The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-09
Urged Him to Take Governor
ship of Philippines and Re-
tire From Bench, Seeing
Opportunities.
WOMAN SHOULD VOTE
BUT NOT HOLD OFFICE.
Wife of Next President Is a
Student of Political Condi-
tions-Expresses Her Ideas
In Interview.

Hot Springs, Va, Nov. 9.-Mrs. Will
liam Howard Taft has decided ideas on
the question of woman suffrage. Her
idea of the place of women in politics
is that she should be content to vote
and exercise her influence in her own
family or social circle in behalf Of the
candidates she deems best fitted for
office.
Mrs. Taft arrived here with her hus-
band. While the next president sat
in a big armchair at the side of the
open fire place in the cozy Harrison
cottage and took a long afternoon nap
Sunday, Mrs. Taft talked of the inter-
est woman should take in her hus-
bands career and how she can best
conserve her welfare.
Most men in public life get their
wives entirely out of the way in cam
paign times, or keep them nightly in
the background, but from the very
first, Mr.. Taft approved of Mrs. Taft's
saying what she wanted to say and the
manner in which she said it. There
was, therefore, no restraint in Mrs.
Taft's expression of her views, and,
as she always does. she spoke in a
straightforward, simple manner.
ct seems to me- said Mrs. Taft,
thoughtfully, that a woman can best
promote her husbands career by a
graceful, tactful management OF his So
cial and domestic affairs. She must
be ready and willing hostess and
thoroughly alive to the requirements
of her position"
Should Not Seek Office.
81 think a woman should be content
with voting said Mrs. Taft, when
asked how far she thought a woman
might go in assisting her husband
politically.
Il do not think l approve of women
electioneering, at least not in this
country. 1t is different in England
and other places where women are agi-
| tating suffrage, but it is a thing not
well adapted to conditions in this
country. AS it is carried on here, no
woman would be able to campaign
with her husband or for him. l met
Mr. Taft in Buffalo during the last
days of the campaign, and by the time
we reached Cincinnati | was much IA
tigued with the travel and excitement
Il think women could best conserve
the public by using the ballot. They
should not seek office, but, through
their vote, should aid in putting the
proper men in the proper places. Our
principles, so far as | can see, are not
adapted to women holding office.
think the natural scheme would be
| disjointed and the end and aim of the
home destroyed.
Urged Political Career.
Eyes, it is true that | urged Mr. Taft
to give up his position on the bench
and return to politics. | felt that
while he honored and loved his legal
! position more than all else in his ca
reer, he might spend the younger
years of his life in a wider field. and
where, too, his income would better
enable us to educate our children.
When the position of governor OF
the Philippines was offered Mr.. Taft
/ he pondered over the disposal of the
matter for some time, and finally
| convinced him that it was a call-ar
! opportunity which he should not neg
/ lect Probably 1 am wholly respon.
/ sible for his more public career since
/ then, and''-here Mrs. Taft stopped
/ thoughtfully for a moment-'now
am waiting to see if l acted for the
/ best
do study politics?" asked Mrs
4
| IA d.,