The Somerset reporter., 1908-10-01
TAFT AS A SPEAKER,
His Talks TO the People Winning
Many Votes.
DOESN'T POSE AS AN ORATOR.
Word Pictures Not Needed to State
Facts PIsinly-RepubIiean Candi-
dates CIearness and Sincerity Carry
Convietion


Facts PIsiny-Repubiean candi-
dates ciesrness and Sincerity Carry
Conviction.
From being decidedly apprehenslye
is to the outcome of Judge Taft's
1peaking tours Republican leaders are
now convinced that one of the wisest
moves of the campaign was the deci-
sion to let the Republican candidate
visit as many sections OF the country
as possible between now and election
day and talk to as many voters as the
time will permit When speaking tours
for Taft were hrst discussed the oppo-
nents of the plan based their opposi
ton on the fact that as an orator Taft
cannot be compared to Bryan. They
argued that Taft, who makes no pre-
tense to oratory. would be placed at a
disadvantage appearing on the stump
against the gifted Nebraskan. But
Judge Taft himself solved the problem
and cleared the whole situation with
one sentence In his recent speech at
Sandusky, o.
Il cannot dwell in the cerulean blue,
but have to deal with facts" he de
clared. 1t is this dealing with facts in
clear, dispassionate manner that has
made William Howard Taft what he
is, that will cause him to gain strength
every time he appears In public. Taft's
best friends cannot claim for him that
he Is an orator. But he can tell the
truth and does tell it. He Will not have
to paint beautiful word pictures OF
what should be done. He will not have
to plead with silvery eloQuence for the
alleged downtrodden nor call on The
masses" to rise up and save the eoun-
try from the ruin which Bryan has
been predicting and finding various
pauaceas for during the past twelve
years. .--s-r.1 sa---.>-~...-----.- - a
+ What Taft has to do Is to state
cold, clear cut facts, to tell the truth
about himself, to give to his auditors
q clear and unmistakable idea of what
Taft the man Is and what he stands
for. And this he can do, and do well.
BY nature he Is frank and open. 1t
would be difficult for him to dissemble
II be wished to do 80.
Already Taft has begun making seri-
Gus impressions on his audiences. Bry-
an never fails to tickle his audiences.
In most instances he arouses enthusi
asm, but 1t Is an enthusiasm which
rarely lasts Those who listen and
applaud go away and forget. With
the Taft audiences It is different By
the clearness of his exposition and the
absolute sincerity Of his manner he
carries conviction. His auditors are
soon impressed by two things-Taft's
ability and Tafts sincerity.
THAT man means what he says" is
has spoken. Another Taft character
istlc that is winning many friends for
the Republican candidate among those
who knew nothing Of him before they
saw and heard him is his great cour-
age. He says what he thinks, and
says it In such a way that It remains
fixed IN the minds of those who hear
him. At Athens, O., he was address
ing 400 union coal miners. He told
them about having issued injunctions
81 issued them" he said, because
the rights of the plaintiffs demanded
It. When I am on the bench l enforce
the law And l have no apology TO
make"
For minute there was absolute 81
lence. dramatic IN its intensity Then
/ the 400 miners broke not merely into
applause, but into enthusiastic cheers.
After the meeting they were heard ex-
pressing their views.
THAT man Is on the level" said one.
"He doesn't hand out any con talk
He knows where he stands and is not
afraid to come straight out with a
thing He amt the orator Bryan Is,
but he says things that Bryan wouldn't
dare say"
Unlike many of B-yan's utterances,
Tafts utterances will hear inspection.
He viii make no dcclration that is
open to doubt Il have 10 deal with
facts" he said In some of his
speeches Bryan. intoxicated with the
sound OF his own words, frequently
makes statements not entirely trust
worthy Taft has been too long on the
bench. too long In high government po-
sitions, where his utteranceS carried
weight, to permit OF his making care
less statements Furthermore. Tuff
possesses to marked degree the abb
ity 10 discuss the most intricate sub
iects In the simplest language. He
1povad thia moot conclusivalv nj San
dusky when he made perfectly plain to
his audience the development Of anti
trust legislation and the powers and
limitations of the federal government
Everybody knew exactly what he was
talking about and understood II clear
". yet there were few in the audience
who realized that he was discussing
ahstruse legal problems without resort
ing to bewildering legal phraseoIogy.
AS far ms personal magnetism goes,
Taft and Bryan are nearly equal. But
where Bryan's personality Is one that
creates interest and enthusiasm Tafts
is one that inspires affection and trust
fulness. That man has fine face
would trust him anywhere" said a
West Virginia woman who with q
large party came over the mountains
to hear Taft speak at Hot Springs
Those who meet him feel that he is
not only sincere. but that he possesses
the ability and courage 10 handle safe
" the many problems that confront q
president. 1t is the knowledge Of all
this that makes the Taft managers