The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-19
Monday, October 10, lD0s.
THE MAN TAFT.

If, somewhere in this heavenbless- ed land of ours, there are those who have lost faith in the future of their country, those who now "see through a glass, darkly," and imagine we are soon to be given over to the bow VOWS" they should read the refresh ing little correspondence just made public, which took place In 1906 be- tween Mr Roosevelt and MT, Taft, relative to the latter's indecision whether to attempt to become presi- dent or not. Not often is the country allowed to get at the inside confidence of its great leaders. When it is, as in the present instance, it is refreshing to know that we have great political leaders whose inborn and greatest de- sire is to serve country rather than self
 There cannot be the least suspicion that either Mir. Roosevelt or Mir Taft ever in the least suspected that their letters would ever be given to the public. There is considerable inter nal evidence in them of that fact. On the other hand, the letters are such as might easily pass between two in r,,Ia Ag pnngntFats edly addressing MT Taft as my dear Bill" Che was Bill at Yale) with no uncertain feeling of affection, and the latter ever mindful of the high dig nity which must follow with the pres idency, preferrins to hold to the more formal My dear Mir President"
 In the present campaign much has been made of the argument that MT. Taft has been MT. Roosevelt's person. ally-selected and personally urged suc- cessor to the presidency. To listen to MT. Taft's opponents, one might al- most suspect that MT. Roosevelt had peremptorally pointed to Mir. Taft as his heir, much the same as might be done by some absolute sovereign. So far has that been from being the case that we now find MT Roosevelt wrote 8 letter to MT. Taft when the matter first came up, which takes over a half column in a newspaper in which the former nowhere even suggested what his personal preference was in the matter An appointment to the Brown, had been offered MT. Taft, and decision had to be made whetn- CT to accept 1t or to wait for possi- ble nomination for the presidency. MT. Roosevelt wrote MT Taft a letter, of which the following is the sub stance: Tt is hard choice to make, and you yourself nave to make 1t. You have two alternatives before you, each with uncertain possibilities, and you cannot be sure that whichever you take you will not afterward feel that it would have been better if you had taken the other. But whichever you take l know that you will render great and durable service to the na- tion for many years to come, and I feel that you should decide in accord ance with the promptings of your own liking, of your own belief as to where you can render the service which most appeals to you, as well as that which you feel is most beneficial to the nation No one can with wisdow advise you"
 That is far from being the letter Of a man who had the power to be po- litical dictator, whether he would ex- ercise that power or not.
 MT. Taft's reply did not come soon. It was over four months later that he answered Mr. Roosevelt Tn his reply he spoke of his work in the Philip pines, where he still felt he had ties, and of the Philippines, to whom his heart ever went out. Rightly or wrongly" he said, "the people of the Islands, and especially those who have been most anxious to make our gov ernment a success there, have confl- dence in my earnest desire to help the Filipino people and my willingness to do everything can to secure them prosperity, peace and gradual ex- tension of self-government."
 The following certainly docs not sound like a part of letter from a political vassal to his master: "T know that few, if any, even among my friends will credit me with anything but desire unconscious perhaps, to run for the presidency, and that l