Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-02
Especial Correspondence


New York, Nov. "A campaign al
most if not quite unique in modern
political history is closed. The issue
is now in the hands of the voters. 1t
Will not be long after s o'clock on
Tuesday night when the whole world
will know whether Mr.. Bryan has
been for the third time defeated, or
whether he has at last proved the
virtue of perseverance. Election re-
turns this year will come earlier than
ever before in a presidential election,
because of the increasing use of vot-
ing machines, and also because in
some important and crucial communi-
ties the number of votes to the cleo
ton district has been reduced by re-
cent redistrictings.
At the opening Of the year there
would scarcely have been doubt that
the republican party was certain to
elect the next president overWhelm-
ingly. Whatever doubt now exists on
that point is directly attributable to
the financial panic of a year ago. But
for that, all the other influences which
today make up the remarkable aggre-
gate of elements contributing ito UNI
certainty, could not possibly have made
the results seriously doubtful. The
republican party goes to the polls
facing the fact that never in this coun-
try's history has a party survived a
financial panic. Beginning with JEFF
heels Of the "federalist panic" there
has been no exceptions to this rule.
The republicans had the panic of 1873
and Rutherford B. Hayes became the
next president; but many ooncede that
Tilden was really elected. This is the
one and only apparent exception.
House Creates Prejudice.
It is probably not unfair to say that
the second most unfortunate feature Of
the political situation as concerns the
republicans, was the widespread
prejudice against the recent conduct
of the national house of representa-
tives Not only did the Cannon regime
in the house balk the efforts of Pres
ident Roosevelt during the last ses-
sion to secure reform legislation, but
that same regime turned up to the sur
prise Of nearly everybody as one of the
most powerful factors in the national
convention. Cannon and Cannonism
were strong enough practically to die
tate the platform and absolutely to
name the vice presidential candidate OF
the party. 1t is hard to tell which
was the more unfortunate Of these two
achievements Of the conservative wing
at the Chicago convention. Both have
injured the party and both put clubs
in the hands Of the democrats.
Democratic Situation Was Worse.
The democratic situation in the be-
ginning was worse than the republi-
can. Nobody who was anybody In the
democratic party wanted Mr.. Bryan
nominated. Democrats in congress,
house and senate, state leaders, pub
licists of all classes, agreed that new
leadership was necessary. Absolutely
nobody was for Mr.. Bryan except the
people But the people nominated nlln'
the politicians accepted him with such
grace as they could command, and the
campaign has been series Of revela-
lions confirming the accuracy of the
peoples Judgment, and the inaccuracy
of the politicians diagnosis. MI Bryan
has proved stronger than anybody
dreamed he would be, and today 1t IS
the almost uniform judgment OF those
who opposed him for the nomlnatlon
that he will have been stronger ieao-
er than Johnson, Gray, or any other
man whose name was considered at
Denver
Mr.. Bryan was forced upon the lead
ership of his party, by the masses.
The leaders accepted him and from the
beginning there was manifested de-
termined purpose to reilabiHtate the