The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-09-09
CLEVELAND'S
LAST MESSAGE
PORTIONS OF DEMOCRATIC EX.PRESIDENTS
last WORDS TO HIS PARTY.
SOUNDS THE PRAISES OF TAFT.
Believes Bryan Unsafe and Should Not Be
Elected, While He Thinks Taft Of Pres:-
dental Calibre.

There is fear on my part of being
misunderstood in what am about to
say. but the fair minded man must
realize when he considers my attitude
toward my own party, all now mat
ter of immutable record, that it is
prompted by sense of simple fairness.
Personally and otficially>I have had
the opportunity of knowing many
things concerning Mr.. Taft that were
not u matter of general knowledge,
and with keen interest | have
watched his large share in the conduct
of our national affairs in very recent
years. His excellence as a federal
judge in Cincinnati is something not
to be underestimated or overempha-
sized, for should he come to the
presidential chair the qualities which
made him judge of high ability,
which l know him to have been, will
be the most needful to him as presi.
dent of the United States. His high
ideals of honesty and of relatives JUS
tice, his great capacity of severe la
Dor. and his humorous wisdom in the
face of the serious problems are at
tributes equally valuable and COM
mandatory to a people seeking him in
whom they may repose the trust of
their collective interests while they
turn their increased attention to their
pressing individual demands.
Whatever may be said as to the
events of the last ten years which are
alleged to have made US a world
power, there remains small oppor-
tunity for controversy over the es-
sential features of our conduct in the
face of the problems brought to face
US by those happenings. Now, be-
ing self-contained and compact in on,
political geography and federated in
our common interests wherever oul
dominion was established, we have
become extended and increased the
span of the arch of our structure. and
must undertake to equate the widely
different concerns of individuals ane
communities antithetical as to race
traditions, and modes of life and an.
tipodal as to location on the face o.
the earn. Dwelling on the unwisdon
of prematurely acquiring colonies il
fatuous, the national duty is neithel
to help those colonies for their ex
ploitation nor cast them off to avoit
the burden of their responsibilities
The questions involved are no NOR,
matters to be narrowed through thu
mill of politics than is the policy .ol
the Panama canal something to b,
stamped either as republican or demo
cratic
These questions are fruitful o
trouble and perturbation. and tn
primary requisite of the man or mel
who must deal with them is an abund
ant knowledge of the p ople of tn
outlying domain. That Mr.. Taft j
possessed of this knowledge as is n
other man in the country is hardy t
be denied. Granted that he has ha
extraordinary opportunities, he ha
shown himself able to improve thos
opportunities in a manner which it i
not extravagant to say will be hi
broadcast claim so far to enduring
fame when the acute visual distorlio
of the present and opportune shall
have given place to the ineXorabl
perspective of history in which tn
relative values of public deeds to pub
lie duties are completely clarified an
announced to posterity. The mlser
and misfortune which an ignorant o
obstinate administrator, no matte
how high the ethical standard of hi