The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-23
Few Men Gan Afford to Seek
 the Presidency
GREAT QUALITIES NEEDED
President Is Loneliest Man in United States, Says MT. Taft, and Still His Place Demands That He
 Be Near the People.

New York, June 22.-Secretary W. Fl.
 Taft has written the following article on
 his conception of the presidency for
 the current issue of Golfers Weekly;
 Tn the four years that I have been
 member of the cabinet I have become fla
 miliar enough with the responsibilities
 and burdens of the presidency to know
 that no man can afford unduly to seek
 that great office. If he Is attracted by
 honor and power alone, without the hope
 of being useful, he is unworthy of the
 honor and unfit for the use of the power.
 He must prefer for the sake of his own
 peace of mind never to be President, to
 being a po President. I am confident
 that the .rform on which he stands IS
 for the best interests of the nation. He IS
 untrue to himself and his supporters If
 he does not fight valiantly for election
 after he accepts the leadership. But, of
 course he must draw the line at any
 compact which will not leave him free of
 promises and of the control of any fac-
 tion.
 "The Presidents s duties, clearly outlined
 by the constitution, have grown broader
 in their interpretation with the growth of the country. He should be in the prime
 of years, health and vigor. The capacity for hard work is a better equipment than
 genius in mastering the essentials of all the departments of the government and undergoing the strain of countless inter- views He should look not only to those in office but to those out of office in all branches of private activity for informa- tion and opinion in order that he may
 arrive at the truth when he is surround
 ed by the conflict of interests which come
 to him with the fair words of the special
 pleader.
 Tn many senses though the most
 sought after, he Is the loneliest man in
 the United States. Elected directly by
 the people their representative head, from them in the sober thought of the
 majority, he will get his best counsel.
 Though indifference of re-occupation
 with private affairs may keep them from attending primaries or scanning closely the other candidate or meas ures. they can center on the President as their instrument, the expression of their wishes He should be always near the people in thought and as near them in person as his position will permit In common with the people he is human and he must ask their charity for his mistakes. When they i have ceased to believe in his sincerity and uprightness of purpose, his is cheerless task Once convinced that he has divined and is carrying out their real wish, neither elated by an
 outburst of applause nor diverted by any outburst of censure, he must pro ceed unwayeringly, always by lawful methods to the accomplishment of the popular will.
 From Washington he may learn mo- bility, fortitude and righteousness.
 Lincoln's life and speeches must be his
 source of inspiration when he is mis-
 understood and he has to say to him. self, Patience and cheer.'
 Tt is easier since we had Lincoln ! than 1t was before to be a good Presi dent. He set standard.
 Tt remained for Roosevelt to prove how the people will respond to q strong and true leadership when the hour has come for great reforms. The policies which he inaugurated must be continued and developed They are | right and they are the policies of the
 
 sor may well disregard any charge of | lack of originality If he does not make an entirely new programme of his own.
 I "A President at this time has work before him clearly defined. The en- l forcement of the law, equally against high and low. the powerful and the weak, should be his first thought. The danger to our country from laxity or l favoritism In this Is the greatest one we have to face. The conservation of l, our national resources and their de- velopment for the use of all along | the lines of equal opportunity, too, must command his immediate attention. | It should be his aim to give high | tone to his administration as President | Roosevelt by surrounding himself with men of prominence, enthusiasm Tor public interest and of the cleanest and | most effective methods"