Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-08-03
Out in the Middle West.

WEST DIS IHe Tedl BATTLE-GROUND III tIhs
years campaign, and so everything
that throws light on the political con-
ditions and tendencies in that section
Is of great interest. The New York
Sun, which calls itself Independent but
which is aggressively and even bitter
ly anti-Roosevelt, has had a special
correspondent touring the western
states and sending eastward his i'm
pressions. He has hunted hard fo,
anything to give cheer to the Demo-
Gratis. but he fails to find it. In a let
ter from Kansas City, candidly sum-
ming up the situation throughout the
West, he declares his belief that the
West, will be as solid for Taft as it
was for Roosevelt, and he very grudg-
ingly adds that it is solid for Taft be-
cause it believes that Taft stands for
the Roosevelt policies. His observa-
tions and conclusions are worth read
ing with care. He goes on in this
breezy fashion.
1t would need a complete proof of
the divorce of Taft and Teddy" to
help Bryan materially here. 1t may
shock the eastern sense of propriety
for Mr.. Taft to journey to Oyster Bay
to submit his speech of acceptance,
but it is the most popular thing he has
done since he was named-in this
western country. All over these states
there is an insistent clamor that Mr.
Roosevelt come out here and make
speech for Mr.. Taft THAT would set
tie it, all the politicians declare.
Mention must also be made. again Of
the bitter sectional feeling prevailing
out here. The more general the oppo
sition to Mr.. Bryan in the East the
stronger Mr.. Bryan will be made, at
least with the Democrats, in this cOun-
try, and the more permanent the
cleavage between the East and the
West in the Democratic party will be-
come. The spirit of the western Demo-
crat, moreover, at the moment at least,
seems to indicate determination to
rule the party and to subject the East,
whatever the cost.
vantage circumstances may seem to
have prepared for Mr.. Bryan in the
middle West, there is one tremendous
force operating against him, force
almost as powerful as the popularity OF
Mr. Roosevelt. This is the universal
prosperity in this country. These mid
die western states have no bread
line" no problem of the unemployed,
no stomach ache" The highways
and byways, which, by the way, make
the roads in rural New York seem like
asphalt pavement by comparison. are
filled with automobiles. In the West,
ed measure of prosperity. OF course.
the Republican party is responsible Tor
this prosperity-admts it's responsible
itv. in fact. Now, in such situation
Mr. Bryan is finding it hard to get a
good start in his campaign, for an
erlpty stomach, after all, adds a pc
culiar Zest to Bryan appeal.
In sum, then, despite the half
truths contained in the eastern reports
OF Mr.. Bryan's western strength, the
plair fact seems to be that there is no
July tidal wave for Mr.. Bryan in the
middle West. Popular he is. univer-
sally popular. but personally rather
than politically. Radical the middle
West is, radical to the limit, but
Roosevelt. and not Bryan. is the
prophet of radicalism, and Taft IS
"Teddy's choice" fractional fights
there are here in the Republican party,
but nowhere, save in Wisconsin, is
there the slightest evidence that these
factional fights will bring material
strength to Mr.. Bryan.
The praries are not aflame, then; the
middle West has not fixed upon Mr..
BRYAN as the ultimate expression OF lts
radicalism. and the hopelessly Repub-
lican states of the middle West seem
quite as hopelessly Republican in July
as do Connecticut and New jersey
Having recognized and marked dlffer-
ences between the eastern ana the
western situation and attitude Oh Hlhu'
this seems to be the inevitable con-
clusion to be drawn from any Impartial
weighing of the evidence available.
After all. the Democrat in the middle
West although his dander is up an"
hie opiuion of his eastern fellow-partl-
sans hardly fit for publication, does not
seriously expect Ito win without the
East" On the contrary, there is some
thing pathetic, entirely self-betraying'
in the eager manner in which he IN
a,,ires, Are you sure that Bryan has
no chance in New York;
1t is TEDDY and Taft" in the mid
die West still In July Mr.. Bryan mas
made no progress in separating tne
two. and until he does the situation IN
tho middle West seems to have no real
tcrrors for the Republican strategists
For the rest, it promises to be inter
es.ing to watch Mr.. Rryan's Efforts III
this direction, for his whole caihpaisi
in the middle West must sho" tnat lie
and not Taft, is the nearer ROUSE
velt."