Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-02
Taft's Debt to Bryan.

From the New York sun:
..rne fact that at this ultimate stage
OF the campaign all signs point to the
election OF Mr.. Taft should remind that
gentleman Of his enormous obligation Oh
gratitude to Mr. Bryan.
but for Bryan's eager pursuit ana
capture Of the democratic nomination tne
outlook for Mr.. Taft at this time would
be anything but roseate. . >.
THE Hon. William II. Taft ought 10
spiu his deepest gratitude on Mr. Bryan
because OF the prospect that he Views
this Saturday morning.
We were told In 1896 that the democracy
threw away its chances-and fair chances
of success by the nomination OF Mr.
Bryan on a radical platform; that some
man favorable to the Cleveland view OF
things should have been taken and
platform of a conservative character
adopted. In that sign a victory might
have been won.
II was a most mistaken conception OF
matters Such a nomination on such a
platform was utterly impossible. The
militant forces of the democracy that
year were radical. A large majority OF
the men who had voted for Mr.. Cleveland
in 1892 were now wholly out OF patience
with him. They denounced him as a
him, and subsequently tagged him,
'.bunko steerer." The radicals being in
possession OF the party. therefore, would
hear to nothing but q candidate OF their
way OF thinking and a platform to match
Had they been outnaneuvered in the con-
vention they would have cut the nominee
at the polls, as in 1904. eight years later.
they cut Judge Parker.
Mr.. Bryan, after his speech, in which
he had stated the case Of the radicals in
most stirring form, was the man for the
emergency; and. all things considered. he
made remarkable campaign. His six mil
lion and q half of votes surprised every
body, and particularly the republicans and
the gold democrats, who, after the In
dianapolis convention, which had put
Palmer and Buckner In the field, had ex-
pccted a democratic fasco. Had dull
and prosaic man like Mr.. Bland, or any OF
the 'nobodies OF that day. been nominated
he would have been overwhelmed by MT
Mckinley. la every way an acceptable
and attractive representative Of his party
go this year. Tho militant forces that
gathered at Denver were radical, and Mr.
Bryan was still, and easily, their strongest
representative. Such a nomination as that
Of Judge Grsy, or Of Gov. johnson, or Of
Senator Daniel was out OF the question.
They represented anti-Bryanism, and
Organism was the party's shibhoieth
Good and able men as they are. either
would have been overwhelmed at the
polls by Judge Taft, who az against such
q nomination need not have left his broth
er's capaci0us ana comfortable residence
at Cincinnati. The republicans would
have presented themselves and the Bryan
ties absented themselves In such numbers
on election day that a record-breakins
democratic defeat would have been chron-
icled.
Mr.. Bryan has made, far ana away, the
best possible campaign for his party. No
other democrat could have stirred It 70
such action as We have seen, and IL he
wins he will owe precious little to anybody
but himself. II Judge TAFT wins, all he
will owe to Mr.. Bryan is the development
Of the fact that he has pronounced
talen. for popular campaigning and the
gift Of very attractive speechmakins. And
in many instances his logic ana courage
have played hobs with Mr.. Bryan's rhetoric
and criticism