The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-09-02
SECRETARY TAFT
MAKES A SPEECH
Notable Discussion Of Personal
Issue in the Anti Roose-
welt Campaign.
A DEFENSE OF PRESIDENT
Not a Dangerous. Hair Trigger Man.
But Careful, Earnest and Thought.
full, Declares His Secretary
of War at Montpelier.

OF War Taft this afternoon made a
notable address here. devoting himself
largely to q discussion Of the demo-
cratic effort to make the personality OF
the president an issue in the CAM
paign. The secretary made no apollo
giles for specific acts the president has
done; he defended them one by one.
and reclared the republican party Will
Ing to stand on the record they made.
Secretary Taft briefly discussed the
recent pension order and the Panama
case, defending the president from
charges of u%surpation of power and
abuse of the constitution. Taking up
the action of Mr.. Roosevelt in appoint
ing the coal strike arbitration board,
he asked:
Would Judge Parker have done the
same thing? 1 think not, because I
think he has shown himself so timid in
meeting the issues that we may infer
that he would shelter himself behind
the plea that. as he had no constitu-
tional power as president to do what
was done. he did not feel justified in
doing It as a private citizen"
Secretary Taft spoke briefly along
the same lines in defense of the ad-
ministration's position in the matter
Of the postoffice frauds. and then took
up the Philippine position, saying:
Republicans hope the time may
come when they may be safely granted
independence and think hat it will
come; but the reason why they are
not in favor of promising 1t is tina
such a promise will greatly mlslead
the Filipino people and greatly COM
plicate the situation in the Philippine
islands with respect to the success OF
the present government there and It's
orderly continuance. No compromise
can be made with the Filipinos ex-
cept that we will grant them inde-
penaence when they are fit for COM
plete self governments"
Secretary Taft briefly. reviewed the
and discussed the platform of each. In
review of the administration of Roose-
Welt, to which the greater portion of the
speech was devoted, the secretary
eulogized the president highly, saying:
Unable really to attack the record
of the republican party; unable really
TO take any grounds which make a
combatable issue with the republicans
on the main questions. the democrats
now seek to attack the president and
to charge him with violations of the
constitution. with a headstrong dispo-
sition to rule or ruin, with a tendency
to involve the country in foreign wars,
with being. in other words. an unsafe
man.
I'm all my experience 1 never have
met a man in authority who has less
pride Of opinion and judgment, In re-
spect to a situation presented to him
for action, than has Theodore Roose-
Welt. / have never met a man who was
so amcnable to reason, SO anxious to
reach a just conclusion, and so willing
to sacrifice a previously formed opinion
as the present president of the United
States. He weighs every argument
brought before him, and if by reason
OF the linlpid character of his nature,
wh1cH eadsh him to speak as he thinks,
he gives instant expression to an opin-
ion which subsequent facts show to be
erroneous, he changes as only a man
can change who is an earnest seeker
for the truth. With the sincerest de-
sire to do right.
He is not a tyrant, but he is a lead
er. He does believe in the strenuous
life. No man ever sat in the presi-
dental chair more anxious to avoid
war or conflict with foreign nations
than he. His im~pulsiveness Of man.
ner and his quickness of thought and
speech co-eSist with a real conserva-
tism of action that makes it as GER
tain as 1t was under Mckinley that
no policy will be followed needlessly
exposing the interests of the country
to the peril of war. 'Ah, butt it is
said. wait until he has a free hand.
after election: then you will see him
in his true light 1t is difficult to
answer such a %gratuitous suggestion,
founded as it must be or the assump-
ton that a man like Roosevelt. whose
candor and honesty are so patent that
he almost thinks aloud. has been play
Ing a part for three years and is only
waiting for success at an election to
throw off the mask. It is too ridicu-
lous for discussion.
But now. what specific things is Mr..
Roosevelt accused Of? First, it is
charged that he influences legislation
and transgresses the line which, under
our constitutional system, should exist
between the executive and legislative
branches. That 1t is unconstitutional
for the president to confer with mem
bers of the house and senate and seek
to influence them with respect to leg
islation is a new doctrine in this re-
public. In the first place the consti-
tuition gives him the express power and
right to communicate with congress in
giving his views with respect to legis-
~lation. In the second place. he Is made
"a co-ordinatipg factor in the legisla-
tive branch of the government, for he
has the power to veto any act passed
by both houses. and 1t mo become
a law unles 1t is re-passed by both
houses by a t%wo-thirds vote in each
house.
Now then, 1t is impossible that In
conversation with members of each
house he may not repeat a recommen-
dalton made in his communication to
the house in writing. o. that in View Of
their joint responsibility for legisla-
ton he may not advise with them at
any time and convince them, IL he may.
of the wisdom or unwisdom of pro-
posed legislation. Criticism founded
upon such a proposition is evidence OF
the weakness Of the position OF our ad-
~versaries.
This bringsme to the criticism of the
president. that he has departed from
his former high ideals in the matter Of
politics. No charge is more %unfounded
than this. He Is as much in favor Of
clean methods. he is as much opposed
to the spoils system, he believes in
honesty and efficiency in the admin;s-
tration Of government, and in the en-
forcement of the civil service law an
completely as he ever did or ever pro-
posed to do. He is doing everything in
his power to maintain his ideals. Were
he to take the course marked out an
the proper one in such criticism, and
ostracize, 80 far as conference with
him is concerned, the members Of his
party whom the mugwunps- do not ap-
prove. he would divide his party. tie
his hands, and destroy utterly hie
UOwer for usefulness To the coupfrv -