Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-01-08
A Brief but Comprehensive
Review of the Important
Events and Tendencies
Of the Year Past For
Busy Readers Who Want
to Be Well Informed.
BY EDWIN 5. POTTER,
Editor Universal New. ANALYSIS,
Despite the Depression,
Republicans Retain Control.

Looking now calmly and dispassion.
stely back across the field OF conflict
ing interests and balancing forces
"hlch shaped the American preSiden.
tiai campaign Of 1873. one incontest-
able conclusion forces itself on the
open mind. Il is that 4 majority Of
Inc people became convinced in one
way or another that It Is better 10
bear the evils that they have than TO
ny t" others that they know not or
and IL give. the trust regulating poll.
cies Of President Roosevelt a longer
snd fairer trial in the hands OF his
favorite adviser. William Howard
TAFT How the people became So
minded is a question to which no an
swer can lie found TO suir all kinds Of
partisaus. The salient facts can. how.
ever, be reccunted briefly and with
historical inpartiality.
On Jan. 81 was issued the challenge
OF the dominant personality aud off,
ciai Of the party in power which was
TO determine in many ways the plans
VI battle Of the different parties for
the capture OF the American electorate
namely, the message OF President
Roosevelt 10 congress advocating his
program Of radical legislation.
On June l6 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 opera iUu caused il to be described
as the administration steam roller"
or which Frank H. Hitchcock was the
engineer. The only fight was on the
court injunction plank. Samuel Com
pers head Of the y. F. of l.. and other
leaders OF organized labor. confronted
with numerous court decisions unfa-
yorable 10 their methods and facing
lower wages or lack Of work for many
workers, had decided 10 tight in the
open for the party whose labor plank
suited them best. Despite the warn
lngs Of the Gompers cabinet" before
the platform committee the plank final
" adopted at Chicago was not TO their
liking. Van Cleave. Cannon, Crane
and other Republican leaders insisted
upon upholding the integrity Of the
courts. but asserting that the rules OF
injunction procedure be more accu-
rateiy defined by statute" and that no
Injunction should issue without due no.
tie except where irreparable injury
would result from delay" William II.
Taft OF Ohio was nominated for presi-
sent on the first ballot and James S.
Sherman Of New York for vice presi-
dent
ON July 7 at Denver the national con-
yeution Of the Democratic party as
sembled with the knowledge that an
Overwhelming Ma jority of its delegates
were pledged to the nomination Of VIII
liam J. Bryan Of Nebraska. The big
gathering broke all records for continu-
,us cheering when the blind Oklahoma
senator. Gore, eulcgized the Nehra skan.
he 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-
proval OF Bryan, was named for second
place.
As In the Republican convention. the
main contest had 10 do with the word
ing Of the injunction or labor plank OF
the platform. Gompers was present
and psre his assent to the plank finally
agreed upon. While asserting that the
courts of Justice are the bulWarh OF
our liberty" 1t demanded Il modlnca-
ton of the Injunction law so as to pro
vide for trial by jury IN eases OF IN
direct contempt. 1t declared aeainst
treating labor organizations as Illegal
combinations In restraint OF trade IA
vored the eight hour day and promised
a general employers liability law.
Bryan at once induced his executive
,op,mittee to say that it would reject
I'll corporate gifts. would limit indlViu
rs, donations to $4,000 and would
,phl,sh on Oct. Is and daily thereafter
the names Of givers Of 500 ana up
rard. The final total published after
election was s620.G44 from 10000 con
tributors Although the RepuoIlcah
convention had rejected publicity
plank. Taft and his managers decided
fo work under the New York l;sw ana
publisb names and amounts of contrib
utors utter the election. Their funds
totaled s1,G55.o1S
Frank II. Hitchcock, who had engl-
haared the Taft canvass. was chosen
chairman Of the Republican national
committee. and George r. Sheldon was
made treasurer, The Democrats eject
ed Norman E. Mack. the Buffalo news,
paper proprietor, as their nationai
chairman and Governor Haskell OF ok-
,.boms as holder Of the purse. Wneh