential situation
looks thus:
Taft VS.. Bryan.
Platforms similar.
Issues similar.
Outlook, something like that of
1900, when Mckinley was a candi-
date for another term and Bryan was
a candidate for a second time.
1t is easy to tell what the demo-
cratic convention will do. II will see
the republican convention and go it
one better. In other words, the plat
form will declare for all the things
embodied in the Chicago convention S
platform and then will add three
good planks:
/. Physical valuation of rail-
roads
2. Publicity for campaign con-
tributions during the campaign.
3. Election OF United States sem
ators by the people.
II addition to the above there are
likely to be declarations in favor of
government ownership of railroads
and telegraphs and possibly some
some form of the initiative and refer
endum and general primary election
endorsements.
In the last analysis, however, it
will be the personalities of the candi-
dates rather than the official plat
form declarations which will make
the issues in the peoples minds. 1t
will be Bryan on the one hand, all
he stands for, all he has said and
done since the big speech of 1896,
and on the other Taft, with Roose-
velt's backing.
There are two weights which are
balanced in the scales.
The largest element in the COM
ing struggle is Theo. Roosevelt.
The next largest element is the
inertia of business.
Bryan's strongest claim on the
people will be his part in the first
PRONUNCIATION Of the Roosevelt poll
cies.
Bryan's greatest weakness with
the people will be his inexperience,
the fact that the whole proposition
with him is a theory, something
which ne has talked of, but not done.
Taft's greatest weakness with the
people will be lurking feeling that
he may not, after all, feel the cause
which he has been chosen to espOuse.
His temperament is for peace. The
cause of progress demands a constant
battle.
These are the elements which will
work in the minds of thoughtful in
dependent voters who have always
followed Roosevelt.
The less thoughtful, but very nu-
merOus class. is that which may be
labeled business. >" Business al.
ways chooses the leas5 possible
change. AS between the two conser-
vative candidates it takes the most
conservative. AS between a cOnser-
vative and radical. business avoids
the radical. AS between two radi-
cal candidates, business takes what
it regards as the lesser of the two
evils-the least radical. So business
will drift to Taft. He, with the reac-
tionary jim Sherman appendage, is
the least change, the least disturb
ance to the man who wants things
to go on without disturbance.
With the live, independent voter
the republican vice presidential NOM
inee will be a handicap. Whatever
may be dug up of Shermans record
in his twenty years of congress-
and any man who spends that many
years in congress is likely to have
his vulnerable spots-the fact is, and
Will be recognized, that Sherman is
a reactionary. He never has indors-
ed or helped the Roosevelt policies;
which means that as between the
people and special interests, he is a
special interets man. He has been
one of the big five of the house
of representatives. and thus one of
the little ring which has made up
Speaker Cannon's autocracy. In
this position, he is one-ffth respon-
sible for the record of the recent
session of congress, a session devoted
TO blocking Roosevelt's s policies and
by all means to unhorse
him and keep him from securing the
final laws needed for his policies, of
influencing the choice of his success
sor.
The campaign will be filled with
It will not be walk
over for either side. With the
chances favoring the Taft-Roosevelt
side at this time, it would be rash TO
predict a Taft victory.
Bryan is probably stronger than
he was in 1900. There are many sore
spots in the republican party ranks.
Labor and the colored vote are re-
publican handieaps.
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