Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-09-09
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.
A Man Who Has Done Things.

Responding to the call Of the ma
ton for man equal to the emergen-
cies confronting the Republic. the
people themselves have found him
and presented him to the electorate.
Naturally. the people sought among
tivs g tns ni ii ai ,assas 81 s 2%s
cifixenshfp. Their solf<underAtand
ing and correct valuation OF menslet
them to the individual who more
thoroughly than any other fulfilled
their requirements - and that was
William Howard Taft.
William Howard Taft, of Cincin-
natl, Ohio, probably is the way he
would designate himself. That des-
ignation. however, is grossly made
uuate. For while Mr.. Taft Is an
American of Americans, he is also a
citizen of the world who. as invited
guest, counselor and advisor of for
eign governments, has exerted an in
fiuence for peace and international
good will unsurpassed by that Of any
other American statesman, living or
dead.
The dignity of private citizenship,
which he enjoys to-day, is In perfect
accord with his temperament and in
clination. There never has been, nor
will there ever be, anything in official
honor sufficiently alluring to draw
Mr.. Taft away from his lifelong iden-
tity with the plain people. :.
AS a boy in Cincinnatihe was ready
to give and take in all the stirring
controversies, mental and physical,
which give effect to the law of the
survival of the fittest. As student
at Yale he displayed all the qualities
of wholesome young manhood which
have made that university famous,
and the endearing traits of his char
acter were honored at the reunion OF
| his class during the recent summer
nv a celebration more delightful to
him, perhaps, than any other demon
stration of public favor possibly
could be.
In the frank, fearless manly boy
hood and college life of William How
ard Taft there was the promise OF an
earnest, generous, upright manhood
That promise has been completely
j and splendidly fulfilled. The serious
AFFAIRS of life appealed irresistibly te
the young collegian after his gradua
ton. and at the early age OF twenty
four he appeared as Assistant Sollc
itor in his home county.
/ Mr.. Taft's professional advance
ment from the position OF Superior
Court Judge and Solicitor General tt
seat on the bench of the unitee
States District Court was due soiel!
to a frank recognition OF his provet
integrity, his diligence and impartial
Iity in the administration OF justice
and his loyalty to the loftiest STAND
ards of judicial conduct. 1t is sai'
of him by one who, as a lawyer, knew
him we'll: HE was the gentlest, fair
est and most upright OF all judges pc
fore whom have practiced. He wa
as incapable of doing an unkind or al
unjust thing as snow is OF turning
, into SCOT"
It is, however. In his career sine
his voluntary-though reluctant-re
tirement from the bench that we shall
And the most remarkable evolution
i'm Mr.. Taft's development as a
, American statesman.
The country had gone through a
unsought war, the successful outcom
|. Of which imposed new and enormou
) responsibilities upon the Nations
Government, and placed the Unite
states in the attitude of first elias
, power, obliged to face the periis I.
! nermanent contact with Old Worl
' nationalities. Momentous problem
arose-partly racial. partly religious
: partly constitutional - all compile
/ and urgent. They required an IN
mediate revision and enlargement