The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-04

a young man, you are on the iederal
bench. and have progressed where you
are recognized as a leader In the Cir
cult Court of Appeals. You have |
made a success and are likely to make |
other successes. The people and the |
party have been liberal with you. You |
have an ambition to go to the United
States Supreme bench. as every good
lawyer has, and l believe the chances
are all in your favor.
You have a life position. and when
you grow old you may retire on a fuiI
pension. so that you are in fact carry
ing a governmental life insurance for
your old age. No man could biame
you if you would refuse TO accept the
office which the president now tenders
YOU. 1t would not be dishonest or dis
loyal You are comparatively poor
man and you would be doing the right
thing by your family to hold on to your
position on the bench and to look only
for honors in the line of your own pro-
fession. That is the easy way for you
TO live the rest of the years OF your
life. Ia
Points Out the DiHicuities.
Now, here is a hard way. We want
you to go out across the ocean to the
Philippine islands, a place where few
Americans ever have been. We have
! undertaken new burdens of govern
ment- out there which We scarcely I'M
derstand ourselves. The islands are
! in Instruction Armed bands of ma
tiyes resist our authority. 1t will be
difficult to establish civil government
and il may be impossible, but some
man must make the attempt, and the
president believes you are the man.
If YOU go out there you may make d
success or a failure. No one can guar
antee what you will do, and you can
not possibly know yourself. You may
make a real success and yet the people
NAV fail to recognize 1t. You may
! work hard over there, and yet come
back. to be neglected and forgotten.
For the time being at least anu
possibly forever, you will have TO give
ND your ambition, with which l fuiiy
! svmpathize. TO go on the bench or the
supreme court of the United States
You will have to resign your HE OF
flee and undertake one which may be
terminated at any time, and which mas
no old age insurance or possibility oil
retireemnt. 1t is an unfamiliar eli
mate, and you will work among
strange people. You may be taken
with a fever or you may be assassin
ated.
That is the hard way for you
Judge Taft. The president or the
United States calls upon you to take
the hard way, and he asks you tc
make a decision for the sake OF those
brown people across the ocean. wheth
err you will live your easy life as yot
have been living 1t, or take up the
hard life as l have honestly pictured
it for you"
Taft Chose the Hard Way.
It is a fact, although I have para
/, phrased the language. that Secretar.
, Root with characteristic cleverness
painted the dismal duty OF the far OF
islands in the blacklist possible color
+ and laid stress upon the easy lif'
, Judge Taft would have by remainin,
home The point he made was tina
, duty required that the work should b.
undertaken which held little prospec
, of preferment. He knew accuratel.
, the frame OF mind of the man he wa
talking to, and that kind of argumen
won where none other would.
Judge Taft accepted the responsible
ity of establishing civil government Il
the Philippines with his eyes wild
: open to the fact that In all probabilit,
l he would receive scant reward for hi
labors. 1t was once more the domin
L ant note in his character. and he CAV
D up his pleasant home life in CinciI
: natl to go into the governors palac
I in Manila just as he used to leave tn
4 river or the base ball field and e
back to his room to dig out a transla
e ton from Tacitus or an optional prot
Il lem in the differental calculus.
Like a Dream to Taft.
One day recently Secretary Taft an
his brother Charles. the Cincinna,
!, editor. were chatting about the pro
. gress of the campaign.
Charles" said the secretary
doesn't this whole thing seer
:. strange to your"
:, Not so very said Brother Charlie!
because l have been SO hard at wor
:. trying to look after your interests tina
the whole thing has grown upon N
gradually until it seems perfectly ne
tural''
We'll. You know. Charlie, ii seem
=, a great big dream to me. Sometimes
wake I'D in the night and think ths
:, it is still dream. and | have to &
" over actual events in my mind I
:, realize that I have become a presider
= tial possibility. l never thought {
. doing more than getting on the ST
preme bench. and / was working fo
that to the best of my ability. I al
y sure it never occurred to me when