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About Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1908)
_ . . TIIJO RtilH'BIJUAiN , UUS'J'tiK ' ' COUNTY , .C. . * . ' . . , . , . p idem oosevelt is For Taft CLIPPED FROM ARTICLE BY HENRY BEACH NEEDHAM , IN SUCCESS MAGAZINE "There wa-- nothing really in teresting , " said the President , about our first meetingIt oc- curcd in Washington in J890 , when 1 was thirty-one and Taft about a year older. " They just met that was all Theodore Roosevelt velt and William Howard Taft as other Federal officeholders by appointment of President Harri son came to know one another. At the New Year reception in the White House , Mr. Taft , the Solicitor General , took the pre cedence over Mr. Uooscvell , the Civil Service Commissioner. Mr. Taft , moreover , enjoyed a cer tain distinction in official life which was his by inheritance. Judge Alonsso Taft , his father had been in Grant's cabinet , first as Secretary of War and then as Attorney General , alter wnicn ne had represented the United States at Viena and later i.i St. Peters burg. Mr. Koosevclt's father on the other hand , never held pub lic office , and yet with such abundant esteem was he regard ed by rich and poor alike , that when he died , two years before his son's graduation from Har vard , flags were displayed at half-mast all over the city of New York. Taft Sat on the Bully. "My father was the finest man | I ever knew , " said the President , \ "and the happiest. " Never once in all probability , has Mr. Koose- vclt regretted that his father was not a public man. And yet he is frank acknowledging that there may be certain advantages to one who is born into public life. "Taft belongs to a family , " said the President , which has always done remarkable public service. He graduated from Yale in 1878 ; and a few years lat er , when Yale gave him the hon orary degree of LLD. . . . he was the youngest of her graduates upon whom she had ever confer red this honor. On graduation he took up the study of law , and also entered actively into public life. In both careers he rose steadily and rapidly. " The one episode in Mr. Taft's earlier life which , it might be supposed , would make a deep im pression on Mr. Roosevelt , was not alluded to. If ever he had heard of the incident , he had en tirely forgotten it. Nevertheless the President's eyes sparkled and he gleefully bared his teeth , when reminded how "Old Bill Taft , not long out of college , had thrashed a formidable citizen named Rose. He was something of a "slugger , " this fellow Rose , who had criminally libeled Judge Alon/.o Taft in a filthy article printed in his blackmailing sheet Indif/nantlv rescnthitr the attack on his father , young Taft knock ed Rose down , sat upon him , and delivered this ultimatum : "If you leave town to-night , I will let you up. " Hose unhesitatingly promised and thereby believed his crushed person of some two hundred pounds of militant young man hood. "Now then " said Taft , , by way of farewell , "I am coming down town to-night and if vou are still here , then this thing has only started. " But knowing when he had enough , Rose left Cincinnati that daT. This is about , the best of the "Taft hero tales , " and yet it isn't so strange that the President , did not have tke story on the tip of bis tongue. The truth is he thinks of Taft not primarily as a ; " fighter , not as A man of his own kidney , but rather as a greatcon- cilator , a practical and effectual worker for the ' 'peace ' of justice. " The most characteristic of Mr. Taft'd early acts , to President Roosevelt's mind , was that of throwing up what politicians term a "fat office. " By way of "promoting harmony" Taft , then not twenty-five , was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue , at Cincinnati , by President Arthur. Mthough the position paid about # 10,000 a year , it was not at all o Taft's liking. It was a money Kindling , moneying paying pos- lion , essentially commercial in ts nature , and as Tjifl's father and grandfather before him had H-en lawyers and judges , mere money making was not in the jlood. Before he had drawn a itill year's salary , Taft resigned and returned to the practice of aw. In this circumstance , "not of great importance , " according to one of the biographers , William NO RETREAT fW ifi - - - " if * > > /V " THE SENTINEL STANDS FIRMLY IN DEFENSE OF HIS FLAG. . -Kroiu th Ualllm niiioi IIMII Howard Taft displayed a trait which , more than any other , perhaps , commends him to the admiration of Theodore Reese velt. What Roosevelt Saw in Taft. "What was it Mr. President , that drew you and Mr. Taft to gether ? " I asked. "I was drawn to him because he never surrendered his high convictions and vet he got along well with people of less high convictions. Holding fast to lof ty ideals , he nevertheless accom plished things much worth while. We had I soon found the same views of life , " continued Mr. Roosevelt , "lie despised , as