New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-17
A CONTRAST.

The correspondence between President hoose-
welt and Mr.. Taft published yesterday dlscloseu
no facts not already known; for MI IaIt
reasons for declining appointment 10 he
Supreme Court bench in 1905 have been gen
orally understood and appreciated Inc SUI
stance of the letters an open secret Two
years ago. when Mr.. Taft decided TO -suooral-
nate his inclina tons TO what he conceived 10 De
his duty and TO continue to serve as Secretary
of War because Of his belief that in that office
he could fulfil trust which circumstances had
forced upon him. But the publication Of the let
+ers now serves to emphasize the lofty spirit IN
which Mr. Taft has met all his public oblga-
lions and the simplicity and disinterestedness
with which he weighs his responsibilities as an
administrator committed TO task against any
possible personal ambitions and preferences.
II is instructive to compare Mr.. Tafts attitude
and motives as a Presidential candidate with
those of Mr. Bryan. The Republican nominee
gave I'D q chance TO sit for life on the supreme
Court bench where he would have found the
surroundings far more congenial than in any
executive post in order to carry on the work IN
which he had engaged as Secretary Of War and
Governor General of the Philippine Islands He
saws that he would have preferred to become
Sunreme Court Justice. and renowned his per-
sonal ambition only because of urgent duties Still
unaccomplished and representations, not Will
ont weight that he was the one man most con-
spicuousIy fitted to be named by the Repubhcah
party as Mr.. Roosevelt's successor in the Presl-
dencv He became candidate for the nomina-
lion and is now seeking election hot because of
q consuming thirst for the power and lame
which the Presidency brings. but because ne
feels that the duty has devolved upon MN OF
irving to carry out in the public interest the
progressive policies of the present administra-
ton.
Mr. Taft stands for something definite and
asks support as the representative OF dennlle
ideas Mr. Bryan. on the other hand. is seek
ing mower as an end in itself and is willing 10
change his political ideas as often as it appears
dvantageous to do so. He has been q PreSden-
tiaI candidate on all sorts of platforms. lie has
RIM as n Populist Silver Republican. an anti
imperiaIist and Democrat. He has been
ultra-radicaI moderately radical and conserYa-
fivelv radical. At present he IS drifting tow
ard a benevolent conservatism, with occasional
PoDulistIc laDseS. He has introduced more mover
issues into politics than any public man or MS
genera ton. But now he is pleading the statute
of limitations on every issue of his antedating
the framing last July of the Denver platform
In this campaign he has talked on many sub
iects vet he has seldom shown conviction or
sincerity. He has apparently cone to think
Of the Presidency not as great office to be used
to carry out definite policies, but as personal
distinction to be won by almost any method OF
appeal which may suggest itself. Mr.. Bryan
is subtle, while Mr.. Taft is candid. But the
voters prefer candOr TO subtlety and they viii
have no difficulty in making choice between
the man who looks on the Presidency as trust
and the man who looks on it as final reward
for agility in framing and dropping issues and
winning two Populistc. two Silver Repub-
Iican one anti-imperalstic and three Demo
cratic Presidential nominations