The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-09-25
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.


the Montpelier Argus and Brattlebon,
Reformer are democratic papers, but ihey
arc not saying much about Bryan. Thu,
the Rutland Herald is practically alone in
its npublicanism in this state" The
Reformer is not even nominaly demo
cratic unless that characterization is APP
piled by reason Of It's attempt 10 be ALSO.
lutely independent on all political mat.
tiers. Personal fitness, il believes, should
be the first consideration in choosing all
public officials, and for that reason II no
other il prefers Taft 10 Bryan. However.
our admiration for the republican presi'
dental nominee does not dcludc us into
believing that the present national cam
paign is a one.sided affair, nor can we ac-
cept as gospel the statement Of that emf.
nent statesman, David J. Foster, 10 the
effect that Organism is stone dead
Events of the past week indicate that
the republican leaders realize they are up
against serious proposition, and unless
they succeed in dispelling the apathy
which has characterized the campaign
thus far the result in November may be
extremely disconcerting to say the least.
For one thing the republican campaign
committee has been handicapped for lack
of funds, this shortage being due no doubt
to the party's attitude toward contribu.
tions, and on this account Chairman
Hitchcock has been unable to start Wig
Ii mr. IN n n
noyance of many prominent republican
leaders. Moreover, Mr.. Hitchcock has
been criticized on the ground that his
ideas on campaign management are too
bureaucratic. 1t was reported early this
week that he was to be replaced by some
one Of more experience in practical cam
paigning, and while this is not true there |
is little doubt that his methods from now
on will be modified to meet the ideas of
older and presumably wiser heads.
Throughout the middle west there APP
pears to be strong feeling against the
anti-Roosevelt members of congress, and
this feeling has no doubt been strength
ened by the Hearst exposure of Senator
Foraker's relations with the Standard Oil
corporation. 1t is a question, however,
whether this exposure will injure Judge
Taft's candidacy since Taft has always
been political enemy of Foraker, despite
the so-called reconciliation at Toledo a
little while ago. One of the most seri-
Gus handicaps to republican congressional
success is admitted to be Speaker Joseph
G.. Cannon, whose record as an obstruc-
zionist is too well known to need COM
ment. Cannon is said to be meeting with
stiff opposition in his home district in ,
Illinois and his defeat would be bless
ing to the country.
In Connecticut the nomination of Con- ,
gresham Lilley for governor means
triumph for the party bosses and is ad-
mittedly no great aid to the republican i
ticket in that state, while in New Hamp- |
shire the triumph of the railroad poll
ticians in the nomination of Quinby gives
the democrats one of the best opportuni-
ties they have had in years. The New
York republicans made the most of their i
by renominating Governor I
Hughes, but his opponent, Lieutenant i
Governor Chanler, has a clean and re-
spectacle record and will have on his side 4
The strong though corrupt interests that
Ire opposed to the present executive. q
Looking at the situation from an I'M
biased standpoint, it is evident that the C
struggle of the next month will be a de- q,
,ermined one with both sides in posses a
sion of good reasons on which to base b
nope for success. Judpe Taft's superior
as an executive and the be-
ief of the business interests of the coun-
Try in a republican administration will
probably result in republican victory, v
,ut the outcome is by no means such s,
oregone conclusion that the republican a.
eaders can afford to allow any grass to "
row under their feet. ~