Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-15
By NJ. TAFT on His
Rival Mr.. Bryan.
Gets After Three times Candi-
dates Own Political Record.
When Ne Finishes Bryan SIT. Down
And Very Far Back.

Cincinnati, Sept 14.-Asserting that
his official record, his speech of ac-
ceptance and subsequent utterances
are ample Indications Of his own politi-
cal position, William H. Taft today re-
piled to Mr.. Bryan's comment on the
Roosevelt letter, by switching the spot
light of inquiry back to Mr.. Bryan's
own political record and making an
analysis thereof. This is Mr. Taft's
reply:
I'm my notification speech and in
other speeches, made since, attempt
ed to make clear my position on all
issues Of the campaign. II Mr.. Bryan
has been unable to understand them
] cannot make them clear. l stand on
my record in Office and what | have
said. Mr.. Bryan should devote little
time to his own record. from which he
seems to be struggling to separate
himself, with all the adroitness &c
quired in II years hunt for an issue
on which he can be elected President.
The readiness with which Mr.. Bryan
in successive Presidential campaigns
passes from one paramount issue to
another, shows that the chief consider
alton which has affected his selection
of an issue has been it's plausibility in
attracting votes He presents the re-
markable spectacle Of one who has
been seeking the Presidency for IL
years without success and without OF.
fial responsibility, and without the
opportunity to test the various propo-
sitions which he has advocated for re-
forms, and yet of having the event
demonstrate what a colossal failure he
would have made in each instance,
had he been permitted to carry his
proposals in the policies of the country.
He does not now say whether he is
still in favor of the free coinage OF
silver. He does not now answer the
question whether, il he were President
and an exigency should arise in which
he would be called upon to exercise
his discretion affirmatively to main
tanning the parity between gold and
silver, he would exercise that dis
cretion. He has not permitted him
self to discuss in this campaign thu
issue of anti-imperialsm, which was
the paramount issue in 1900 as he de-
clared. and in respect to which the
policy of the Republican party has
been indicated by the event, so that
tranquility and a good government
exist in the Philippine Islands and
even the Independistias prefer Repub-
lican victory to Mr.. Bryans prom
ises'
He now says that he favors the
more rigid regulation of the railroads.
In 1906 he expressed the view that the
railroads could not be regulated be-
cause the railroads would own the
regulators appointed by law, and
therefore he was in favor of govern
ment ownership. We hear nothing
from him on this subject. Instead. by
describing his platform not only as
an announcement of principle but as .
protection against uncomfortable is
Sues he has attempted to give bond to
keep the peace with respect to govern
ment ownership. which by it's mere
announcement showed it's lack of the
vote catching quality. He processes
to have been the father. and now to be
the heir, of the Roosevelt policies and
yet in no campaign of three in which
he has taken part and two of which
he himself led. did he make them the
paramount issues. Indeed. in the
Parker campaign. he took occasion to
NI
and with being completely subject to
the influence of corporations. only to
see him win by the greatest peace
triumph of the world. and secure such
an effective stamping out of corporate
abuses as to elicit the admiration of
the entire country.
Mr. Bryan processes to be the great
friend of labor. and yet he was one
Of the chief supporters in the passage
OF the German Wilson bill that MADE
labor helpless for four years. He then
proposed as a remedy for the disasters
to which labor was thus exposed the
issuing of SO cent dollar which would
have cut in half such wages as there
were. and would have led to the hard
est kind of struggle on labor's part to
restore it's wages to its proper equival-
ent under the gold standard The
country has been most fortunate that
the fallacy of Mr.. Bryans railroad
proposition has been exposed without
the cost OF putting them into actual
governmental practice and it will be
fortunate indeed. if the danger of four
years depression. to which it would be
exposed in case of Mr.. Bryan's cleo
ton. may be averted and if by Repub-
lican success in November. and sub
sequent prosperity and by a clinching
of the Roosevelt policies he may be
again shown to be a prophet without
honor"