The National tribune., 1908-09-17
NEW YORK AND WEST VIRGINIA.


The Republicans Have Lots of Intestine
Troubles In Both statex-The. New
Bryaa.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
New York, Sept. Is.
The election in Vermont has tended
to show that the Presidential battle will
be decided in the Middle West East
of the Alleghenies the States will be for
Taft, if Vermont may be taken as sug--
gesting what is likely to happen; that
is to say, they will be if certain troubles
in New York can be. composed by the
denomination of Gov. Hughes. New
York is one of the sore spots of the
situation, and since it exerts an impor-
tant influence on New Jersey, Connecti--
cut. Delaware and Rhode Island the
Chairman of the Democratic National
Committee is perhaps justified in claim
ing, for campaign purposes at least,
that all these States will be carried bv
Bryan. New York, however, is not vet
lost to the Republicans, nor will it be
unless its Republican leaders think
more of defeating Gov. Hughes tlan
they do of having a Republican occupy
the White House.
But until the Saratoga Convention
has nominated State ticket, and it is
known how that ticket is regarded by
the party leaders generally. it is only
fair to say that New York will be doubt
ful- The selection of Norman E. Mack
to be Chairman of thes Democratic Ma
tional Committee is an indication of the
Democratic hope that New York will he
theirs this year. The fact that Mr.
Bryan is to make speaking tour Of
the State during the present month is
another straw indicating in which direc-
-tion Democratic hopes are turning. The
situation is encouraging to the Demo-
Gratis, and it will require careful work.
at the Saratoga Convention and care
full work thereafter IL the State is to be-
carried for Taft.
A United Democracy.
1t is noteworthy, as applying to the
Democratic situation in general, and to-
New York in particular, that the party
Is more nearly united this year than it
has been at any time since Mr.. Cleve--
lands second. election, in 1892, and that
the Republican Party, instead of being
united, as it always has been in Presi-
DENTAL years, is rent and torn by fac
tionai disputes SO bitter as to imperir
success in. State after State which Mr.
TAFT must carry, If he would win The
Republican Party is therefore facing
not only an united and militant Democ-
racy, but division in it's own ranks.
Chairman Hitchcock has his hands full,
and he is beginning TO realize that VIC
tory is not to. be gained without a strtig-
gle such as the country has not Wit
messed since the Cleveland campaigns.
1t Is fair to state in this connections
that Mr.. Taft can be elected without
New York, and that Mr.. Bryan prob
ably must have New York to- win. But
at the same time the electoral vote Of
that State is so large, and the election
promises to be so close this year, even
With Rpnrt hlfp1 II h-Iy-T r.ac
there is strong proba bility that as New
York goes 50 will go the Country It is
this fact which gives interest to the Re-
publican diSSensions over Gov Hughes
West Virginia is another State in the
East where the Republican Party for
months has been torn by factional dis
putes. Within the week. however an
arrangement has been made by which
it is understood that the fight will not
extend to the electoral ticket, and there
is now chance that truce may be
patched up by the withdrawal of both
the Republican candidates for Governor
and their acceptance of a compromise
candidate. Such { disposition of the
case would probably insure the State for
Taft. But at the same time the Reptfb-
lican National Committee will pay close
attention to West Virginia until election
day.
The New Bryan.
The strongest asset of the Democrats
in the campaign is Mr.. Bryan himself.
Much comfort will be drawn from Re-
publican disorganization and quarrels,
but the main Democratic hope is in It's
candidate. 1t is a new Bryan who is
before the people this year, and his
whole manner has been such since the
Denver Convention to attract attention
and make friends. He has never talked.
to so good effect as now, never said so
many sensible things and so few foolish
ones, never given, so many evidences of
real statesmanship. His tariff revision
speech at Des Moines is the best state
ment of the traditional Democratic po--
sitfon, on that question that has, been
made for a generation. and the Repub--
licans have not yet attempted to answer
1t. His speech of acceptance, in addi--
ton to possessing the merit of brevity,
which insured it wide circulation in the
press of the country. presented a CAM
paisn battle cry which. whether fair or,
unfair, is mighty fetching. .'Shall the
people rule?" The Republicans have
been busy ever since explaining that the
people already are ruling in their judy
ment.- His speech regarding the trusts
at Chicago shows. him to be we'll in
formed ON that great issue, and to have
ideas which will make a strong appeal
to the common people. It has bsen Mr..
Bryan.S good fortune to be able to place
Mr. Taft somewhat on the defensives
thus far, and to himself assume the Of
fensive along all important lines
These two facts, therefore, the fac
uonal fights of The Republicans in inn
portant States, and the improved char
acter OF Mr. Bryan as Presidential
Candidate have united to place the DEM
ocratic Party in the lead; in the CAM
paign thus far.-W. W. J. j'r a.-..r
-~-
A Curious CALCULATIONS.
When. England declared war against
the Dutch in 1865 the Republic issued
a proclamation. announcing the amount