Albuquerque citizen., 1908-06-15
William H. TAFT

III Willdm ffONdTu ldll the te-
publican national convention will
nominate for the presidency a man
exceptionally equipped, not only by
nature and training. but by expert
ence and achievement, to perform
the delicate and arduous duties of the
greatest office in the gift Of any peo-
pie. For nearly thirty years he has
given himself with single-minded de-
votion to the public service. He has
displayed throughout a broad grasp
of affairs, a literally dauntless cour-
age an unshakable integrity, a quick
and all embracing sympathy, a deep
and abiding sense of justice. a mar
Neolus insight into human nature,
sure and unwavering judgment, exc
cutive ability of the highest order,
and limitless capacity for hard
work. In all the years of its history
the Republican party has never Sc
aected as its leader in a national cam
paign a man so tried beforehand. and
SO amply proved equal to the task.
A Family of Jurists.
Mr.. Taft comes of a family distin-
guished in the law and the public
service. The first American Tafts
came of the English yeomanry. trans
planted across the Atlantic by the
great upheaval for conscience's sake
which peopled New England with it's
sturdy stock. In this country they
turned to the study and practice of
the law. Peter Taft was both a max
er and an interpreter of laws. having
served as a member of the Vermont
legislature, and afterwards as
juuge. Alphonso Taft, son of Peter.
was graduated from Yale college and
then went out to the Western Reserve
10 practice law. He settled in Gin
cinnati, and it was at Mt Auburn, a
suburb of that city. on September Is,
1857, that his son. William Howard
Taft. first became a presidential pos
sibility.
The boy grew up in an atmosphere
OF earnest regard for public duty too
little known in these days of the colos-
sal and engrossing material develop
ment of the country His father earn
ed distinction in the service of city
AMI state and nation, going from the
superior bench, to which he had been
elected unanimously, to the place in
Grants cabinet now held BY the son,
then, as attorney general to the de-
partmeni Of justice, and finally into
the diplomatic service. as minister
first to Austria and then to Russia.
His mother. who was Miss Louise NJ.
Torrey, also came of that staunch
Nov England stock with whom con-
science is the arbter of action ana
duty performed the goal of service.
His Mothers Influence.
1t was her express command that
sent him away from her last fall
when botn knew that she was enter
ing upon the last stage of her life.
He had promised the Filipinos that
he would go to Manila and in person
formally open their assembly. 1t was
t. be their first concrete experience
in self government, and he, more
than any other man, had made ii
possible. II he should not keep his
promise there was danger that the
suspicious Filipinos would impute his
failure to sinister MOVIES. TO indif-
ference or altered purpose with re-
sult vastly unfortunate to them and
tC us Mr.. Taft saw all that very
clearly, yet in view Of his mothers
health he would have remained at
home But she forbade. She said
his duty lay TO the people he had
started on the path II liberty, and al
though it involved what each thought
to be the final parting she command
ed him TO go. He went, and before
ne could return his mother had pass
ed away.
Much was to be expected of boy
of such parentage, and young Taft
fulfilled the expectation. He began by
growing big physically. He has a tre-
mendous frame The cartoonists have
made false presentment of him IA
miliar to the country by drawing him
always as a mountain of flesh. But II
they had gone to the same extreme of
leaness and still honestly portrayed
his frame they would have represent
ed "a man above the average weight.
At College.
OF course he went 10 Yale. His
father had been the first alumnus
elected to the corporation, and when
young Taft had completed his pre-
paratory course at Andover he went
to New Haven for his college training.
He Vas a big, rollicking. good natur-
ed boy, who liked play but still got
fun out of work. He did enough in
athletics to keep his 225 pounds of
muscle in good condition, but gave
most OF his time to his studies. When
the class Of rs was graduated Taft
was its Sllutaturian, having finished
second among 12O. He was then not
quite 2l
He went back to Cincinnati and
began the study of law i'm his fathers
office, at the same time doing court
reporting for the newspaper owned
by his half-brOther Charles p Taft
His salary AT first was Sc a week He
Old this work so Well. however. that
Murat Halstead. editor Of the Cincin-
natl Commercial Gazette. employed
him T. work for that paper at the
increased salary Of $25 a week
While ne was doing this he was
keeping W his studies, taking the
course at the Cincinnati Law school.
from which he was graduated in
1850 dividing first hOnors with an
other student, and being admitted to
the bar soon afterward.
The Call to Public Office