I did and do the selfish and sordid did view of life thats rates every thing by the money standard. He could not tolerate , any more than could I , the stock-ticker at titude of mind ; the mere rnoney- kiiif seemed to him a poor crea ture as he is. Ureed , whether realized or unrealized , seemed to him poor and squalid. lie never surrendered his convictions , ' , repeated the President "and yet he worked succcssfull with men in single life better than I did. For instance , he got along excel lently with President Harrison , | much better than I did. " 'hcn William II. Taft accept ed President Harrison's appoint ment to the Federal Court of the Sixth Circuit , it was at what the workaday world call a ' 'distinct ly personal sacrifice , " which means a financial sacrifice. As Solicitor General ol the United States , he had proved himself a masterly advocate , and had gain ed an enviable reputation at the bar. Therefore , he was much sought after as a partner , and the law firms of national stand- ng offered to guarantee him earnings if he wouhi enter into co-paranership agreements with them. To practice law meant at least $50,000 a year to sit on the bench , an annual salary of but $6000. Mr. Taft chose the judgeship , offering this simple explanation to his friends. "There are more desirable things in the world than money. " That act has always pleased Mr. Roosevelt mightily ; he said so emphatically when remitted of Mr. Taft's indifference to the pockethook argument. It de lights Theodore Roosevelt's soul to think of his friend Taft , at this quient period of his career , whol ly content in his modest McMil- lin Street home , seeing little and caring less of those of the "stock ticker type of mind. " "When I became governor of New York , and was confronted with new and prcplcxing prob lems , I turned instinctively to Taft. I knew that we approach ed public questions at the same angle , and I wished to benefit from his sane , fair judgment. " "You remember my fight in New York for the bill taxing public utility corporation on their valuable franchises. You recall that 1 sent an emergency message to the legislature , urg ing the passage of the Franchise Tax Hill ; that my special mes sage wasn't read ; and that I sent in another on the following day which was read ; and that the bill was passed and became a law. I was sure of my ground in that tight , and for that cer tainty of mind I was consider ably indebted to Taft. "Knowing that the contest with the corporations was to come over this legislation , I visited Taft in Cincinnati am went into the subject deeply with him. His advice proved to be invaluable. Taft really had a hand in that first fight of mine for corporation control. " "As I have often said , I con sider the franchise tax law a part of my general policies of railroad regulation and corpor ation control. In view therefore of the experiences I have cited , you can understand me fully when I say that taft knows my policies. They are as much his as mine. And he. will carry them out , as he has promised to do in his speech of acceptance. " Why the President is for Taft. This brings squarely before us our main proposition , Why the President , is for Tuft. It may not be generally known , but Roosevelt has been "for Taft" for several years not as a poli tician is "for" his boon friend , but as a good citizen would have the office seek a worthy man. Theodore Hoosevclt is the1 "original Taft man. " As long ago as 1901 , he looked upon William II. Taft as of Presiden tial timber , and said so unequiv ocally. In the brief period when he was Vicc-Presidcnt of the United States , Colonel Roosevelt wrote for "The Outlook" an article under the title , "Govern or William II. Taft. " This was published in September , 1901 , after Mr. Roosevelt had assumed the Presidency. It was intro duced in this manner : "A year ago a man of wide ac quaintance both with Amercian public Hie and Amerciau public nen remarked that the first governor of the Philippines ought to combine the qualities which would make a first-class Resident of the United States with the qualities which would nake a first-class Chief Justice of the United States , and that he only man he knew who pos- cssed all the qualities was Judge William If. Taft , of Ohio. " The statement was entirely correct , ew more difficult tasks have levolved upon any one man of our nationality during our century and a quarter of public ife than the handling of the Philippine Islands just at this time ; and it may be doubted whether among men now living as well fitted as Judge Taft to lo this incredibly difficult work. "I dislike speaking in hyper- Dole ; but I think that almost all men who have been brought in close contact , personally and officially , with Judge Taft are agreed that he combines as very , very few men can combine , a standard of absolutely unflinch ing rcceitude on every point of jublic duty , and a literally daunt ess courage and willingness to 3ear responsibility , with a know- edge of men and a far-reaching tract of kindness , which enable his great abilities and high prin ciples to be of use in a way that would be impossible were he not thus gifted to work hand in linnfl with his ff 11nws. " This remarkably high opinion President Roosevelt proceeded to back up at the very first oppor tunity. A vacancy occurred on on the bench of the highest court in the land and the President offered to appoint Governor Taft a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The most cher ished ambition of his life was' within the grasp of Judge Taft , but , realizing that he was need ed still longer in the Philippines , he declined the appointment. "When you tendered Mr. Taft a place on the Supreme bench , Mr. President , did you theu con sider him best fitted for judicial life ? " " 1 knew it was the height ol his ambition to be a member of the Supreme Court , " Mr. Roosevelt velt replied "He conspicuously merited the honor and thorough ly deserved the appointment. I told him that he must decide the matter for himself. Just as I told him , " interpolated the Presi dent , "that he must determine for himself whether or not to run for the Presidency. " That declination of the judge ship , " observed President Roosevelt velt , with a look of real pleasure , "was particularly characteristic of Taft. In all my life I have never known a man so absorbed in unselfish service. With him the 'joy of working1 is a passion. The trouble with Taft is that lie would have the nation meaning the. average citizen as disinter ested as himself. And Taft is too disinterested. He has hardly given enough consideration , for instance , to material things , considering that he is a man with a family. " The President had in mind the time when Mr. Taft threw up his collectorship of internal revenue , at Cincinnati , and the occasion when he turned his back on an annual income of $50,000 to accept a six-thousand-dollar-a- year Judgeship. Mr. Roosevelt knows , moreover , that when Taft 'returned from the Philip pines , all he possessed in fie world was $1,500. Taft's capi tal was his name and fame. William H. Taft came home from the Far East to enter the cabinet of his friend , Theodore Roosevelt. "Why did you fix him on the War portfolio ? " the President was. asked. "Wanted him in my cabinet. I knew he would make an excel lent Secretary of War , as he un questionably has done ; but I desired especially his counsel. Root was going out , and I need.- ed an adviser of similar breadth of view to take his place. Tafl's experience gained in the Philip pines and his acquaintance with the apanish-speaking laymen and prelates , was bound to help him in dealing with Cuba. " "And that is why you selected him as the man to send to Cuba to head off a revolution ? " "Precisely , " replied the Presi dent. "For reasons not unrelat ed I sent him to Panama when it H looked as though there might be trouble on the Ismus. And he succeeded he has succeeded in every diplomatic mission be cause of his unwearied patience , V his kindliness , his firmness , and because of his ability to persuade a suspicious people that he is working with an eve single to their interest. " We had come to the main line of inquiry at last. "Why Mr. President , in your judgment is Mr. Taft so well equipped for the Presidency ? " "The bigness of the job de mands a man of Taft's type , " was the reply. He is "thorough ly prepared for the task which will confront him. Never has there been a candidate for the Presidency so admirably trained in verified administrative service. Then , Taft is a thoroughly national man. There is no stronger appeal to him from the North than from the South , from the West than from the East. Creed and color make no differ ence to him. He seeks to do substantial justice to all. There I isn't a mean streak in the man's i make-up. " "He is not of the fighting tpye though. " "Yes he is"insisted the Presi dent ; "no man fights harder when he thinks it is necessaiy ; but he hates to fight unless it is necessary. " "It is said that he would cany out your policies 'quietly , ' too quietly , perhaps , to obtain real results. " "Taft has his way of doing things and I have my way. I gave out my recent statement regarding the Standard Oil decision without consulting him. He wouldn't have made that public statement , and yet he was \ [ ] greatly disappointed at the de cision. Perhaps Taft's way of accomplishing results is better than mine. But I have to do things in iny own way. " "You blazed the way , Mr. President. If elected , Mr. Taft will find the people alive as never before to public questions , It will be much easier for him to obtain popular support for what are the Republican policies , than it was for you , at the outset , to get backing for those same policies. " "That may be true. " agreed the President. "But I think Taft will succeed with Congress better than I have done. " The point had been reached ( Continued on page 7) ) 1