The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-19

Senator, is a ''favorite SON. candidate
against Taft. He goes to Boston ana
tells the neutrality-suspicious. who would
| give the Filipinos their complete indie
pendence the plain. blunt truth about
| the Philippines He goes to Cooper
Union in New York City to make a
| speech, and when he learns that the
local managers had sought to protect
him by ordering that the custom of
asking questions shall be dispensed with
for this occasion brings his big fist
| down, saying: No, no; they shall ask
as many questions as they like, and !
| shall try to answer them He faced
a hall full of questioners, met every in
curry with the utmost frankness, and
won the admiration and confidence of
! the very men who had come to hear him
with hostile feelings and a wish to an
noy him. When he speaks before an
audience of laborers he condemns strike
| violence and judicially tells them how
| far the courts should go, or should not
go, in issuing iniunctions. He tells
| 1000 colored men and women at Tuske-
| gee that the reconstruction era'' was
a disgrace to our nation, and approves
the constitutional limitations of suf-
frage recently fixed by Southern States
To an audience of business men and
fnanciers he noints out that the recent
panic was In large part precipitated by
evil practices of business and finance
AN EPISODE WHICH SHOWS TAFT
AS A "POOR POLITICIAN.'
Because of this invariable frankness,
of this scOrn of treacle and love of
plain-speaking. it long ago became a
tradition at the national capital that
Taft was mighty poor politician,
that he might reach the Presidency if
he had more political sense. But he has
gone his way, and he seems to be going
far. Sometimes the man who appears
the poorest politician is the best; and
it seems certain there is nothing the
American people SO much love as frank
openness in their public men, especially
if high ideals and moral courage go
with them. The rise of Roosevelt,
Bryan, and Taft is proof of that. Those
who thought Taft a great administrator
but a poor politician were sure of it
last year when he rejected overtures for
peace in Ohio. Not for its historic
value, but for the food of light it
throws upon the character of Taft, is
this episode of interest. Senator Crane
of Massachusetts, with a genius for
compromises and peace making, and
with the best intentions in the world,
sought to still the storm of party strife
in Ohio. His plan was simple-Ohio
for Taft for President, for Foraker for
another term in the Senate. Crane saw
Foraker; he was willing. He saw Pres
ident Roosevelt; the President thought
it a fine idea. eco and tell Taft / like
it and think it should go through -
Thus encouraged, the friend Of peace
sought Taft. To his amazement, Taft
would have none of it. He was told
what President Roosevelt had said, but
that did not change his own opinion.
That there might be no misunderstood
ing, he made plain his attitude in words
like these: EWhat you virtually ask
me to do is to enter into a compact that
in consideration of Senator Foraker s
support of me for President I am to
ask my friends in Ohio to support him
for Senator. Now, 7 have no objection
to the reelection of Senator Foraker. /
have for him none but the kindliest
feelings. If I were asked to give him
my individual support, that | could do.
But it is not my individual support that
is asked for. Tt happens that many of
my friends IN Ohio are opposed to the
return of Mr.. Foraker to the Senate
They had determined to oppose him
long before ] was thought of for the
Presidency. If | make a pledge with
you it is for them. [ shall be expected
to control them. In other words. to
help myself | must limit their freedom |
of action, induce them to do something !
which they do not wish to do, which is /!
against their convictions In plain |
English, to secure harmony in Ohio /
must sell out my friends. This I abso-
lutely refuse to do. This is my answer
once and for all, no. A man might |
pay too high a price for the Presi-
dency."
AND Y EFT THE "POOR POLITICIAN" |
TRAVELS FAST AND FAR.
For this Taft was denounced as a |
stubborn, brutal man, without any po-