The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-09-22
D|STRUSTS MR.BRYAN
Letter Of an Old Time Democrat
to His Son.
COMPARES TWO CANDIDATES
Demonstrated Ability of Mr.. Taft Con-
trasted With the VacIlation of the
Democratic Leader - Progressive
Conservatism Versus Radicalism.

0emonStraKeo ADiiiky OF Mr. dIt SoH-
trasted With the VaciIIation of the
Democratic Leader Progressive
Conservatism Versus RadieaIism.
MY Dear Son-You are now of age
and about to exercise the right of an
American citizen for the first time.
Since you appear undecided as to
which party to ally yourself with and
have asked my advice upon this point,
l will impart to you my own feelings
In the matter.
l have regarded with increasing
alarm the growing radicalism of the
Democratic party and have long ques-
toned the wisdom of many of its meas.
ures and both the sincerity and ability
of certain of its leaders. l have, how
ever never hesitated until the present
election to give it my unqualified sup
port, for, while disliking Mr.. Bryan
and heartily disappearing a platform
devoted to the free and unlimited coin
age Of silver as opposed to sound mon
ey and q gold standard, / nevertheless
remembered my party loyalty and vot-
ed the Democratic ticket. For the
same reason l voted as / had always
done in the election of 1900, though
less in sympathy with the Democratic
platform than ever before and thor
oughly convinced that the humanity of
the American people would in the long
run entirely approve the action of
Republican administration in liberat-
ing Cuba and the Philippines from the
shackles Of Spain, in developing their
resources and in governing them wise
" and firmly until such a time as they
should be enabled to stand upon their
own feet
When in 1904 Mr.. Parker received
the nomination of my party l enter
tanned lively hopes that we had at last
hit upon a man who would unite the
conservatism of the old with the pro
gressiveness Of new Democracy. You
will perhaps recall how bitterly was
to be disappointed, both in the make
shift policy Of the party and in the
bloodless character of the man.
After the overwhelming defeat of
1904 gradually awoke to the fact that
I was almost totally out of sympathy
with the controlling forces in my par
ty and began to feel something of dis
gust for the advocates of Populism.
bimetallism, Imperialism and radical
ism. l am now Of the opinion that the
Democratic party cannot hold its con-
servatives and its Socialists at the same
time. The bonds were bound to break
and have done So Feeling the lack of
a leader, thousands of the moderate
wing of the Democratic party have
focked to the Republican standard.
have watched whole states become Re
publican which had always been
stanchly Democratic. This will un-
doubtedly be true Of Kentucky and
Tennessee, and l should not be sur
prised to see Georgia and Florida fol
lowing in their lead.
In looking over the platforms of the
two principal parties have been able
to discover so little dissimilarity and
hostility in all of the more vital meas
ures that begin to feel strongly that
the ensuing elections will be question
Of men rather than of issues and for
this reason advise you to scrutnize the
characters and careers of the respec-
tive candidates with the greatest care.
Both are men Of the highest personal
character and irreproachable in private
and personal qualities. The crucial
test is in the showing Of their qualifi-
cations for public administration of
large affairs and in their perception of
the true public interest In the issues
of the day. Such a test and such
comparison, 1t seems to me, are greatly
In favor of Mr.. Taft He has naa
large experience in variety of offices
of trust and authority, exhibiting ad-
ministrative ability of a very high or
der In every position to which he has
been called His rule in the Philip
pines and Cuba excited most favorable
comment throughout the country. His
superb equipment for the presidential
Office must appeal to the judgment Of
a large class Of more or less independ-
ent voters when compared with Mr..
Bryan's entire lack of experience as an
administrator and his superintendent
endowments as a theorist and manu-
facturer of phrases. l can never for
get that he has been defeated in al
most every contest, whether national
or local, into which he has ever en-
tered, while the only two issues, the
distinct product of his own brain. six
teen to one silver and government
ownership of railways" have been
forcibly repudiated, the former by the
American people In the elections of
1896 and 1900 and the latter by the
Democratic party itself. OF the two
men I am inclined to regard Mr.. Taft
as the broader and less sectional and
the less inclined to arouse class hostil-
ity.
Two years ago could not have voted
the Republican ticket, but should have
stayed away from the polls altogether.
Recently, however, I have come to
consider my duty as an American citi-
zen as paramount to any obligations
that l may owe to my party. Though
admiring him personally, l really fear
Mr. Bryan politically and believe 1t
my duty and for the good of the coun-
try to vote for his opponent.
You will ask If l am not afraid to let
the Republicans stay longer In power.
| A decade ago l should have answered
yes" but when | reflect upon the pa
| triotic administration of Mr.. Roosevelt
who has ruled as one of the best and
wisest presidents Of our entire his
| tory. and when | further reflect upon
| the great strides which we have made
| In the production of wealth and gen
| eral prosperity and that under the
guidance of the Republican principles
the American people have become the
richest nation in the world, with
wealth today exceeding that of Eng
land and all her colonies and that OF
/ France and Germany combined, why.
then | am forced to say mo" If this
great prosperity has come to US IN
| der Republican rule we can, think,
then safely trust 1t in Office for four
years more.
In consideration of the somewhat
questionable f1libustering Of the Dem
ocratic minority in the house of rep
resentatives during the past session
there were nevertheless many whole
some and progressive laws enacted
which will prove of great benefit to
the country. A congress has little
need TO apologize for lack of work ac-
complished which has passed an emer-
gency currency bill, appointed a ma
tional monetary commission, an EN-
ployers' government liability bill, a
widows pension BILL child labor law
for the District Of Columbia. a new
statute for the safety of railway en-
gineers and firemen and repealed the
unfair statute applying the American
coastwise laws to the Philippines.
In word my dear boy. much as !