AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 239, 2 October 1908, Page 4

AMERICAN PRESIDENCY.

" CANNED" SPEECHES. Moving pictures of Mr. Taft. who wii, probably succeed President RoosevelL at the. Whin* House, and Mr. Bryan. the Democratic candidate, and also "canned"' speeches, will be important features of tlio Presidential campaign—a eamprtgn which may lie compared, as regards with excitement, noise and bustle. to half-a-dozen general elections ill England rolled into one. Happily "oi* trade. which is always depressed by a Presidential campaign, and for the public generally, who lor a brief period take leave of their senses. America only elects her chief executive ollicer once every four years. Mr. Taft has posed for tin- cinematograph. and so also has Mr. Bryan. and moving pictures, accompanied by "potted" speeches, will soon tind their way over the country, thus adding fresh horrors to the period of national turmoil. The Republican candidal? is enormously .stout, and is not quite so business-like on canvas as Mr. Bryan, whose gesticulation* and mannerisms are most .successfully reproduced. J3y means of the phonograph Mr. Bryan lias "canned" thirty speeches, and Mr. Taft. who began rather late, now «as a score ready for broadcast distribution. Within a month any citizen, whether in the Atlantic or Pacific States, will he able to call for the record of his candidate's favorite oration at the village store, just as easily as lie calls for It's soap or blacking. 'lt is a new development, even for America, to cinematograph {he Presidential candidates and to "can'' their speeches, but triumph already seem-, ,v----sured. Mr. Roosevelt did not care 'tor the idea at the last election, but compromised by posing for the einemaiographer who caught the President riding at a- six-barred fence, sailing ove>\ and landing successfully. Mr. Taft play s golf and baseball a little, and Mr. Bryan plays an occasional game of ninepins. but neither could compete with Mr .Roosevelt's horse-jumping picture r < a •vote-catcher. As regard- "canned" speeches, the two candidates, are happily, limited «tn record.* of Will and ."»on words. Both arc generous in their abuse of the opposition parly, and both are eloquent in declaring that the United States is the grandest, greatest, and richest country the world has ever seen, and that the ollice of President is Alw most exalted post 011 earth. Whether one agrees with the speeches or otJnr-wi-e. no American elector henceforth will be able to plead that he is unfamiliar witli the voice, gestures, und appearance of his political champion.