Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-07-03
WHY rAFT( LOST PUBLIC CONF
DENCE.

n
The New York World feels no doubt
that in The coming congressional and
state elections the Democratic party
will make astounding victories, not
only securing control of the next
house by a substantial. perhaps even
phenomenal majority, but also secur-
ing control of some state legislatures
and capturing gubernatorial seats that
are now occupied by Republicans. In
deed, it would not be surprising to it
lif a great tidal wave swept over the
land in favor eff Democracy as oppos-
ed to the party chat has inflicted the
Payne-Aldrich tariff upon the people
as an evidence of its, close alignment
with the protected interests
The reasons advanced by the World
are cozen and convincing. In its analy-
sis of what the party in power has
done, and what it has failed to do, j.
does not forget to consider the presi-
dent and to review his course, and the
disappointment he has been to the
people at large whose expectations
had been raised to a high pitch and
whose confidence in him has been sad
ly shaken as a result of his coalition
with the powers that have been pluck
inc the country for so many years.
Along this line the World says:
Mr.. Taft has just cause for salts
faction. He has proved that he is in
complete control Of the Republican
organization. This is shown not only
bv the course of congress in yielding
to his demands, but by the action OF
the Republican state conventions IN
Wisconsin and Minnesota and by the
nomination of tie administration s
candidate for governor of Iowa, de-
spite the insurgents. We can readily
understand why Mr. Taft, who has
been extraordinarily sensitive to all
political criticism, should be elated
But-all this strength and success
and dissatisfaction cannot change
the facts.
The next House of Representatives
will be Democratic.
Mr. Taft will lose his own state of
Ohio. Gov. Harmon will be re-eiect-
ed, and a Democratic senator will sue
coed Charles Dick.
There will be great Democratic
gains everywhere, and on the morn
ing of the 9th of November the coun-
try will be astonished at the sweep
inc political changes recorded in the
election returns.
The reasons are many.
Mr.. Taft threw away much of the
confidence of the country when he
identified himself with Aldrich and
Cannon in defense of their tariff. The
blunder was not so much in signing
the bill as in making himself sponsor
for it personally and describing it as
1.-THE best tariff ever enacted.
He threw away more of the conf
dence of the country when he began
to treat the insurgents as personal
enemies, and sent out cabinet officers
like Mr.. Wickersham to denounce their
courage and independence as treason.
He threw away more Of the conf
dence of the country by his methods
of dealing with the Ballinger case, in
which he showed himself an attorney
for the defendant and not judge. The
admitted use of the LAYER memoran-
dunn after the white house had denied
its use, and the juggling of the date
on the Wickersham brief, have left an
impression of bad faith upon the pub
lie mind that no amount of legisla-
ton will soon efface.
Nf he f.
dence of the country when he glori-
fled Cannon and Aldrich and gave his
administration measures into the GUS
tody of the Republican reactiOnaries.
Public suspicion of laws enacted BY
Legislators who do not believe in them
is never quickly amended.
1t is much easier to lose public con-
fidence than to regain it, and Mr.. Taft
still has a long and difficult road to
travel.