Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-05-09

Iwell that Murat Halstead gave min
a Job on the Commercial Gazett,
at SIX dollars week.
Though Halstead offered to Civ,
him a raise IL he would stay--tC
graduate him from reporting tC
something higher-young Taft SAID
he would do the ! graduation thiE
time by himself and so leaving
newspaper work with his testimon
ial of efficinecy as law reporter he
went over TO his father with his
three sheepskins and enough prizes
to. fill a cabinet, and became clerk
In the office OF Taft and Lloyd.
| From this Office he was graduated
into assistant prosecuting attorney
and filled the position so well that
crime became unpopular in Cincin-
natl. He insisted that the guilty
should go to the pen but he was so
fair in his methods that those who
suffered for their transgressions one
and all respected him. III
Again he was graduated. and
now became collector of internal
revenue, with an annual production
of whiskey and tobacco amounting
10 some s10,000,000 to collect upon.
He studied the business thoroughly
and mastered It, but collecting was
not congenial work and he was glad
when once more the time to graduate
arrived and he became assistant
county solicitor.
He had not served the state under
this diploma long, however, when n
higher title was bestowed on him.
He was graduated again. This time
by the governor of the state to I'LL
the unexpired term OF judge of
the superior court of Ohio. At the
end OF the time he was to serve, he
allowed his name TO be put on the
ballots as a candidate for reelection
and he won. So was HIS degree con-
firmed and his graduation endorsed
by the people of his native state. II
Is also the only time he has run for
ONCE in the many years he has been
a graduater.
Graduation was surely habit
now. He raised Taft. now only 33
years OF age, to the position OF So
licltor general OF the United States
with salary OF $1,000 a year. This
Is better than even Halstead would
have been able TO supply. The APP
pointment' was the more gratifying
inasmnch as the graduater had not
even hlnted that he wished for II.
In this position he won out
against Choate on the seal fisheries
dispute with Great Britain and in
other cases OF almost equal magni-
tude. In fact he always won though
he had every executive department
OF the national government to ad-
Wise and counsel.
Naturally such record as this
led again to graduation and Taft,
the graduater, returned to Clncin-
natl q Judge OF the United States
circuit court having jurisdiction over
Ohio. Michigan, Kentucky and Ten
nessee.
President Mckinley noted his
work In this position and when the
time arrived graduated Taft into
tho governership OF the Philippines.
Here the graduater made good mag
niflcently. The Philippines for the
Philippines was his motto and so
consistently did he live up to IL ,that
the Flliplnos themselves came to re-
alize that he meant exactly what he
said and was their friend as no
other man had been. When he left
after his great achievements they
made him promise to return. Last
year he did so, opening their diet-to
them amidst tumultuous rejoicing.
From the Philippines Taft was
graduated TO the war secretaryship
by President Roosevelt. who has
since said OF him:
"His is standard OF absolutely
rectitude on every point
Of public duty. and literally daunt'
less courage and willingness to bear
with knowledge OF
men and a far reaching tact and
which enable his great
abilities and high principles to be OF
use In way that would be impos-
slble were he not gifted with the
to work hand and hand
with his fellows"
The whole conntry, one might
say the world, knows how he has
made good In his present Office. How
he has Quelled rebellion In Cuba,
made the dirt fly on the Panama ca
nal. cleared up things in Porto RI
co and seen his proteges In the far
distant Pacific we'll on the road to!
free and independent management
of their own affairs.
There Is only one step higher
possible to an American and to Taft.
the graduate; this will come In No
vember OF this year. With the In
heritance. the training and the mo-
of our secretary of war. on
ly one result Is possible and that Is
the election of William Howard Taft |
10 the presidency OF the = United
States.