Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-05

/ sort OF thing in my life.
His love of Justice, said Judge Will
liam L. Dickson. of Cincinnati, who was
one of his classmates, was made mani
/ fest in the most striking manner when it
came TO the election of a class orator
viii Taft was elected to that honor by a
majority of just a few votes. In some
manner he learned that an irregularity
was involved. 1t seems that more votes
were cast at the election in question than
there were voters present in the room
As soon as the situation came to Taft's
attention, he called another meeting OF
the class. In a brief address he resigned
the post of honor to which he had been
elected. His sense of justice and fair
play would not permit him to accept it in
| the manner in witch it had come to him.
J But we made it difficult for him to get
out of 1t. His splendid performance made
a deep impression on his classmates. We
held another election and conferred the
honor on him unanimously"
A close friend of Mr.. Taft's states 1t
as his belief that the new president will
not make a record for witty sayings
during his term as president. He is APP
praised as humorous rather than witty.
1t is said that during all his campaigning
he did not make single come back at
any one which had the snap of wit about
it, If bluntness characterized Grover
Cleveland, suavity William Mckinley
and strenuosity Theodore Roosevelt, bub-
bling humor without the sting of wit will
be characteristic of Taft.
Mr.. Taft is the second man VINO was
the son of a jurist to reach the high
station of president. John Tyler was the
other The men who have given sons to
the presidency have largely come from
the soil. The two presidents who were
sons of clergymen-Arthur and Cleve-
land-served the one after the other.
Three of the presidents had merchants
for their fathers-Buchanan, Hayes and
| Roosevelt Only two of the presidents
had an ancestry which hailed from else
where than the British Isles. They were
Van Buren, and Roosevelt-both of Dutch
extraction. Mr.. Taft adds another to the
! list of those who have come down from
English ancestry. There have been only
nine presidents who have been inaugu-
rated at an age younger than Mr.. Taft.
The first of these was Tyler. Polk, Full
more and Pierce were younger than he.
Lincoln was the same age. Grant, Gar
field Arthur, Cleveland and Roosevelt
are the others who assumed the prea-
Dental chair under fifty-two.
The friendship that is largely RESPONSE
Bile for the succession of William H. Taft
to the presidential chair began during
the Harrison administration. Theodore
Roosevelt was then civil service commits
sioner, and William H. Taft was solicitor
general of the United States. They were
boon companions in spite Of their great
difference of disposition, and they have
been Theodore and VIII to one an
other ever since. When Roosevelt was
vet vice president he wrote a tribute to
! Judge Taft. in which he said that the
Bucheye statesman had every quality
that would make a great president of the
United States or great chief justice OF
the supreme court.
One of the prettiest incidents in the life
of the new president occurred just be-
fore his departure on his round-the-
world trip. His mother was then in Ill
health, and did not expect to live long
Before determining to go the son went
to her for counsel; he did not like to &c
so far away when the days allotted to
her seemed all but spent. But she told him
the Filipinoes looked up to him and put
their confidence in him, that 1t was his
duty to live up to his promise to attend
the opening of their assembly even IL 1t
cost him the presidency itself to go. Taft
went Before he got home the mother
was dead. But she found consolation for
his absence in the thought that he was
away at the call of duty.
The new president is more of family
man than Mr.. Roosevelt himself, even IL
the latter has been the worlds greatest
preacher against race suicide. Charlie Is
HIS fathers boon companion, and the IN
coming president is always ready to take
up for the son when that lively young
ster tires of the restrictions thrown about
the children of the great. A good illustra-
ton of this occurred on the globe-gird-
ling trip, which, by the way, Mrs. Taft
made without taking a single maid or
servant. Charlie had come to dinner with
dirty face, except where he had washed
around his mouth. Mrs Taft felt wor-
ried and reminded Charlie that he ought
not to carry real estate around on his
face while aboard ship or at dinner. At
! this Mr. Taft interceded, saying that she
should not be too hard on Charlie as he
himself got tired Of forever primping up
Copyright, 1909, by Frederic ]. Has
KIM