The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-04-23

take ii cut of the brakeman or the rail
road company, but heard good story
the other day"
He told the story, then another and
then another and when the engine bell
began to ring he climbed Oh the car
step and stood there waving his hand
back at the laughing crowd until they
were lost to view by a group of trees.
"By George, this townships gone
Democratic since the War observed
the grain elevator boss, but ! bet my
old hat she's straight Republican this
trip"
If | were searching for a finer
example of the manner i'll which VIII
liam II. Taft comes in contact with the
great American public, | could not find
it. This is typical of his way. no mat
ter whether it DE crowd OF farmers at
the wayside ora large body of distin-
guished men in evening dress at some
club banquet.
lie goes straight to the front always
with the same frank, plain manner,
never careless bonhomme because he
knows he is among friends, never a
guarded suavlty because he is certain
he is among enemies. The people are
fellow Americans if at home, and fel-
low human beings if abroad and lie
makes no attempt to impose on them,
sincerely believing that since he is alb
Solutely honest in his own facts and
premises that he will be on pleasant
ground with every honest man among
them and as to what the dishonest may
do OF think he does not care the snap
of his finger.
indoors his approach to the stand is
never an easy matter unless there is a
private entrance. Nine out of ten
times he must come through the crowd
and never will they have left quite
enough room for him to pass. One
meeting | recall, the place was packed
like figs III a basket, with a little bit of
narrow aisle between humanity laden
chairs leading from the side door to the
rOStrum.
Tie Secretary stopped, looked at the
path and at the people nearest to him.
''Some of you have got to come out
before | come in. | am tWo-man wide
and it don't help matters if | try to go
sideways. Also, | warn you not to get
stepped Oh"
Suppose we carry you up" suggest
ed the nearest man, d big braWny Irish
man.
THANK you, but | want you to stay
and hear my speech, and that will be
hard enough even for a husky fellow
like you"
If he is late, which is very seldom, for
he believes in being on time, it is i'm
possible to persuade him to enter and
interrupt the speaker then on the plat
form. He always defers to the rights
of the man who has the floor. When he
reaches the platform he seems disin-
clined to march to the place of honor
always reserved for him, glancing about
to see if he cannot find some one else
more worthy to fill it. That is one great
fault his friends find with him, while he
is impregnable in his determinations
and always sure of his opinions and
olicies, he believes there are so many
other, greater, wiser and better men
around him that he is willing to put
himself at constant disadvantage.
Past experience has taught him to be
careful of his chairs. He always set
ties into them guardedly. Many fine
old piece of furniture has gone on for
years supporting human frames and
earning respect and affection from its
owners, its weaknesses never suspect
ed until Secretary Taft has come along
and deposited his three hundred pounds
on it. Then it has been retired.
A curiosity vendor in Manila was