Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-03-20
Two Conceptions of Mr.. Taft.
From the Springfield Republican,

Manager Vorys's headquarters at Col
umbus, o., need recognizing so that no
more unfortunate episodes, requiring the
secretary of warito repudiate the liter
airy bureaus activities, will occur. After
Nj. Taft's rebuke t. Sim Ford at a Bos-
ton banquet, for pagan form of after
dinner humor implying that the secre-
tary was safer and saner than his chief.
1t was impossible to believe that the
Taft circulars which the New York Sun
exposed to the garish jeers of the reac-
tionaries, yesterday morning, were in
the least to Mr.. Taft's personal taste.
And so it proves. The secretary repu-
dates them; Manager Vorys repudates
them. A subordinate shoulders the
'cuss" and the blame. Without Mr..
Vorys's consent or knowledge, that sup.
erzealOus helper in a good cause had put
into circulation form of literature de-
signed to reconcile the detested reac-
tionaries and even the infamous male
factors to Mr.. Taft's candidacy. Out
with him Such blunders cannot be toll
erated-at headquarters
Distressed as Mr.. Taft must be over
any reflections upon his chief, whose
favor has been the main dynamic force
of the Taft candidacy in States which
are absolutely essential to his success,
the episode does in reality emphasize a
phase of the campaign deserving of pas
sing attention. Is it not true, as a mat
ter of fact, that Taft workers every
where in this part of the country are
pressing the argument, especially in cor
respondence and conversation, that the
secretary will be much safer and better
poised and more conservative president
than Mr. Roosevelt? The circulars from
the Columbus headquarterr, that are
now repudiated, merely put into black
and white what very many of Mr.. Taft's
lieutenants are most earnestly urging
upon conservative republicans and the
large corporate interests at the East.
How familiar is the sound of such state
ments es these, which that jealous subor.
dinate put into the mails -
Mr.. Tafts long record is distinctly
against any conclusion that he would
continue Mr.. Roosevelt's methods.
He has displayed brains, ability. good
judment, and. above all, sanity, in the
great and successful accomplishments of
his career.
We must not lose sight of the fact
that there is a temperamental difference
in the two men Roosevelt and Taft. By
nature and by training as a lawyer and
as judge, Mr.. Taft has already mani
tested thoughtful attitude in his iudg.
ment and great deliberation and consid,
GRAFTON in his actions.
Neither is it conceivable that a man
of his force of character would be con.
trolled when in the full power of the pre-
sidency by any outside personality.
1t is not now to the point to argue the
truth or the falsity of these statements
comparing Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft.
The fact of immediate interest is that the
secretary of war is being represented to
the country, in this preliminary cam
palgn, in two contradictory aspects. The
conservative East is being quietly told
that Taft is temparamentally the embodi.
ment of judicial poise and a conserva-
tive wisdom that can be depended upon
oster he gains the presidency. Very well
let it be admitted. But what is the an.
peal being made to the West? What kind
of Taft does Kansas picture? Why does
Oklahoma yell for Taft? Because he is
temperamentally different from the chief,
sruer, more poised. more conservative
in mind, less noisy and slap dash in his
methods? No. The prairies and the
mountains ane the gulches of the West
take Mr. Roosevelts word for it that
Mr. Taft Is a man entirely after his own
heart. They want Mr.. Taft because thew
are assured that he liz the second edi
ton OF the greatest man that ever lived
in America. They believe he will chase
the malefact0rs, and that he would die
rather than bend the knee to the reac-
tionaries.
Here are two conceptions of Mr.. Taft.
which may be reconciled verbally, but
which in essence are opposed Both are