Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-08-04
Mr.. Taft's Acceptance.

At his home in Cincinnati last Tues
day, Hon. William II. Taft was formally
notified that he had been nominated by
the Republican national convention for
president of the United States. The in
formation Of course was in no sense a
surprise 10 him, and he was prepared
with speech of acceptance some $4,000
words in length, some parts of which,
owing to the intense heat, he omitted at
the time, but all Of which has been pub
lished in the papers.
As this is the first public, formal
utterance in the campaign, and comes
from the candidate himself, ii is docu-
ment of considerable interest. Natural
ly in some quarters it is criticised with
more or less severity.
One of the incidental criticisms is of
the length of the speech, and it must be
admitted that it is of great length; but
the reading of it shows that much of its
length is due to Mr.. Taft's judicial
temperament and training. Like the
careful, fair-minded judge that be is, he
takes up and considers both sides and
all sides OF each topic to which the atten-
ton of his hearers Is directed, and the
tone of the whole document is that of
the Judge delivering sound and fair
opinion, not of the campaign orator APP
psaling to the prejudices or emotions of
his hearers.
The first and principal part of the
speech Is devoted to showing that the
success of Republicanism depends upon
the continuance of the policies In
augurated by the Roosevelt administra-
ton, and the perfecting of details of the
machinery to carry them out. Here is
where the severest criticism of the
speech comes in from political oppo-
nents, who assert that Mr.. Taft is show
ing himself merely an echo of Mr..
Roosevelt. 1t is true that Roosevelt
figures quite largely in this part of Mr..
Taft's speech-and how could ii have
been otherwise? Theodore Roosevelt,
with all his faults, has impressed him.
self upon the country and its legislation
as has no other president since Lincoln.
He has had the wisdom aud the fore
sight to see the growing illegitimate
power Of the great trusts, and the other
evils which the times have produced,
and has had the initiative and force to
compel active measures against those
evils. Mr.. Taft recognizes, as do all
thinking citizens, that those measures
are closely identified with the name and
the personality of Theodore Roosevelt,
and be is in no sense an echo or blind
worshiper when he treats them as such.
Mr.. Taft devotes considerable time to
the details of the measures which it will
be the province of the next administra-
ton to provide for the perfecting and
carrying out Of the policies of this adj
ministratiou.
Such is the keynote of Mr.. Taft's
speech. He treats at less length OF the
other issues. With regard to the tariff,
he advocates a revision by the next ad
ministration, with the principal of pro-
lection preserved. His remarks on the
Philippines are of special interest, as he
was civil governor for four years, and
was really the one who established civil
government In the islands, doing great
work there for the Philippines, for
America and for the world. 1t is in
teresting to note his statement that il
will probably be two generations before
the islands are ready for self-govern-
ment.
Throughout the tone of Mr.. Taft's
speech is calm and judicial, stsadfast in
its Republicanism, and showing the
speaker to be safe and sane man,
man of commanding ability and grasp
of public affairs, and an honest, con-
scientious patriot, TO whom the highest
office In this country may safely be en-
trusted.