Arizona republican., 1908-06-22


 his own and the entire delegation was as interested and delighted as a lot of boys.
 There are times when a man in public life must discuss matters from | the platform in words that are exact and carefully chosen. He must not Hay himself open to misinterpretation and must prepare to avoid being misquoted. especially when hostile press is ready to seize on any pre- text for distortion or to make false impression. Then he must use man uscript and Taft does this occasion ally When he does his hearers may be sure that his remarks have a great importance. He keeps the man. uscript in the background and leads up to it's introduction reluctantly, sometimes taking ten or fifteen min utes of off hand speech to pave the way.
 Even then he will pause at times. throw it down and talk straight from the shoulder, taking off his glasses and holding them by the bridge as he drives straight at his listeners with marvellous force and clearness.
 His voice is that of an honest man and is commensurate with his size. It is nearly impossible for him to drop it's tone to a whisper. He has no occasion for whispering and l have been with him when there were delegations waiting on him with in quiries and propositions and not one word of what they said could be heard ten feet away. On the other hand when Taft spoke his words were clear and plain to all about. When ever he has anything he does not wish to say he says nothing at all he has no use for whispering and conniving; it is not consonant with his open frank nature.
 For large audiences he has a bet ter voice than even the one pos sessed by his dear friend. the late William Mckinley, who could reach the last man in the last row of any assembly without appearing to strain or make any undue effort. Its tone | is not the most mollient or capable of fine oratorical shadings like that of ex- Senator Charles A. Townes Bourke Cochran, Martin Littleton or | William Jennings Bryan, but his enormous lung capacity gives him power with ease and his marked fla cility of language never fails to leave pleasant impression. He obtains conviction, not with emotional ora tory, but with common sense logic and obvious sincerity.
 A congressman who has a reputa ton for elocution was listening to Taft one day down south and re- marked aside:
 Tt is too bad that the secretary does not study out few more graceful gestures; they would go very we'll"
 Perhaps so." answered a noted ed itor sitting with him, but I can't af- ford to illustrate every paragraph of his speeches with snapshots of his gestures and I must say that the people who read my paper seem to think his stuff goes bully without them"
 He has a way of extending both of his big arms with the large strong hands outspread at the end of each crumpled sleeve and emphasizing each phrase with certain positive jerk that is most convincing. And again. when argumentative he will extend his left arm and tell off each point with smack of three fingers of his right hand in the palm of his left. Wild sweeps, rising infections, low stopping, intensity. facial grim aces and abrupt gyrations are in comprehensible to him. He likes to push back the sides of his cutaway coat and put his hands in his pock cts and talk plain business. An old habit of his, contracted when on the bench and delivering decisions, is to fold his hands across his ample front and quietly say what he has to say.
 The mans appearance is very marked. There is no figure in his tory with whom he is quite compar- able. He is a giant in size and his huge bone and muscular frame has somewhat obvious fayer of fat on | it. Even so, there is nothing about his gait or manner to lead one to be- | lieye that he would not be a very dangerous man in a hand to hand encounter. His light hair is greyed and his moustache. which is lighter | still naturally, has a faint tawny tinge. It conceals strong, sensitive, refined and markedly humorous mouth. His teeth are of medium size, well set and meet squarely. His head has a splendid development. es- pecially the brow and his blue eyes are a little less than the average | in size but are very clear and frank. Some air of ability and wisdom ema- mates from them; perhaps the heavy folds of care and though above and below them, diversified by the laugh ' ter wrinkles I have mentioned. com bine to stamp his face as that of one who has thought. seen and done much and can do more.
 His clothes are always plain and just neat enough to escape being careless. He is very poor man for one of his position and standing and the cost of a wardrobe sufficient to stand the wear and tear of his world trips and arduous duties is quite an item with him. His favorite attire for public appearance is a dark cut away suit with a small stripe, white linen, the collars of the wing vari- ety, and a plain black tie. Once in while he wears little scarf pin, and the watch and chain I have men, tioned are of gold. plain and inexpen- sive. From the chain depends a lit tie ornament and in ordinary thought . full conversation and sometimes in his speeches, he fingers this ornament slowly.