Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-07-01
Judge Taft vs Bryan.

Ihe nam factors that will OBJ
struct Mr.. Tafts victorious progress
must be sought outside of his quail
fications for Office and his attractive
personality. Before many weeks
have elapsed the East will wake up
to the fact that the battle-ground Of
this campaign is to be the old battle
ground of the campaign Of 1896
the great middle west-and that in
the wide expanse OF the Mississippi
valley Mr.. Bryan possesses a popu-
larity and grip apon, the pei II:
which Mr.. TAFT will find IL hard to
rival. 1t is very much q question
whether MIR. Taft can attract the
East and the West at the same time
whether he can retain Kansas and
Illinois, while backed by Wall
street. The capitalistic East has
come to regard Taft administra-
ton as. in all probability, one of
moderate reform at the worst. The
excesses of President Roosevelt
would be eliminated, the convention
al process of law and the constitu-
tion would be much more respected,
and in comparison, we should en-.
Joy in the presiden. what Sir John
Seeley, speaking of William Ill, de-
scribed as 80 wise parsimony in ac-
ton" is certainly what the more
conservative people Of the country,
after nearly eight years of Mr.. Roos-
eyelt, ardently desire; and they
would hope that for the next four
years at least, the masterpieces OF
the statesman's art would be mot
acts but abstinences from action"
Mr.. Taft's candidacy, however
has now been launched under cir.
cumstances which have emphasized
to an extreme degree the debt he
owes to President Roosevelt for his
nomination and also the fact that he
accented the Republicans of the
western and far western states on
the understanding that Roosevelt.
ism will continue to be the roo,
principal Of federal administration
Whistler wittily defined a disciple
as q person who had the courage O.
his masters convictions and the Re.
publican West, ut the present stag,
of the presidential struggle, seeml
likely 10 demand at least that mucl
If the deciple whom every one rec
cgnizes as Mr.. Roosevelt's choice a.
his own successor. No other presi
dental candidate has had to pln,
quite this role, and there are posi-
bilities in the situation which max
the outcome doubtful. If the Yves
remains as radical during the mex
FIVE months as it has been durin,
the past five years, the development
OF doubt as to MIR. Tafts capacity L
make an administration the embodi
ment of the Roosevelt ideas an,
policies might easily cause the Miss
issippi Valley to accept Mr.. Bryal
the true Representatives. it's feeling
and aspirations.
Yet until the Denver convention
has made its nominations and pro
mulgated its platform, it will be fu
tile to attempt more exact analyst
of the situation which Mr.. Taft
nomination has brought about
There are many cross-currents il
the main stream which may attai
new proportions or disappear. |,
spite OF whatever the Democrat
may do, the republican candidat
will suffer from handicaps whic
have hitherto been sufficiently EN-
phasized and of which no one is ip
norant, he has before him a sun
mers holiday, with the effects of th
panic, the bitterness of Mr.. Roose
velt's Republican enemies and th
probable hostility of a large porto
of organized labor to face.-Sprine
field, Mass. Republican.