The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-09-08
Mr. and r1rs. William II. Tafr


right" said a bystander one
day as he saw Secretary of
War William Howard Taft go by. There
Is something in that smile. not only in
The Taft smile, but in the Taft conduct
Of life, in the Taft LONELINESS, in the
human side of Secretary Taft.
1--WE love you, Bill, and are with you
IN all that you do read a telegram
from the Yale boys of rs when the
big hearted man lay sick in his bed in
The Philippines That one message
shows the attitude toward Taft which
IS taken by nearly every person who
ever comes in contact with him. He Is
IN ample, amiabIe. generous gentle
man. He is free and easy in his meth
Dds, broad minded, clear sighted, steady
as bulldog, light hearted, happy
and clear, a big 300 pound man. with
young blue eye, with a laugh that is
twelve years old instead of fifty He is
sociable and pleasant in his dealings
with men and women. He is interested
N the youth of the land and in the SUI
preme court, and he will talk about
these things when he will absolutely
refuse to talk politics. He is a wise
mentor of the youth of the time
Unless" he says somewhere. at is
recognized by its young men that
there are careers other than those of
money making and the pursuit of
pleasure; unless the spur of lofty, I'M
selfish and patriotic motives is strong
enough TO turn them to the service of
their country a republic is in a bad
way indeed. l acknowledge the neces
sity of material pursuits. None of
them is in danger of being neglected
oy Amerlcans The greater part by
FAR of the energy of the people will
always be absorbed by manufacturing,
production. business, TRANSFORMATION
he development of the country's re-
sources and the increase of it's pros
perity- That is natural enough and
right enough.
But there are interests which are
not material, and there is work TO he
1one which is not that of business
The material interests. indeed. depend
upon those which are not material
The very possibility of conducting
business depends Upon conditions es-
iahlished by the government, and
government is in itself a sort of bust
ness, or, at all events, a duty which
has TO be undertaken by some one"
From this last remark is apparent
The almost imperSonal attitude of this
man in regard TO his much talked of
presidential chances. Taft is a big
man. solid, but not stolid. He speaks |
ana acts with conviction, but it is a /
pleasant and hkabIe conviction. Ever
since his college days he has been a !
man whom all men have liked; as an /
athIete, hammer thrower, boxer and |
wrestler he was a popular young fell
low; as a circuit judge, an insular |
governor. a secretary in the cabinet he
has been firm and pronounced in his
Views
ciability and his popularity. He is a
plain man, full of common sense !
Tart is simply man among men: he !
meets them easily and naturally on !
their own footing There is about him |
nothing of the mock dignity of the
demagogue nor the-OiIy friendliness of I
the professional politician He is all
ways in good humor, no matter il he
De suffering from loss of sleep, heat or
misinterpreted statements. He is A
good American in every respect. and.
by the way, that means a good eater
When travelling. he is nibbIing at
all the while. He never has
much trouble with his oxlike consti-
tuition; but. as in the case where a
Minnesota banquet got the best of him.
he makes light of il.
"The only difference between Won
and me-" he remarked to Seth Bullock
az the time, us that l have a bigger
and therefore bigger sto1n-
ach ache" and he spoke regretfulIy OF
the fact that his old mother was not
there to administer to him, because
there was a certain ginger mixture
which she used 10 give that benefited
him.
When he had his chance TO go on the
bench, the great moment OF
his life was at hand, At that time he
said. II have no desire to be candi-
late for president; that has no place in
my thoughts" Nowadays he puts ii a
little bit differently. When asked if
ne is in in the running, he tells a
story:
"A certain man was brought up be-
lore jury in a small town charged
with murder. He had. in a drunken
Jury. struck q man with his fist, and