Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-16

own liking. of your own belief. as to
where you can render the service which
most appeals to you, as well as that
which you feel Is most beneficial to the
nation. No one can with wisdom advise
you. Sincerely. yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Secretary Taft took long time to con-
slider the matter, says the magazine AT
intervals there was further discussion Of
it with President Roosevelt. and occa-
sionally the subject was mentioned in the
correspondence that went on continually
between the two men. Finally Mr.. Taft
wrote:
Secretary Taft's Reply.
Point all Prince, Province of Quebec.
Canada, July 80. 1905.
My Dear Mr.. President: You have been
good enough to offer to appoint me to the
Supreme bench. to succeed Justice Brown,
a number Of times the pleasure l would
nave in accepting the appointment, If
could do So The chief reason for my
hesit alton was the condition of matters in
the War Department, including the Phil
ippine and Panama canal bureaus With
respect to the Panama matter, L have no
doubt that Mr. Root, to whom you pro-
posed I'd transfer supervision Of the canal
commission, would do the work better
than l have done it, or could do II. VI
tack for what has been done, and could,
perhaps meet tie attack better than any
one because of my familiarity With what
has been done; but that consideration
would not be great enough to require me
to sacrifice my ambition TO go on the
bench or to risk the chance for doing so.
Desires to Help Filipinos.
Il have been connected with the ad-
ministration of civil government in the
Philippine Islands since February, 1900
Much of what has been done in working
out the problem and carrying the burden
thrust upon the United States l am more
or less responsible for. Rightly or wrong
ly. the people Of the islands, and especial
~ those who have been most anxious to
make our government success there,
have confidence in nay earnest desire TO
help the Filipino people and my willing
ness to do everything I can to secure
them prosperity, peace and a gradual ex-
tension of f-government.
1T is the necessity one is under IN
carrying on such public business of secur-
ing witness and establishing evidence in
respect to each thing done that one is
not 4 thief and has not corrupt motive
which. makes administrative work under
conditions of partisan politics SO irksome
10 me- But, of course, II is part OF the
burden one assumes, and II is cowardly
to run away from it when one is in it.
Would. Prefer thu Bench.
II know that few, If any, even among
my friends. will credit me with anything
but a desire, unconscious perhaps, to
run for the presidency. and that 1 must
face and bear this misconstruction Of
what l do. But 1 am confident you
credit my reasons as l give them to you
and will believe me when l say that l
would much prefer to go on the Supreme
bench for life than to run for the Presi-s
dency, and that in twenty years OF jul
dicial service / could make myself more
useful to the country than as President.
even if my election should come about.
please do not misunderstood ME to
think that I am indispensable, or that
the world could not run on much the
same If ] were to disappear. in the St.
Lawrence river. But circumstances seem