The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-09-23
ROOSEVELT AND TAFT.

The citizens Of Montana who hav,
confidence ia the patriotism and judg
ment of President Roosevelt will b,
especially interested in his endorse
ment Of Mr.. Taft a, his successor
which is conveyed in a letter to Con
rad Kohrs, the we'll known Montan,
stockman. Mr.. Kohr- is a persona
friend OF the president, and Is in re
ceipt of a letter from Mr.. Roosevelt
which says 10 part:
Mr.. Taft is the man who represents
ell that in which l most believe il
political life. The last few years have
seen a great awakening of the public
conscience and the growth of a stern
determin alton to do away with cor.
ruption and unfair dealing, political,
economic and social. 1t is urgently
necessary that this great reform move.
ment should go on. But no reform
movement is healthy If 1t goes on
by spasms If it is marked by
periods of frenzied advance, followed,
as such periods of frenzied advance
must always be-, by equally violent
periods of reaction. The true friend
of reform, the true foe of abuses, is
the man who steadily p%erseveres in
righting wrongs, in warning against
abuses, but whose character and train.
ing are such that he never promises
what he cannot perform, that he al.
ways a little more thanmakes good
what he does promise, and that,
steadily advancing, he never permits
himself to be led into foolish excuses
which would damage the very cause
he champions.
In Mr.. Taft we have a man who
combines all of the these qualities to
q degree which no other man in public
life since the civil war has surpassed.
To a flaming hatred of Injustice, to a
scorn OF all that is base and mean, to
a hearty sympathy with the oppressed,
he unites entire disinterestedness,
courage both moral and physical of
the very highest type, and a kindly
of nature which makes him
feel that all of his countrymen are in
very truth his friends and brothers,
and their interests are his, and that
all his great qualities are to be spent
with lavish freedom in their service.
The honest wage.earner, the honest
laboring man, the honest farmer, the
honest mechanic or small trader, or
man Of small means, can feel that in q
peculiar sense MIR. Taft will be
his representative because of the very
fact that he has the same scorn for the
demagogue that be has for the cor
ruptiOnist, and that he would front
threats of personal violence from a
mob with the unquailing and lofty
Indifference with which he would front
the bitter anger Of the wealthiest and
most powerful corporations. Broad
though his sympathies are, there is
in him not the slightest tinge of weak
ness. No consideration of personal
interest, any more than of fear for his
personal safety, could make him
swerve a hairsbreadth from the course
which he regards as right and in the
interest Of the whole people.
] have naturally q peculiar interest
in the success of Mr.. Taft, and in
seeing him backed by a majority in
both houses of congress which will
heartily support his policies. For the
last ten years, while | have been gov.
ernor Of New York and president, l
have been thrown into the closest in
with him, and he and l have
on every essential point stood in
heartiest agreement, shoulder to
shoulder. We have the sam views
as to what is ~emanded by the ma.
tional interest and honor, both within
our borders, and as regards the re-
lations of this nation with other ma.
tions. There is no fight for decency
and fair dealing which l have waged
in which | have not had his heartiest
and effective sympathy and sup
port, and the policies for which |
stand are his policies as much as
mine.
Let him be judged by what he has
himself done, and by what the ad.
miniStratiOn. in which he has n1aved
a conspicuous part, has done.
FOOLISH LABOR LEADERS.