Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-09-15
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
WHAT ROOSEVELT THINKS OF
- TAFT.
TAFT.

&.,tT TAFT.
The letter of President Roosevelt
to his old friend, Conrad Kohrs, of
Helena, Mont, setting forth the is
sues of this campaign and the merits
OF Mr.. Taft as a presidential candi-
date, will go far toward controvert-
Ding Mr.. Bryan's declaration that he
is the logical heir. Of the political
legacies of the president. Mr.. Roose-
welt has an immense popularity
through the middle west and the far
west, because of his rugged. demand
for honesty in the public service, and
in the management Of corporate at
fairs. He knows best what kind
of an administration will serve to
carry out his policies and he is, best
able to say whether Mr.. Taft or Mr..
Bryan is the administrator to serve
the country as he thinks it should
be served. When Mr.. Roosevelt,
therefore, declares for Mr.. Taft, pro-
nounces him capable, honest, and
splendidly equipped for the Office of
president, and thoroughly in accord
with the progressive sentiments Of
the Republican party, we, incline to
the belief that the admirers Of the
president will be guided largely by
his Judgment OF the two men. In
this letter to Mr.. Kohrs, published
In the daily press Monday, Mr..
Roosevelt says:
s'The true friend of REFORM the
true foe Of abuses, is the man who
steadily perseyeres in Fighting wrongs
In warning against abuses, but whose
character and training are such that
he never promises what he cannot
perform, that he always little
more than makes good what he does
promise, and that, while steadily ad-
vancing, 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 these quail
ties to degree which no other man
In our 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 hearty sympathy
with the oppressed, he unites entire
dis1nterestedness, courage, both NOR
al and physical Of the very highest
type, and a kindly generosity of ma
ture which makes him feel that all
OF his fellow-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 man of means, the hon
est and Iaw-abiding business man,
can feel safe in his hands because
of the very fact that the dishonest
man Of great wealth, the man who
swindles or robs his fellows, would
not SO much as dare to defend his
evil doing in Mr.. Taft's presence
The honest wage-worker, the honest
laboring man, the honest farmer,
the honest mechanic or small trader
or man Of small means, can feel thai
in a peculiar sense Mr.. Taft will
be his representative because Of the
very fact that he has the same scorr
for the demagog that he has for the
corruptionist, and that he would
front threats of personal VIGILANCE
from a mob with the unequaling and
lofty Indifference with which hi
would front the anger Of the wealth
lest and most powerful corporations
Broad though his sympathies are
there is in him not the slightes
weakness. No consideration of per
sonal interest, any more than o
fear for his personal safety, coul,
h make him sWerye a hair breadtl
from the course which he regard
as right and in the interest Of TIL
whole people.
II have strfven as president t,
champion In every way the interest
OF the wage-worker; for I regart
the wage-worker, excepting only tn
farmer, the tsller Of the soil. as TIL
man whose well-being is most essen
tial to the healthy growth OF tht
great nation. I would for no con
sideration advise the wage-wori1el
TO do what though was againa