Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1912-09-29
THE THREE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.

the national political campaign ano
three prominent candidates for pres
ident:
Political prophecy would hardly
be set down in the census reports as
"gainful occupation" The country
is so big. the motives that innueDcs
voters in its widely separated divi
sions are SO various. and often SO
shifting. that Trustworthy forecast is
not easy. But We think that the
most careful Observers are agreed
that OF the three candidates Mr. Roose,
Welt is losing ground, Mr. Taft Is
not gaining very rapidly. and Mr
Wilson is gradually but steadily be
coming stronger.
"Mr. Roosevelt is having the un.
pleasant experience which some OF
his best friends. at the outset. feared
for him. To put it bluntly, he is be-
ing found out. when he opened his
campaign in his characteristic man.
ner, exploding on a curious and in
terested people, in rapid succession,
one after another Of his newly dis
covered or newly invented political
principles, there was a natural ad-
mirstion for his wonderful fertility.
and the extreme activity OF his imas-
nation, guided always by a certain
shrewd, II not intelligent, perception
Of what would appeal to considerable
classes OF excited men and women.
But as time ran on and people had
time to grasp his varied principles
and appeals, &c examine them, and
to compare them, it was found that
number OF them disagreeably con-
Aicted with each other. 1t was like
adding up a lot of figures. some plus
and some minus, and ascertaining
that so many of them balanced 9th
ers that the net total was insignia
cant. The result is that for the past
month the tone of the candidate has
notably changed, and he has been
Obliged to spend a good deal of his
valuable time in explaining 10 one
set Of his follower what he had pre-
viously handed out" 10 another set
His general attitude is one OF de-
Tense, or. at least, OF defense as to
so many things that he is losing the
charm that, for the thoughtless, in
heres in rushing aggressiveness.
Even the great Napoleon was doomed
to failure when he was forced to
give more attention to his tanks and
his rear guard than to the enemy in
his front
Mr.. Taft has suffered in a differ
ent way. His main source of strength
was in a certain popular confidence
in his conservative temper. his de-
votion to high principle. particularly
in International relations. and his ap-
probation Of the obligation of nation
al honor. He had shown these quail
tiles in his vigorous attempt to Sc
cure the adjudication Of all interna-
tional differences. Men forgave him
his weaknesses, which were only too
plain, because they thought that IN
matters of real moment his sounder
Judgment would assert itself This
confidence was rudely shaken by his
course as to the Panama bill, the
wretched doctrine that he preached
and the manner in which he at
tempted to sustain il. Some demo
Gratis who voted for him in 1905. and
we're disposed to vote for him this
year. changed their intentions on the
pitiful showing he made on the Pan
ANA question. He seemed TO them
10 have fallen down" precisely where
they had expected him TO stand most
firmly. Such a feeling is serious
element in the campaign. 1t definite
| " weakens Mr.. Taft where his chief
almost his only, source Of strength
lay. His yielding opens up such pos
sIbnities of grave complications tina;
his value sag 2 sbuIsatk asainsty reck'
Hess change is substantially de-
stroyed.