The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-12-31
1908 in
HISTORY
A Brief but Comprehensive
Review Of the Important
Events and tendencies
Of the Year Past For
Busy Readers Who Want
to Be Well Informed.
ny EDWIN 5. POTTER.
Editor Universal News Analysis
Despite the Depression.
Republicans Retain Control.

Looking now calmly and dispassion
ntely back across the field OF conflict.
Ing Interests aud balancing forces
which shaped the American presiden.
tial campaign Of 1903, one incontest
able conclusion forces itself on the
open mind II is that majority OF
the people became convinced In one
way or another that IL is better 10
bear the evils that they have than to
| fly 10 others that they know not or
aud TO give the trust regulating poll.
Giles of President Roosevelt a longer
I and faIrer trial 10 the hands OF his
fayorite adviser, William Howard
Taft. How the people became so
/ minded is a question 10 which no an.
swer can be found TO suit all kinds Of
pnrtisans. The salient facts can, how.
/ ever, be recounied briefly and with
historical impartlality.
on Jan. 81 was issued the challenge
OF the dominant personality and Off.
\ cial OF the party In power which was
10 determine In many ways the plans
OF battle of the different parties for
the capture OF the American electorate
-namely, the message Of President
Roosevelt 10 congress advocating bis
program Of radical legislation.
On June 10 at Chicago the Republic.
ans got together They cheered forty
minutes when Chairman Lodge eulo.
gized the president and seated all the
Taft contestants. The thoroughness OF
this operation caused II 10 be described
as the administration "steam roller"
Of which Frank II, Hitchcock was the
engineer The only fight was on the
court injunction plank. Samuel Com
pers, head Of the A. u. of L., and other
leaders Of organized labor. confronted
with numerous court decisions unfa.
vorable to their methods and facing
lower wages or lack Of work for many
workers. had decided 10 fight In the
open for the party whose labor plank
suited them best. Despite the warn
ings Of the Gompers cabinet" before
the platform committee the plank final.
ly adopted at Chicago was not to their
liking Van Cleave, Cannon, Crane
aud other Republican leaders insisted
upon upholding the integrity Of the
courts, but asserting that the rules of
Injunction procedure be "more accu-
rately defined by statute" and that no
injunction should issue without due no.
tice except where irreparable injury
would result from delay" William IT. |
Taft of Ohio was nominated for presi. |
dent on the first ballot and James s. |
Sherman Of New York for vice presi
dent
On July at Denver the national con
vention OF the Democratic party as
sembled with the knowledge that an I
overwhelming majority Of its delegates
were pledged to the nomination Of VII |
liam J. Bryan Of Nebraska. The big |
gathering broke all records for continu.
Gus cheering when the blind Oklahoma
senator. Gore. eulogized the Nebraskan,
The demonstration lasting eighty-seven
minutes. Bryan was nominated on the
first ballot. although the names OF
Johnson and Gray were presented
John w. Kern OF Indiana. with the ap.
proyal Of Bryan. was named for second
place.
As In the Republican convention, the
main contest had TO do with the word
Ing Of the injunction or labor plank OF
the platform Gompers was present
and gave his assent to the plank finally
agreed upon. While asserting that the
courts OF justice are the bulwark Of
our liberty" IL demanded a modifica.
tion OF the injunction law so as TO pro
vide for trial by jury In cases OF In
direct contempt. II declared against
treating labor organizations as Illegal
IN restraint Of trade. "a
vored the eight hour day and promised
n general employers liability law.
Bryan nj once iBduced.his executive
committee TO say that 1t would reject
NIL corporate gifts, would limit indiyid.
ual donations to $1,000 and would
publish on Oct Is and daily thereafter
the names Of givers OF 500 and up
ward The final total published after
election was s620Gii from 5000 con
trihutors Although the Republican
had rejected publicity
plank. Taft and his managers decided
10 work under the New York law aud
publish names and amounts Of contrib
ltors after the election. Their funds
Iotsled si,655.5is
Frank H. Hitchcock, who had engi.
leered the Taft canvass, was chosen
,hairman OF the Republican national
and George r. Sheldon was
made treasurer The Democrats elect
n Norman y Mack. the Buffalo news
,aper proprietor. rs their national
Hartman and Governor Haskell Of Ok
ahonia ms holder ~ the purse, When
Treasurer Haskell resigned his place
was fiIcd by Herman Eidder, editor Of
the New York Staats Zeitung.
July -. at Cincinnati. Taft delivered
his speech ~ acceptance He frankly
sceepied the role u me too by de
Tending the Roosevelt policies Ia their
-utlrciy aud explaining that his work,
Il elected. would he TO carry on those
reforms IN detail
Aug ", Al Lincoln. Aeb-, Bryan was
s0siAed " bis nomination and sounded
DE keynole " bis campaign In The
question. -shalI the people ruler IN
Subsequent speeches be gave great
,roniinence 10 ibe bank guaranty plan,
o ihe popular election u senators aud
. campaign publicity before eleclio1
Iis made special bad for the labor
fcie "a The lninnction plank lie
souid 6Ekssgy all trusts controlling