The Detroit times., 1909-03-09
SUNKEN REEF AND
ROCKS ARE AHEAD
Of TAFT
PRESIDENT do NOT CREATE
CONDITIONS AND MUST GET
SUPPORT FROM PUsLIc-TAR.
IFF QUESTION VERY COMPLEX.
BY ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

w ASftlNGlON. March S.-Mr.
Taft's official housekeeping is already
running as even and true as the
breathing OF a baby. Also there Is a
feeling. presidential. congressional and
on the part Of the hydraheaded, curb
lining public. that the ceremonies.
like one OF your big cathedral wed.
dings. which choke the streets and
occupy two pages In the papers. offer
no guarantee against divorce.
One may look backward. look for
ward, or look about one at an inaug-
uration. The natural look is forward;
for the nation, never old. Is like a
young man and spends its days In the
bows OF existence, scanning the hori-
zon ahead. Ii goes AFT only at inter
walls, consults its wake merely by way
OF self-warning.
faith, the forbearance, the help OF all
the people-the good people who
neither hold Office nor hope to hold
office. but from the plowstilts or the
factory benches must pay the ex-
pense. and whose lone interest is that
government, not OF men. but law, shall
persist throughout the land. The
path now opening to the White House
More than was the path OF any
ether president, 1t is beset by diff.
Guilty. When Mr.. Cleveland came TO
the White House he followed one OF
opposite politics TO himself. The same
fortune was that OF Nj. Mckinley.
They stood bound by no policy, com
mitted 10 nothing. They were presi-
dentially free. The world was all be-
fore them where IN phnOap
Roosevelt's Policies.
With Mr.. Taft IL is strenuously the
other way about. He follows Roose
yelt--at once OF his own party and.
after a manner. the influence that pro
duced him. Mr.. Roosevelt has been
aggressive. original, very thunder
bolt OF a president He has revived
old policies. constructed new ones
and the mildest of them no policy OF
milk and water but possessing the
teeth and cutting edge OF acid.
Ii has been said, and il is expected.
that Mr., Taft Will push those policies
To conclusion Today. when the one
difference between the parties Is L
G.ffeIenc OF name, il is those Roose
Welt policies which separate American
mankind Some oppose, some support
them, and all to the bitterest last
ounce OF their strength. Mr.. Taft must
move forward between these two
lighting lines. How shall he agree
with both? IL he push those Roose-
Welt policies, he arrays one army
against him. If he oppose those pol
ices, he arrays the other. Should he
do neither he will be assailed by both.
Look where you will, it's sunken reef
and rocks ahead.
Whatever the upcome, fair men.
men who have the public good at
heart. will hesitate and step forward
bu; slowly to fasten blame upon Mr..
Taft He did not create the stormy,
rocksown conditions which confront
him. He can but do his best and trust
providence and the public for the bal
ancC.
Also. as the days unfold. do not
forget that a president is not all-pow'
crfdl. The White House is heavy
load. I've known four presidents.
There was but one among the four
equal to moving In the least degree
that load. The other three were held
by is as helpless as three flies in AM
Der. But one OF the four had strength
to WELD his office. In the feebler III
stances of those others the office
welded them.
No Time for Taft to Learn.
Congress will come together March
Ia. This will be an added disadyan.
IS tageSto Mr.: Taft Il doesn't give him
lime to learn his White House trade.
1t doesn't give his cabinet people time
To learn theirs All Of which offers
another reason why. concerning Mr..
Taft. the world should leap TO NJ
conclusions Considering conditions
as they align themselves. no one for
round year to come may say with half
certainty that Mr. Taft as president
will be an influence for good or i'll.
The near coming OF congress Is not
only unfortunate, but that II Will con-
yene over tariff multiplies the mic-
fortune. It's as though Mr.. Taft hac
been iDaugurated To shoe some pitch
ing. struggling. kicking savage OF a
Eors.. What Is easier to cry than
Tariff Revision?" What is more diff
cult 10 accomplish? The government
by penalties and extravagances, which
Mr.. Taft had no hand in bringing
about. is costing an annual $1,000, 0O0..
900. That money must be raised. The
present tariff and revenue laws, un-
az