The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-05-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.

1t is perhaps, doubtful if more uuaf-
fected or more unassuuiing man than
William F. Taft ever occupied one of the
highest positions in the gift of the Presi-
dent. At present Mr. Taft is acting
Secretary of State and Secretary Of War
in his own right. Yet with all the re-
sponsiblity which the President has plac-
ed on him he never loses his temper and
never gives the slightest evidence OF be-
ing ''born down with affairs of State" as
do so many lesser lights in the federal es-
Enlistment.
An instance of the Secretary's SIM
plicity recently passed under the observa-
ton of your correspondent. Every day
at the close of business the Secretary re-
ceives the large delegation of newspaper
correspondents who haunt the State,
War and Navy building. when Congress
is not in session. looking for news. After
relating all that seemed to him news, on
a recent afternoon, the Secretary was
about to dismiss his callers when one of
them, young looking although exper-
fenced man, asked "Is there asy military
news?" II think not" replied the Secre-
tary. slowly, then added, "The most i'm
portant military incident know of is the
question whether or not General Blank
shall be allowed to have his son on his
staff" "But that is important" was the
reply and then the newspaperman pro-
ceeded to relate to the Secretary the de-
tails of a controversy over similar case
which had occurred in the Navy, etc.,
and concluded by asking Have you act
ed on the case yet, Mr.. Secretary"
"Well, 1 had" replied the Secretary, 81
had acted favorably, but in view of what
you tell me shall withdraw my decision.
In fact, guess, as there has been some
question over similar cases 1 will let the
military authorities settle the case them
selves" Most men in the Government
services would have looked wise, hemmed
and cleared their Threats and then re-
piled, II have taken the matter under adj
visement, but have reached no definite
conclusion and the newspapermen
would never have been permitted to know
that they had reversed their decision.
~
An instance of the aimability of the
Secretary occurred on a similar occasion.
Mr.. Taft, who weighs upward of three
hundred pounds, appeared dressed for
riding, with Khaki leggins. II havn't
line of news, boys" he said. Then,
noting the disappointment on some of
their faces, he leaned down, patted the
calf of his leg and said lsughingly, "How
is that for pair of legs?'' MIR. Secretary,
they would do credit to piano, replied
witty Irishman, whose sense of humor
sometimes overcomes his sense of the
properties Everyone watched to see
him severely snubbed for his imperti-
hence, but the Secretary went his way
and as he went the hsw-haw of his hearty
laugh rang through the long corridors.
~
Every previous Secretary Of War has
been more or less seriously annoyed by
the petty little jealousies of his depart
ment and the innummerable complaints
of even general officers because this, that,
or the other officer has not treated him
with proper respect. Washington de-
partment life seems to be conductive to
that sort of thing and the War Depart
ment especially. But these tempests in
tea-pots never seriously disturbed Secre.
tary Taft. He invariably summons to his
Office the complainant and the person
complained of and then subjects them to
a course of gentle ridicule which effect.
ually cures them of pickering and they
not only invariably go away friends, but
swearing to each other never again to af-
ford the Secretary another opportunity to
poke fun at them in his genial way
Moreover, they are ever after the most
loyal admirers of the Secretary himself
and none is ever heard to sing his praises
louder than some man who has been sub
jected to this sort of an ordeal.
~
Only this week the Secretary found
himself confronted with what threatened
to grow into serious friction if it was
not nipped in the bud. Under the
new organization of the Panama Canal
Commission three of its members have
been constituted an executive committee
and these three, Shouts, Wallace and
Magoou, will perform practically all Of
the administrative work connected with
the construction of the Canal. The law
requires, however, that the Commission
shall be composed Of seven members and
the remaining four, who are engineers OF
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