The Washington times., 1908-10-25


is not in a mood to demand a change
of administration from Republican to
Democratic.
Good Reasons Given.
Substantial reasons warrant the be-
lief that the great bulk of this vote in
the States named will be thrown TO Mr..
Taft.
Ii VIII be admitted by most persons
who know Secretary James Wilson, OF
the Department of Agriculture, that he
is in a reasonable degree familiar with
the trend of things among the farmers
of the United States. Mr.. Wilson has
Travelled much through the middle West
in recent weeks. II is his judgment. ex-
pressed publicly and privately. that the
prosperity. OF the agricultural voters is
a powerful factor that is working in the
direction of Republican success in this
election. Mr.. Wilson's view might be
discredited by MI Bryan's friends as
partisan were it not for the fact that
his view comedies with the opinion OF
many disiuterested observers who have
given thought to the. conditions among
the farmers of the middle West as these
conditions are likely TO affect the Presi-
dental election.
Unless the farmers of the middle West
rise out of that contentment into which
they have been led by seventy-cent corn,
dollar wheat, and hgh-priced livestock
and strike out for a change Of things at
Washington, IL IS not easy 10 see how
there can be a landslide of sufficient
proportions TO elect Mr.. Bryan without
the help of the East, more particularly
without the help of New York State.
10 Not Tournda Navry Vovly
Neither Mr.. Bryan nor his managers
concede New York 20 the Republicans.
Indeed, they profess TO believe New
York viii be turned into the Democratic
column. This is hardly TO be looked
for under all the circumstances. In Mr..
Bryans preceding campaigns, New
York rolled up huge pluraH-'es against
him. and while he may, and probably
viii. reduce these, it is hardly probable
he can win the State. In 1896 he lost
New York by $4,000. and in 1890 by 49,,
OO0 Il is TO be observed the betting is
much against Mr.. Bryan carrying New
York. and that the Republicans are
growing in confidence that they viii
not merely carry the State for Tai, but
that he viii get a sweeping plurality.
In the best-infOrmed Republican quar-
tiers. New York is looked upon as much
more safe for Taft than either Ohio
or indiana. Ii is also believed Indiana
is more likely TO cast its vote for Taft
than Ohio. This, it is known, is the
view that obtains ar the White House.
Even at that. President Roosevelt does
not look on Ohio as lost TO the Repub-
Leans.
Hughes Friends Hope.
In connection with the New York sit
uation, The feeling Is growing among
Republicans and friends Of Governor
Hughes that he will be reelected gov
ernor of New York in spite Of the ter
rife opposition that has been aroused
against him.
While the outlook now is that Mr..
Taft will be elected and Mr.. Bryan will
be defeated, it IS certain that Mr..
Bryan has developed a degree of
strength in the campaign that has as
touished most Of his opponents He has
exhibited a mastery of politics such as
he did not evince in his 1896 and 1900
campaigns. At the close OF the Denver
convention IL was not generally sup
posed Mr.. Bryan would prove a for
midabIe candidate against Taft. Mr..
Taft, in July, went TO Hot Springs and
sojourned for a time in security, play
ing golf and resting from his official
labOrs, thinking upon his speech Of ac-
cep-ance, and leisuTely planning an
easy front porch campaign. The
'allies" had gone home from the Chi
Cago convention sore and bitter, an
gered at Roosevelt and the way he
had ridden rough-shod ove= them TO
force Taft's nomination. Moreover, in
State after State, were dangerous Re-
publican discussions, generally between
the progressives and the conservatives,
the machine and ant-machine elements.
Bryan Unites Party.
Following his nomination, Bryan
showed a marvellous capacity to unite
the different elements Of his party.
Old wounds were rapidly healed, and
almost before anyone realized It, the
Democratic party, all over the country,
was united and in better fighting trim
than it had been for years. Mr. Bryan
plunged into the campaign early, and
took the stump with all his oId-time fire
and vigor. He drew immense crowds
and awakened Democratic enthusiasm
To an intense degree.
President Gompers, of the American
Federation of Labor and various labor
bodies declared for Bryan and the great
bulk of the labor vote showed distinct
symptoms Of being in favor of him and
against Taft because of the lat,ers In
junction record. Various causes con-
tributed TO swell the strength Of the Ne
hraskan and give alarm to the Re-
publican leaders. Among them were
the revolt against Cannonism, the wide
spread dissatisfaction among radical Re
publicans over some of the planks Of
the Chicago platform, the nomination
Of James s. sherman, who is not liked
by many Western Republicans, the
guarantee of bank deposits doctrine. the
opposition among various Protestant de-
nominations TO the Unitarian belief to
which Mr.. Taft subsCribes. the in