The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

upon a scouting expedition. He pene-
trated as far west as Nebraska. He
was in touch with the Democratic poll
ticians in Minnesota and. Iowa. He saw
some of the leaders in Illinois and in
Ohio and he heard at second hand
from Missouri. What he heard and
saw justified him in saying to his
friends in this city that in due time
Colonel Bryan will come out from be-
hind the screen and be proclaimed as
a candidate for the nomination.
A Change of Mind.
Should Colonel Bryan do this his
friends in this city say that the
strange and unexpected emergencies
with which the Republican party is
now concerned have made it possible
for Colonel Bryan to dismiss the lurk-
ing and Interpretations doubt re-
specting his own availab ility as a can
didate. He is quoted by some whom
he met in New York in the winter and
in the early spring with having said
that he was persuaded that however
great his influence may have been in
the political life of his generation,
nevertheless the American people do
not want him for president. Three
times they have had opportunity to
elect him and have with emphasis de-
clined to do that. He had no wish to
become a candidate again and to pass
through election-night experiences
which have already been his three
times. Now, however, he is one of
those who are persuaded that the
democracy will triumph next Novem-
Der, no matter who the candidate
may be- For that reason, he will be
justified in changing his mind.
He would not be inconsistent if he
did that because he decided on the
day after election in 1908 that he
would not again be a candidate be-
cause he was convinced after three
trials that he could not be elected.
The Wall street situation at this
time, therefore, seems to be first, that
the presidential election of this year
has already been decided: second,
that presidential politics is not to
exert the depressing influence which
heretofore has been associated by the
business world with presidential years;
third. that the great impulses which
are stimulating the business world of
the United States and which are to be
greatly increased by the opening of
the Panama canal will make business
of greater consequence than any poll
tics. 1t will have the first place ana
politics the second. For these reasons
Wall street is not to be counted upon
to play any important part in the
campaign. Wall street will probab bly,
contribute as little money to the Re
publican campaign fund as it did to
the New York state Republican cam
paign fund in 1910. To make contri-
buttons of that kind will be regarded
by Wall street as sheer waste of mon
Taft be renominated or Colonel
Roosevelt be the candidate.
On the other hand, Wall street will
contribute no large sum to the Dem
cratic campaign purse. The senti-
ment in Wall street seems to be that
it is to make very little difference |
what the result of the election is.
Apparently we are to have a presi- |
Dental election in which Wall street,
neither in name nor in fact, will take
no considerable part, and upon which
Wall street will look with the inter-
est of observers, but not that of par
ticipators.
Other Matters OF Interest.
Wall street does not seem to be
greatly concerned lest the action TAX
en- by the department of justice in
Washington with intent to disinte- |
CRATE the United State steel corpora
ton and the International Harvester
company cause business -demoraliza-
ton. The experience furnished by the |
of the Standard Oil and
Tobacco companies has taught Wall
special anxiety lest tariff legislation |
cause decentralization. 1t is inevitable, |
in case the Democracy should triumph |
next fall, gaining both the presidency |
and congress, that there should be a |
revision of the tariff, and, in some re- |
spects, radical revision. But Wall |
street knows that in the United States !
theer is no free trade party, as that |
term is understood in England, and in |
any event tariff legislation cannot be |
secured until at least a year and a |
half after election day in November. |
HOLLAND.