The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-08-04

III = 49,
closest. man to President Taft? sena-
tor Jonathan Bourne. Of Oregon! So
cried the Presidents chauffeur; SO an
swers the Presidents cnd1y: SO reply
the secret service guards. the military
aids and tn newspaper man assigned
to the White House.
No one ventnring to deny the state
ment, it may be accepted as gospel:
but why is Bourne close? All. that's
the question Just now ,agitatfng the
breasts OF great many worthy per
cons.
Why is Bourne close? Is because
he took off his coat, and his waistcoat.
nnd his outer shirt. and his under shirt
during the campaign and worked like
the mischief to land Taft in the Pres
dental chair? Well, hardly. Bourne
kicked like an Oregon steer against
the very name OF Taft. He staked mis-
reputation. spent his money and NOV.
ed all his friends to tears In the fran
tic effort to throw T. Roosevelt back
into the White House against T.
Rooserclt's will
1t therefore cannot be because the
President owes Jonathan any pre-eiec-
tlun debts. Can 1t be because Bourne
Is an old college chum of Mr.. Taft's?
Well. hardly. once more. for Bourne
attended n brief course Mt Harvard.
while ". II. Taft enlisted under the
blue banner OF Yale.
Perhaps 1t Is because while tie Pres
ilent rides along In an auto with Mr..
Bourne. or plays golf with him. he i'm
bIbes from his lips much wisdom OF
statccraft and many straight pointers
on how to steer the ship OF state?
Wrong for the third time. No rule OF
rhyme or reason applies to Bourne. OF
Oregon.
AS near as they can figure out. Mr..
Tafts friends think Bourne has attach
ell himself to the Presidential coat
tails simply because he likes to bask
I'm the sunlight. He is at the White
House six days out of seven. If the
President goes golflng. Bourne is
pounding the little rubber hall at his
heels. If the President goes riding.
Bourne is by his side in tho auto. II
the President has dinner. Bourne is
almost sure to be at the table. If the
President tells nm nncc1ote I'm almost
any company. mt home. on the wing. In
winter or summer. day or night.
Rourne's responsive laugh is sure
there to be heard ut the tail OF the
yarn.
"But what Is Bourne after?" they
ask. "Wliat is his game?"
Hes after nothing: he has nc
game" is the truthful answer. He
is the one gameless senator; the one
nxrless senator. Strange rs it may
seem. Bourne has never yet taken up
Il single matter Of business with the
President at golf game. on the road
or mt any other moment of recreation.
He talks about. everything else on
earth but business. Probably that Is
one reason why the President likes to
have him about. When he Is with
Bourne he can forget that lie Is Presi-
dent OF the Unltel States with several
thousand jobs Mt his disposal. anil can
net and feel just like any other
healthy American citizen who is divert
ing himself by rubbing up against ma
ture.
President Taft says that the only
time he remembers Bourne having
taken up any business matter with him
was several months ago while the
Ways and Means Committee was try.
ing to whip the tariff bill into shape.
| Did he take UP the case with him on
the golf links? Bourne did not. He
called upon Secretary Carpenter and
very srnvcly made M appointment to
see President Taft Mt 1890 the next
morning. He was Mt the office build
Ing punctnally on the hour. waited his
turn to get into the Presidents den.
and then walked In and tremendously
laid before Mr.. Taft the dire distress
that was threatened the hop rnisers
OF the Pacific coast IL the tariff on
hops was reduced from 20 per cent to
ZIG per cent.
After making his argument for his
constituents Bourne handed the Presl.
dent n petition from tho hop growers
cmbodying their request. wished the
President very good morning. and
bowed himself out. When he met the
President ut the golf game that same
afternoon he said not word about
hops an neither did the Presidet.