nds in a great crisis, the sort from which all moral movements
spring. . . ."

It has often been said that the excitement of presidential campaigns is
detrimental to the nation. This could hardly be said of the campaign of
1908. To produce political excitement there must be debatable questions
termed, by the politicians as "issues." Just what the issues were in the
campaign few people could determine. There were no issues which involved
foreign affairs. The Democratic party did not criticise the sending of
the fleet around the world, the administration's policy in Cuba, the
policy concerning the Panama Canal, nor even the policy pursued in the
Philippines. As regards military and naval matters, pensions to
veterans, the development of internal waterways, the conservation of
resources, etc., there were no issues simply because the people had
practically the same views about them. Consequently issues had to be
made, and, generally speaking, the Republican leaders appealed to the
people along the lines of the personal fitness of the candidates.

It was pointed out that President Roosevelt had indicated his Secretary
of War as the best man to carry out the policy inaugurated by the
administration of subduing and controlling influential law-breakers. The
chief officer of the government has vested in himself powers of wide
range--the appointment of the judiciary, the superintendence of the
administration of the business affairs of the nation, the guidance of
our international affairs. Therefore the President must be a keen judge
of men capable of distinguishing the honest, efficient servant of the
nation from the self-seeking politician; he must resist political
pressure; he must be national in his patriotism and breadth of vision;
he must know our foreign relations intimately, that the continuity of
policies may not be broken and the efficiency of our foreign service
weakened thereby. He must have the capacity to work long hours, with
skill, care, and rapidity. In short, the chief executive must be a man
who is fit mentally and physically.

[Illustration: Crowd surrounding a rail coach from which Taft is waving.]
William H. Taft on his trip, stumping for the nomination.

Some of these essential qualities the candidates of the two great
parties possessed in a high degree. They were honest and sincere; they
were familiar with the desires and needs of the various sections of the
nation; they were national in the breadt