The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-11-14
BRYAN ON THE RESULT

PerndpS the. DeSI anu rSicdi COZ
statement relative to the result OF
the recent election is that made by
William Jennings Bryan. 1t is in part
as follows:
"The election is over and we turn
/ from the discussion of principles,
policies and candidates to consider
/ alton of the results. The past is
gone, never TO return. What of the
| future?
"The three men who occupied the
| center OF the stage have changed posi-
tons. The President retires from the
office with a few electoral votes-so
few that they only emphasize his
defeat.
"The only consolation that Mr.. Taft
can draw from the result is that, by
sacrificing himself, he saved the
country from a third trem-at least
he made certain the defeat of Col
Roosevelt.
History Will deal with him more
kindly than the orators of the third
party have. Even the criticism of
the Democrats will be softened by an
VI MS pCloOAlhA
and of the great service he has rem
dered the country by dividing the Re-
publican party. 1t Was not his inten-
ton, of course, to divide his party,
but it was the natural result OF his
Administration, and the Nation is the
beneficiary.
He did some good things, but they
were overshadowed by his sins of
commission and omission. Circum-
stances were against him and he was
out of joint with the times. He was
recommended four years ago as an
impossible character-a Progressive
in the west and 'standpatter' in
the east.
HE could not have fulfilled all the
expectations that were excited, and
by attempting for a while to follow a
middle course, he aiienated both
sides so that when he finally cast in
his lot with the 'standpatters' he
aroused no enthusiasm even among
| his followers.
Then, too, his popular vote, and
hence his electoral vote, was lessen
| ed by the fact that many who would
J have voted for him had he had any
/ chance, voted for Wilson in order to
, insure the defeat of Roosevelt.
"Mr. Dooley hit off the situation
early in the campaign by saying that
Mr.. Taft had great many friends
who would vote for him If they did
not have to vote for the Democratic
candidate.
"The Republican party is so weak.
ened by its overwhelming defeat that
il will find it difficult to recover The
chances are that the Progressives
will return and take charge of the
party and adopt in the next campaign
) platform which will be com.
promise between the two extremes
but so far as can be seen now Mr.
Taft has rounded out his political
career.
"As an eX-President. and as a man
of character, he will carry to his re-
tirement the esteem and good will OF
the people. and will be useful in in.
ternational politics-a growing field
of honor and dignity.
| Col. Roosevelt has suffered a re
buke that will be keenly felt by bin
and his friends The difference be-
tween his vote eight years ago and
his vote now will be noted in history
and, unless the situation is changed
by future events the descent from
his great popularity to his present
position will remain a melancholy
I one.
THE careful student, however. will
be compelled to credit him with hav
ing performed an extraordinary feat
in organizing so large a force in SC
short a time. There is an inertia in
every party that tends to hold the
members in line, no matter what The
party may do.
TO have taken more than half OF
the voting strength away from the
old organization is an unparalleled
achievement in the formation of a
new party, and it is the more remark
able when it is remembered that the
third party candidate was handi
capped by the objections to a third
term, and still further embarrassed
by some of his leading supporters.
The $561,000 subscribed by Hanna
Perkins, Munsey and Finn to secure
MS nomination may have been neces
sary TO enable him to make the show.
ing he did at the Chicago convention,
but the contribution of so large a
sum by such men was a great bur.
den for him to carry during the cam.
paign, and the prominence given 10
Mr.. Perkins alienated a great many
Progressives who might otherwise
have been drawn to the coloners
side.
After the showing made by the
new party its members ought to have
no difficulty in capturing the organi.
zation of the old party, II they desire
to do so, but they may prefer to wait
and see what the Democrats are 20.
ing to do for the future of the new
party as a separate organization must
depend very largely on the manner in
which the Democratic party meets
the responsibilities OF its new posi-.
ton.
AS for Mr.. Roosevelt himself. all
depends upon the attitude he now
takes toward the problems which
confront us. II he still aspires to a
third term, he will prove dead
weight to the new organization rath.
/ than In