Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-06
BAY CITY GIVES
PRESIDENT TAFT
ROYAL WELCOME
STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO
THRONGED WITH PEOPLE
NATIONS HEAD DECLARES IN
FAVOR OF SHIP SUBSIDY
In Speech at Banquet Chief Executive
Sets Forth Views for Increas-
ing Merchant Marine
on Pacific
Continued from PAGE onei


pupils of an institution for the deaf
dumb and blind. The tribute Of flags
waved with unseeing eyes, OF silent
mods of the dumb and cheers from the
blind pupils deeply impressed the
president.
The president saw San Francisco to-
day for the first time since the fire.
He felt a deep interest in the city, be-
cause he was secretary of war at the
time of the disaster and had a great
deal to do with the plans of relief of
the stricken people. Mr.. Taft mar
veled at the growth of the city, and
in his address at the Y. NJ. c A. eX-
pressed the hope that the coming gen
Grafton would prove as energetic, as
optimistic and altogether as enthusi-
astic people as those who had re-
habilitated the city.
Favors Ship Subsidy
In his speech at the banquet to-
night the president reiterated his
views on the subject of a merchant
marine and aroused great enthusiasm
by his declaration he would urge the
passage of a ship subsidy law as one
of the principal subjects in his forth
coming message to congress.
Mr.. Taft asserted the country was
ready for an experiment in the way
Pacific trade is one of The objects Of
his administration, Mr.. Taft said, and
he added he knew of no more impor-
tant topic to which the congress can
devote itself. In his speech at Berke-
ley today the president said:
at is a great pleasure for me to be
here and to be received by Professor
Moses my old comrade-I had almost
said in arms but we diG not carry
lNttf T1x
old comrade in attempting to initiate
legislation and to pioneer in the far
distant islands of the Pacific.
at is a great pleasure to be here in
this theater and talk to a body of
people who represent the highest as
pirations of a commonwealth. Pro-
fessor Moses has alluded to the fact
that we are Veering around TO the
scientists, whether it be in politics, in
agrlculture-he did no+ mention the
ology-but it is a fact the universities
of the land, and especially such "a one
as this, placed so centrally and en-
bracing so large a stuHent body, are
coming to figure more and more with
their influence on the science of gov
ernment and the course OF parties.
Government Business Difficult
"The business of government is not
an easy one when you are in 1t. 1t has
a somewhat different aspect when you
are engaged in pulling the throttle, or
putting on the brake, from that which
it. has from the professors chair or the
editors sanctum. There are obstacles
and frictions and difficulties that it is
not possible always to explain, but the
existence of which one who is in the
midst of it can affirm with great en-
phasis, and it is those obstacles and
4
always appreciated by the critics who
do not have the responsibilities.
None the less the high standard set
by those critics is of the utmost use in
lifting up government and lifting up a
people. The resultant feeling of an in
spiration for higher things, and being
compelled either to modify or qualify
your ideals in practical results, is after
all progress
81 like to affirm that I am an opti-
mist, and an optimist with respect to
popular government. If I were not I
should not enjoy being in the business
of government; but in that progress
we sometimes have to give way in our
theories to the views of the general
public shown in the votes at the polls,
or in the votes in congress, and not in
frequently years after we have to admit
that on the whole the resultant which
is 1edC1eu DY IeCOHClIlIlP anu COIillJIO
missing all the views Of differing people
is better than if we followed with literal
fidelity the theory of any one person.
Popular Government Justified
popular government is justified and
vindicated on the theory that every
class--and by that l mean those who in
respect to a community are similarly
situated and affected by the same cir
sr, I,nff q In
run to know what its interests are and
to look after those interests than the
members of any other class however
altruistic that other class may be; and
that being the foundation of popular
government, and it being impossible
therefore that any one class shall give
out laws for all, the necessary result
of our government is compromise, and
he is a good citizen who recognizes that
necessary result, and who when his
own opinion is not followed out as he
would like to have it becomes what /
remember your own distinguished pro-
fessor lectured on in the university
when l was here-'TIe must make him
self a good loser He must play the
game. He is in popular government,
and he has to take what popular gov
ernment gives him until by his influ-
ence with the people who control he
can lead them in the direction which he
would, and if they do not go in that
direction, then he has to play ball with
them and follow them"
President Taft then referred to his
association with the University of Cal
ifornia, which the members of the first
Philippine commission visited on their
way to the eastern archipelago
Says Progress Achieved
1--WE worked along on the Philippine
problem" said Mr.. Taft, land 1 think
we have achieved considerable progress.
We at least in the ten years have
brought sEout justice to those islands
in the matter of free trade between the
United States and those gems of the
Pacific.
Il can well remember the fog, for in
spite of the bright sunlight of that
day it was a fog that we were looking
into as we left the Golden Gate and
turned the prov of our vessel toward
the Philippines. We did not know
what it was we were to meet. The fu-
ture was as dark and obscure as pos
sble, and If any man would have said
that that trip would land me in the
presidency of the United States
should have felt like eharacterizing him
either as a falsifier or as man with
out sense.
tI2nt fbot is n Xo,, navar can tell