The Washington herald., 1908-08-16
POLITICAL COMMENT.


The New York Times thinks that the
speech is marked by excessive caution, I
and holds that for the most part the con-
tentions Of the speech are indisputabls. /
1t says;
Mr. Bryan's speech Of acceptance is |
able adroit, and cautious. For the most
part. IT is made up OF indisputable prop
ositions: contentious matter he reserves
for later exposition-possibIy until after
he has made a few campaign speeches in
New York. that 'enemy's country in
which radical utterance and the advOc-
acy OF laws which new and sharper teeth
would hurt his cause. Shell the people
ruIe2 he asks He will find none 10
quarrel with him when ne insists that
they must and shall rule. He AYERS that
predatory wealth has committed the hide
Gus wrong Of teaching our young men
that commercial success is based on dis
1 honesty. For that he has the high au-
thority Of Mr.. Roosevelt. a man with
whom only the boIdest venture 20 dis
/ agree. The known abuses Of the cor
porations. ne declares, have grown up
under Republican rule That is chrOnO-
I logically true The tariff must be re-
I formed The Republicans have been driven
10 admit that reform Is necessary. so
| there can be no dispute about that Cam
! paign contributions must be made in the
white light Of publicity. Mr.. Taft says
{ that too Senator's must be elected BY
I the people InaSmuch as Mr. Bryan be
lieves that the people by an OveTwhelnn-
/ ing majority demand it. that IS a safe
thing TO say The despotic House rules
I must be amended Everybody except
Speaker Cannon and a few others viii
say amen"
/ The Brooklyn Standardization thinks
that Mr. Bryan's speech indicates that
this is 10 be another campaign Of radi-
calism. and Il reads a world Of dema-
gogism into the speech It says
The acceptance speech makes clear
that It IS 20 be another campaign Of radi-
lcalism, and that no consideration IS 20
be hOwn 20 the formerly anti-BTyar
Democrats who are tustifying their sup
port by picturinE an imaginary Bryan
who has miTaCulously become a COnserva-
tive. judiciOus. weli-halaRced statesman
What change there has been is really in
the other direction. for in this address
he outlines fewer concrete propositions for
action than ever before. and appeals for
election solely 10 the sentiment Of Gu
pIdIty among voters who are not so rich
as they would Ike 10 be Elect him and
]
the fruits Of industry and TO each the
enjoyment of his Just share % the pro
ceeds of his toi. he expects election i
p the masses feel that the total wealth
! produced IS unfairly shared. There have
been demagoEues before this who have
. tried 20 make the people believe that II
elected they would see that the wealth
IS divided UP better 50 that everybody
should have a little more except those
Who ought not 70 have so much, but not
even NJ Bryan himself ever before start
ed a campaign with no more tangible IS
b. sue than this
The New York Herald points out the
mIdness Of Mr.. Bryan's speech and
thinks that that part Of II about the plat.
+ form is a Delphic utterance. II says
In the speech OF acceptance delivered
? yesterday BY Mr.. Bryan. he 'roars yoJ
gently as -twere a sucking dove HI.
text Shall the people rule7' seems de,
signed as campaign sbi5boleth, raths1
{ than serious proposition % be argued
s AS Mr.. Tafts letter Of acceptance wal
I mainly a criticism of the Democrat,
- platform. 50 Nj BryaD-s speech is mainly
- a criticism of Nj Taft's letter tt,
, eminent Nebraskan's remark that
I platform Is binding as 20 what it omit
as well as 90 what 20 contains IS som.
? what DeIuhlc.
I His opponents viii undoubtedly xur
r. gest that he feels bound 20 some Of th'
- 'isrns' which he has advocated IN IN,
e past and which are not touched IN tn
I Denver platform Il would seem nor
/ likely. however. that he wishes 10 b
understood as feeling bound 20 omi
T from his speeches and policies thos
n Isms- that have been omitted from n
T. platform.
e The New York Post thinks that n
. speech OF Mr.. Bryan Is worthy of careful
consideration and It sees that the Demo
4 cratic candidate for President has adroir
: y and skiUfuIly got IN body blow o.
= his opponents II says
n How much NIr Bryan has profted b
9 bis years Of travel and campaigning AZ
pears clearly IN his speech OF acceptanc,
: II has all the earmarks Of the man &C
y customed 70 addressing the nation o.
y public affairs. and is not lacking in abr
I. Try and shrew5ness- He has had the Wis
:, dom 20 confne II 20 readable limits. an
: its vigcr and clearuess Of diction. IL mus
" be confessed. contrast most favorabI
: with the ponderoUs style and the tiresom
= length OF Nj Taft-s Cincinnati addres.
- That the Nebraska fenceT is quick on h'
= feet and at ease in the tourney has bee
:. apparent from the beginning He Is NJ
= lacking in self-cOafdence. and is no
!. afraid to take the lead He scored Wis
- bly, IN the bout over campaign expense
- and. in this more formal one he ha
= slipped past his adversary's guard an
= pinked him not once but several time
= The umpires to be fair must cry Touch
a at M Taft's expense"
The New York sun sees that the pre-
ent Is an independent year. and that thel
n, It says
~ so far as the Republicans are COZ
a. cerned. and leaving out OF considerable
= the participation Of Democrats in r
"A publican primaries for the purpose
:, putting Up candidates easy 10 beat. Il
: Illinois situation is not without value 4
admonition and reprOof. and IN a lar,
? and impersonal sense Of encouragem
d. The fierce heat Of rage between Denee
I'd ties and Tatesites may be thought
OF make the chances Of the Illinois Sta
e ticket doubtful and 10 give hope 20 Il
ID Bryanites. probably without reason II
= more work for the Illinois Republican
NJ and Mr.. Hitchcock. II Is clear. hoveve
5 that when Republicans are ready 10 {
. at one another-s threats. even though
l. national election Il coming. there is
Ia absorbing interest in the national issue
al The abstention Of such numbers Of vote
81 Of the primaries enfOrces the same Co
- clusion. whatever unfavorable light
may be thought TO throw upon the pr
mary system itself"
The Grand Rapids Herald attacks NJ
Bryan's position on the free list cure Z