Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27
By Frederick Boyd Stevenson.
Copyright, 1907. by Frederick Boyd Stevenson.

tOopyrlgnt, l6Ut, Dy FREDERICK BOya stevenson
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wise, a hearty hello" and a
smile as expansive as his provincial policy.
The cartoonists have pictured him as the
original poser for the hero of the negro
beIlum song the burden of which was:
He's six foot one way two foot fodder
An he weighs tree hundred pound
His coat big dat be couldn't pay his tailor,
An il won't go half way round
But that idea is not exactly right Most of
have summed up Taft, from the long,
range view, by what the newspapers have
said of him. and during the last few years
he has made good newspaper copy. For the
most part Secretary Taft, during his po-
litical career, has had the tact-which, by
the way, is his most famous attribute-to
keep friendly with the newspapers. And in
doing this IL is not so much what he says
as how he says II. Sometimes after TAX
ing you right into his confidence, he will
turn to you at the close of the conversation
and say:
Now, look here, old man, of course you
are not to quote me on this"
There is handshake that goes with it
and a laugh-deep and amiable, never a
chuckle like Root gives-and-well, you
know how II is-Taft is not quoted, but
Taft gets a nice little boom. But we are
getting too close to our man for this first
survey. An example of a long range view
has been aptly furnished in the press-daily
and weekly, urban and notwithstanding
the last month or So This latest boom be-
gan when he was quoted as saying:
For the purpose of relieving the burden
imposed by recent publications on some of
my friends among the Washington news
paper correspondents of putting further in
quiry to me, ! wish TO say that my ambi-
tion is not political; that / am not seeking
the presidential nomination; that ] do not
expect TO be the republican candidate, if for
no other reason because ofwhat seem to me
to be objections to my availability, which
do not appear to lessen with the continued
discharge OF my official duties, but l am
not foolish enough TO say that in the i'm
probable event that the opportunity TO run
for tn great Office of President were to
come to me, ] should decline it. for this
would not be true
Always Tactful.
Nothing else that Mr. Taft ever said
more completely bears out his reputation
for tact and acumen. No press agent do
ing business in either hemisphere could
have obtained for him greater publicity
Following these words. the newspapers from
one shore of the continent to the other be-
gan TO comment upon Mr.. Taft's availability
or unavailability-as the situation appealed
10 them.
From New York came the suggestion that
receptive mood for craftsmanship in which
energy is refined by modesty and sincerity
Is not destitute of the sense of humor."
Another New York paper-Democratic-
Gays:
yet Mt. Taft is unquestionably accurate
In the estimate of the effect of his perform
ance Of his duty on the chances of his
receiving a nomination. The reason is not
far TO seek. He has made enemies of
those interested in the favors distributed
under the protective tariff. He has ar
rayed against him all the stand patters'
of the land, from the least to the greatest.
Not that he is opposed to the principles
Of protection. He is not He is an avowed
protectionist but he has expressed his be-
lief in the wisdom OF a revision of the
tariff and he has advocated the emancipa-
ton Of the trade of the outlying portions
OF the United States with our continental
markets from the burdens imposed on for
elsn commerce. He has urged the justice
OF treating peoples whom by force we have
compelled to acknowledge the sovereignty
o. the United States as IL they were not
subjects of an alien government. For these
views the benefciaries of the tariff will
reye- forgive him: and as they are COM
pactly organized, active and persistent, they
can interpose opposition to his nomin ation
al the most convenient point, and their
opposition may be insuperable. This Is
why the objections to his availability do
NOT seem to lessen with the continued per
eormance Of his ofacial duty. The better