The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-10-15
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 PIainIy-Republiean Candi-
dates CIearness and Sincerity Carry
Conviction.


Conviction.
From being decidedly apprehens1ve
as to the outcome of Judge laIts
speaking tours Republican leaders are.
now convinced that one OF the Wlsest
moves of the campaign was the decl-
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 first discussed the oppo-
nents of the plan based their opposi-
ton on the fact that as an orator TART
cannot be compared to Bryan. Iney
argued that Taft, who makes no pre-
tense to oratory. would be placed at
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-
a clear. diSpassionate manner that mas
made William Howard Taft what he
is, that will cause him to gain strength
every time he appears III pubic. Iafts
best friends cannot claim for him that
he is an orator Eut he can tell the
truth and does tell it. He will not have
to paint beautiful word pictures of
j To vii a
to plead with silyery eloquence for the
alleged doWntrodden nor call on 1.-The
masses to rise up and save the coun-
try from the ruin which Bryan has
been predicting and Enuing various
panaceas for during the past twelve
years.
What Taft has to do is to state
cold clear cut facts, to tell the truth
about himself, to give to his auditors
d clear and unmiotakable IDEA OF what
Taft the nlan 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
if he wished TO do So
Already Taft has begun making seri-
Gus impressions on his audiences. Bry-
an never fails to tickle his audiences.
IN most instances he arouSeS enthuS1-
aSm but it 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-TaTt's
ability and Taft'S sincerity
That man means what he says" is
comment frequently heard after Taft
has spoken Another Taft character
istic 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 Il 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.
IL issued them" he said, because
the rights of the plaintiffs demanded
it. When l am on the bench l enforce
the law. And l have no apology to
make"
For minute there was absolute ST.
lence, dramatic in it's 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,
bat he saws things that Bryan wouldn't
dare say
Unlike many of Bryan's utterances,
rafts utterances will bear inspection.
He will make no declaration that is
open to doubt. Il have to 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, Taft
possesses to a marked degree the abil'
ity to discuss the most intricate sub
jects In the simplest language. He
proved this most conclusively at 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 it clear
ly. vet there were few in the audience
who realized that he was discussing
nhstruse legal problems without resort
ing to hewildering legal phraseology
AS far as personal magnetism goes,
Taft and Bryan are nearly equal. But
where Blyan's personality is one that
lreateS interest and enthusiasm Taft's
Is one that inspires affection and trust
fulness. THAT man has a fine face;
| would trust him anywhere" said
West Virginia woman who with a
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 be possesses
the ability and courage to handle safe
ly the many problems that confront
president. 1t is the knowledge of all
this that makes the Taft managers
glad that he Is to 20 out and meet the