THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION,

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 317, 2 October 1908, Page 6

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION,

The extremely grave and discreditable predicament in which both the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States find themselves five weeks bofore tho Presidential election must have an important bearing on the result of the contest. At tho nominating conventions each party gave positive and unequivocal assurance that the' huge " trust" contributions that had corrupted previous campaigns would be left out, and all funds received to meet the expenses of the campaign would bo made public, such funds to be limited to comparatively small sums. The Democratic party went so far as to make the pledge an integral part of its platform while the refusal of the Republican convention to go this length evoked, much unfavourable ■ comment. Tho American people received these assurances in good ■ faith, and wore prepared for a comparatively quiet and unexciting campaign. Mr. W. R. Hearst's creation of a third party —tho Independence League—was 'ridiculed, it' being reported as quite certain that ho stood no chance of imperilling tho majority of either of his rivals. It was popularly supposed that he would, commit himself to the support of Mr. Bryan, but instead his policy remained' unde-' termined and problematical until lie positively announced a few weeks - ago that he would work in opposition to his'' former friend and ally. Then, after a further period of silence, ominous .in the case of a man of prodigious political activity, of soaring ambitions, and,with great forces at his command, he electrified tho political atmosphere, and staggered tho conscience of the country, by 'revelations of corruption which have carried dismay into the ranks of both the Republican and Democratic parties. The truth of these charges was capable of immediate demonstration, both by tho naturo of tho evidence—letters appar ently in tho writing of Senator Fokaker and Mr. Haskell, involving collusion with tho Standard Oil Company-—and the withdrawal of both men from official connection with their respective parties, and in tho case of Haskell, his resignation of the governorship of Oklahoma.President Roosevelt's violent ebullitions against the deposed treasurer of tho Democratic National Committee are not, in the circumstances, taken very seriously. He will probably find it no easy task to clear himself from stigma in, connection with the unpleasant disclosures made. Tho proved Republican collusion with the Standard Oil trust is a 'matter of which the President could not possibly have remained in ignorance. There appears to be some reason to believe' that Mr. Bryan will emerge from the fracas with a character unsmirehed. The Democratic candidate is a man of p'ositivo convictions and moral courage, and one who will not compromise with, or surrender to, the forces.of plutocracy, and on present appearance?, he seems ; likely. to suffer less than his opponent from tho disclosures made. One curious feature of Jho many in this extraordinary and unexpected debacle'is the ovcrshaddwingof Taft: he has been completely lost sight of, a situation due, no doubt,'to President Roosevelt entering tho fracas in defence of the Republican party and his own past actions. It is impossible to forecast with any cortainty or even probability the developments certain to follow on the bursting of Mr. Hearst's bombshell, but one thing is cortain, that Republican chances of success aro jeopardised and the party, if successful,, will have to redeem its good name by something stronger than infantile: legislation against tho evil and inexorable power of the trusts. ' i "