The National tribune., 1908-11-12
THE PEOPLE REALLY RULE.


There never was a better demonstra-
ton that the people really rule this
country than was afforded by the recent
election
No one was prepared for the aston
ishing majorities rolled UP everywhere
for VIM. H. Taft. Still less was any one
prepared for the shrinkage of Bryan's
vote in places and States where he was
lsupposed to be unusually strong. Nor,
it must be admitted, did anyone expect
him to make gains in the limited num-
Der of places where he showed an in
crease of strength.
| Undoubtedly the National Democratic
Committee was sincere in making the
prediction forecast it did. Everywhere
the Republicans were rent by fierce in
testinal conflicts. The party suffered
power in developing bitter rivairies
among those who aspired to its leader
ship and desired the offices it had with
in its gift. Everywhere each faction
seemed more eager to defea. its oppo-
nents than the common enemy Re-
publican leaders. being in power. had
suffered far more in the muck raking
of the past few years than their less
conspicuous Democratic opponents.
Everywhere, on the street corners
and in public places, the Bryanites were
vociferous and aggressive. They cried
aloud and spared not. Then Bryan
made far the best of his campaigns.
He seemed at last to have learned
something, and that age and experience
had brought him wisdom. 1t was pro-
claimed that he was another Bryan"
and this had marked effect Bryan's
canvass of the country was really re-
markable. II anything, he seemed to
have increased his unusual attractive
ness to popular audiences, and drew
ingly sent them away better pleased
with him. He avoided the repudiated
heresies Of his past, brought up new
questions, and vigorously assailed the
vulnerable places in the Republican
record. For a few weeks the surface
indications We're that he was sweeping
everything before him. People began
" te'lh VI q we IlOW
know that he was only sweeping the
straws leaves and lighter twigs, leaving
the solid ground unmoved.
The question was finally determined
by what used to be called 'the vest
pocket vote" that is, the solid. sub
stantial, sensible men, who are not yapI
ping on the street corners, but are do
ing the real work of the country on
the farms, in the shops, the factories
and on the railroads of the country, who
went quietly to the polls and voted,
without saying much as to how they
were going to cast their ballots They
had read all that the papers had to say
on both sides, they had studied the two
candidates, possibly gone to the meet
ings and sized them up in their own
minds, and then expressed their choice
at the polls. These men, farmers, bust
ness men, mechanics, railroad men,
clerks, operatives of all kinds, We're far
out of reach of the committees and ma
chinery Of both parties. Party machin-
cry could no more deliver them to eth
er candidate than could Gompers carry
the labor vote, the professional negros
the coIored vote, or the rampant zealots
the Christian vote to Bryan.
This was shown in scores of surpris-
ing instances. Among them were the
majorities approximating 100000 rolled |
up for Taft in States like Minnesota, |
Illinois and Ohio. where the Republican |
candidates for Governor suffered frosts |
Equally striking was the slump of the |
Bryan vote in New York City, where he
had the powerful support of Tammany
and the Gold Democrats who had re-
turned to the fold
Bryan made loud proclamation that |
the people should rule"
They have done so.