The Green Forest tribune., 1908-11-13

~N>'eSsSS>SSsSs~~sS>SsS In William Howard Taft the Repub- ltcans of the United States have elected to the presidency a man ex- ceptionally equipped, not only by nature and training, but by experience and achievement, to perform the deli cate and arduous duties of the greatest office in the gift of any people. For nearly thirty years he has given him self to the public service. In all the years of it's history the Republican party has never selected as it's leader a man so tried beforehand.
 A Family of Jurists.
 MT. Taft comes of a family dis tinguished in the law and the public service. The first American Tafts came of the English yeomanry In this country they turned to the study and practice of the law. Peter Taft was both maker and an interpreter of laws, having served as member of the Vermont legislature, and after ward as judge Alphonso Taft son of Peter, was graduated from Yale college, and then went out to the Western Reserve to practice law. He settled in Cincinnati, and it was at Mt. Auburn, a suburb of that city, on September 15, 1857, that his son, Will liam Howard Taft, first became a presidential possibility.
 His father earned distinction in the service of the city and state and na- tion, going from the superior bench, to which he had been elected unani- mously, to the place in Grants cabinet now held by the son, then, as attorney general, to the Department of Justice, and finally into the diplomatic ser vice, as minister first to Austria and then to Russia. His mother, who was Miss Louise M Torrey, also came of New England stock.
 His Mothers Influence.
 It was her express command that sent him away from her last fall when both knew that she was entering 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, It was to be their first concrete experience in self government, and he, more than any other man. had made it possible. II he should not keep his promise there was danger that the suspicious Fili- pinos would impute his failure to sin ister motives, to indifference or altered purpose, with result vastly unfortu2e to them and to us. MT, Taft saw all that very clearly, yet in view of his mothers health he would have re- mained at home But she forbade.
 He went, and before he could re- Nturn his mother had passed away.
 Much was to be expected of a boy of such parentage, and young Taft fulfilled the expectation. He began by growing big physically. He has tremendous frame. The cartoonists have made a false presentment of him familiar 10 the country by drawing him always as a mountain of flesh. But if they had gone to the same ex, treme of leanness. and still honestly portrayed his frame they would have represented a man above the average weight.
 At College.
 Of course he went to Yale. His father had been the first alumnus elected to the corporation, and when young Taft had completed his prepara- tory course at Andover he went to New Haven for his college training. He was big, rollicking, good natured boy, who liked play but still got fun out of work He did enough in athlet- ics to keep his 225 pounds of muscle in good condition, but gave most Of his time to his studies. When the class of '7S was graduated Taft was it's salutatorian, having finished second among 120. He was then not quite 21.
 He went back to Cincinnati and began the study of law in 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 $6 week. He did his work so well, however, that Murat Halstead, editor of the Cincin- natl Commercial Gazette, employed him to work for that paper, at the in creased salary of $25 week.
 While he was doing this he was keeping up his studies, taking the course at the Cincinnati Law School, from which he was graduated in 1880, dividing first honors with another student. and being admitted to the hor soon aftprWard
 His Respects to BIackmaiIer.
 That fall there occurred one of the most celebrated and characteristic in- cidents in his life. man named Rose was then running blackmail- ing paper in Cincinnati. He had the reputation of being dangerous man. He had been a prize fighter, and was usually accompanied by a gang of roughs ready to assault any whom he wanted punished. Alphonso Taft had been the unsuccessful candidate for governor at that election, and Roses paper slanderously assailed him. For once young Taft forgot his judicial temperament and legal training, and instead of setting the law on the blackmailer he marched down to his office and gave Rose terrific thrash ing. When Rose begged for mercy Taft said:
 sIf you'll agree to leave town I'll let up I'll come down here again tonight, and if you are still here then this thing is only a start"
 Rose was glad to get off on such terms. He quit Cincinnati that night, and his paper never appeared again A. l.. l.o q l, ir. rrf c.tann