Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-04-23


alysis of the adjectives. 1t is not |
fatherly, 1t is not in the way of an
oracle, II is not as the vernacular has !
II ''jollying," It Is not diverting, yet |
1t is something of all four. It clar-
ifies the situation, gets down to !,
brass tacks good humoredly and /
produces wisdom with laughter. on |
one occasion Taft must receive I
large delegation Of Filipino chiefs.
To speak TO them in English would |
be foolish, to speak Spanish would !
still leave some one out OF the circle /
of understanding. and so he received |
them Informally and observing |
that one Of the chiefs had a watch !,
and chain put to the front with some
small show, Taft looked at It, .
asked about It. showed his own and .
the entire delegation was as interest I
ed and delighted as a lot of boys.
There are times when q man In
Ipublic life must discuss matters from
the platform in words that are ex-
act and carefully chosen. He must
not lay himself open to misinterpre-
tation and must prepare TO avoid be-
ing misduoted, especially when
hostile press is ready to seize on any
pretext for distortion or to make a
false impression. Then he must use
manuscript and Taft does this occa-
sionally. when he does HIS hearers
may be sure that his remarks have
a great Importance He keeps the
leads up TO its introduction reluc-
tantly, sometimes taking ten or flf-
teen minutes of of hand speech TO
pave the way.
Even then he will pause at times,
throw it down and talk straight
from the shoulder. taking OF his
glasses and holding them by the
bridge as he drives straight at his
, listeners with marvellous force and
, lclearness.
His voice Is that OF an honest
man and is commensurate with his
size. II Is nearly impossible for him
TO drop It's tone 10 n whisper. He
has no occasion for whispering and
have been with him when there
we're delegations waiting on him
g with inquiries and propositions and
not one word OF what they said could
hg ~ Nhn
q other hand when Taft spoke his
, words we're clear and plain 10 all
n about. Whenever he has anything
he does not wish 10 say he says moth
l. ing at all-he has no use for whis-
II pering and connivlng. Il Is not con-
sonant with his open frank nature
r For large audiences he has bet
r ter voice than even the one posses
n sed by his dear friend. the late VIM
a Mckinley. who cogld reach the last
man in the last row OF any assemb-
|. ~ without appearing 20 strain OF
4 make any undue effort. Its tone is
i not the most mollient or capable OF
J. fine oratorical shadlngs like that OF
q ex-senator Charles A, Townes
4. Bourke Cochran, Martin Littleton
d or Williams Jennings Bryan. but his
m enormous lung capacity gives him
% power with east and his marked Ia
Ia clllty of Language never fails 10 leave
10 q pleasant impression He obtains
e. conviction. not with emotional ora
Is tory, but with common sense logic
Is and obvious sincerity.
m A congressman who has reputa
m tion for elocution was listening tC
m Taft one day down South and re
n marked aside;
Iy 1T is too bad that the secretary
N does ont study out a few more grace
m ful gestures; they woald go yerl
n we'll"
ul Perhaps So" answered a noted
z editor sitting with him, but
is can't AFFORD 10 illustrate every para
D. graph OF his speeches with snapshots
re OF his gestures and must say tha
ss the people who read my paper seen
Al 10 think his stuff goes bully withou
o. them"
IS He has a way OF extending both o
rs his big arms with the large stronl
2. hands outspread at the end Of eact
1s crumbled sleeve and emphasizing
lg each phrase with a certain positive
Is jerk that is most convincing And
D. again when argumentative he vii
~ extend his left arm and tell OF eacf
AZ point with a smack OF three finger
ID Of his right hand I'm the palm OF his
De- left Wild sweeps. rising infections
y low STOPPING. intensity. facial grim
70 aces and abrupt gyratIonse are In