The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-04-23

offering chair for sale, it's claims for
unusual price being that it Was the one
which Taft sat on when he opened the
Philippine Congress. Gov. Smith, who
happened to sit next to Mr.. Taft on
this particular OCCASION, lis n e d
thoughtfuiIy to the Spaulard's picture
of the glory that must hang around 1t
in years to come.
"I'Il take It," said the governor. cts
all right about the souvenir value. Taft
sat iu it is the main thing, SO | know
it's damned good chair"
A broad smile and friendly nod
with, perhaps, a wave of the hand Is
the secretary's response to the un1all-
ing applause attendant on his appear
ance and then he settles to the serious
business of the meeting, listening with
absorption to every word OF the speak
ers who precede him and thoroughly
unconscious of the attention diverted
to himself This is by no means pose
or intended to compliment the speaker
or audience. He listens because he
knows he is going to learn something
and he has thirst for information as
some men thirst for drink and some
women for admiration. Also it is plain
that he is not thinking about his own
speech. 1t has been my opportunity to
sit with many of the greatest men of
recent years and be present on the
platform where I could watch them
closely, and | must say that all of them,
with the exception of Taft, gave little
minutes they themselves would be
speaking and were engaged in prepar-
ing little things to fit the makeup or
the special humor of the audience or
were preparing to trim what they had
to say to agree with or to oppose the
views of the man who was then speak
ing.
When his time comes he steps slowly
to the front, his eye rowing the sea of
faces before him and it is certain to
alight on some one wearing a Welcom-
ing smile. The big man smiles back
and then he smiles at the people who
are not smiling and they suddenly
loosen up and smile themselves. The
speaker evidently refuses TO Immediate
ly take the situation seriously.
Out in Il little town in Michigan
where | once knew everybody, there
was a big, wholesome, whole souled
country doctor, who never took any in
terest in partisan politics and had a lit
tie leaning toward Prohibition, if any
thing, and many time when calling
on patient he was very likely to for
get to leave any medicine but never
failed to tell two or three wonderfully
good stories. In times of local tribula-
ton, when there was a warm session of
township trustees, some one would
usually send for Doc Emptige and he
would come in and talk the trouble
over with his fellow townsmen and
thereafter they usually found an easy
way of settlement. That is just the
way that Taft has often impressed me
when he talks to crowd. When at
tempt to describe it l feel as if l had
paralysis of the adjectives. 1t is not
fatherly, it is not in the way of an
oracle, it is not as the vernacular has it
'.jollying," it is not diverting, vet it is
something of all four. 1t clarifies the
situation, gets down to brass tacks
good humoredly and produces wisdom
with laughter. On one occasion Taft
must receive large delegation of Fiji
Pine chiefs. To speak to them in Eng
lish would be foolish, to speak Spanish
would still leave some one out of the
circle of understanding. and so he re-
ceived them informally and observing
that one of the chiefs had watch and
chain put to the front with some small
show, Taft looked at it, asked about it,
showed his own and the entire delega-