The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-16
He WAS IN DOUBT
Took Taft Four Months to De-
eide About Presidency.
Confidential Letters Printed in
Magazine.
THAT SEAT ON BENCH
Presidents Tender of Justice
Browns Place.
Expresses Great Confidence in
His Judgment.
THAT SEAT ON BENCH

New York, Oct. 16-Hampton's Broad
way Magazine gave out for publication
copies of letters said to have passed
between Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft
In 1906, in regard to the Republican
nomination for president. The maya
zine will publish the letters in its No
vember issue.
In one of the letters marked person
al" which the magazine says were per-
chased by a correspondent and the pub
lication Of which is authorized, the
president declines to advise Mr.. Taft
on the delicate question of whether 1t
is best for Mr.. Taft to go upon the SUI
preme court bench or remain in the
cabinet and probably become the nomi-
nee of his party for president. There
are two letters. One is from the presi-
dent and the other is from Mr.. Taft
to the president. 1t took Mr.. Taft. ac-
cording to the dates, four and one-half
months to make up his mind whether
he would accept Mr.. Roosevelt's offer
to make him member of the supreme
court.
Mr.. Taft expresses a preference for
the supreme court, but says that cir
cumstances had imposed something OF
a trust upon him personally that he
could not discharge by accepting the
supreme court appointment.
NAAC way VI <AuNdhNCs
The letters follow. in part:
''(Confidential) The White House,
Washington. March Is. 1906-Dear Will:
think I have been in error as to your
feelings. You say that it is your decid-
ed preference to continue your present
work. This 1 had not understood. On
the contrary 1 gathered that what
you really wanted to do was to go on
the bench. and that my urging was in
the line of your inclination, but in a
matter in which you were in doubt as
to your duty.
my dear VIII, it is pre- eminently a
matter in which no other man can take
the responsibility in deciding for you
what is right and best for you to do.
Nobody could decide for me whether 1
should go to war or stay as assistant
secretary of the navy. Nobody could
decide for me whether 1 should accept
the vice presidency or try to continue
as governor. In each case 1t is the man
himself who is to lead his life after
having decided one way or the other.
No one can lead that life for him; and
neither he nor anyone else can afford
to have anyone else make the decision
for him, because the vital factor in the
decision must be question OF the man
himself.
"As far as I am personally concerned
1 could not put myself in your place
because 1 am not lawyer, and would
under no circumstances, even If l had
been trained for a lawyer, have any
leaning toward the bench; so in your
case, 1 should, as a matter of course.
accept the three years of service In
the war department, dealing the Pan
anna and Philippine question, and then
abide the event as to whether l became
president or continued in public life in
some less conspicuous position. or went
back to the practice of law.
LAS 1 see 1t the situation is this;
Strong arguments against your taking
this justiceship. In the first place. my
belief that of all men who have ap-
peared so far, you are the man who is
most likely to receive the Republican
nomination and who is, 1 believe, the
best man to receive 1t. 1t is not
light thing to cast aside the chance of
the presidency, even though, of course,
It is a chance, however good a one. 1t
would be a very foolish thing for you to
get into your thoughts so that your
sweet and fine nature void be warped
and you would become bitter and sour
as Henry Clay became; and, thank