The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-02-25
~ America,s "RoyaZ Family. " %

~ A~A NA-~ Va W imam 1AON
ard Taft was first seriously con-
sidered as a White House possibil-
ity speculation became rife as to
what manner of woman was his
wife, and whether or not she would
as gracefully preside at the White
House functions as did the one
woman whose name will ever be a
byword when The First Lady in
the Land" is discussed-Mrs
Grover Cleveland.
While the members of the Taft
household are not as numerous as
the Roosevelt clan, nor quite as
spectacular or picturesque, never
theless the family is an interesting
one, and before the regime OF the
Tatts will have expired they, too,
will have a debutante daughter to
present to Washington society.
Helen, their daughter, has three
more years at Bryn Mawr, and
upon graduation will be formerly
presented to society. Robert, the
oldest son, is now at Yale. while
Charlie, The Kid" is at pre-
paratory school getting what his
rotund father characterizes as his
bumps, " Charlie is quite a char
acter, as unique and interesting in
way as the little Roosevelts, al
though so far his escapades have
not been given the prominence in
the newspapers as those Of Quen-
tin, Archie and Kermit Roosevelt.
But, then, it must be remembered
Charlie heretofore has been but
the son of a cabinet officer, and
when his father becomes president
1t IS safe to assert that the many
busy correspondents at Washing
ton will find ample scope for their
imaginations in making THE
Kid" the hero of their narratives.
The Taft family is an interesting
one from its head to the youngest
boy, and with a woman of so MANY
accomplishments to preside over
the White House, it is safe to as
sert that the Taft regime will in
nowise suffer by comparison, for
Mrs. Taft was born to rule, and
rule she will, Many of the little
problems that have proved SO per
picking to her predecessors will be
quickly and happily solved by her,
for no one woman, from her earli-
est girlhood, has been better train.
ed for the exalted position she is
about to assume than Mrs. TAFT,
for years one of Cincinnati 5 reign
ing bellies.
The White House has had two
mistresses since the Clevelands
took their departure for the more
secluded and exclusive life of
Princeton, leaving behind them
memories of a regime where Mrs.
Cleveland was concerned as tender
and hallowed at those surrounding
the peerless Dolly Madison.
Mrs. William Mckinley was
Mrs. Cleveland's immediate sue
cessor, but the delicate state of
her health compelled her to keep
well in the background, and the
more arduous duties confronting
the nations hostess fell to the lot
of others, the wives of cabinet
ministers or other women of the
official family delegated by Mrs.
Mckinley to represent her at the
hundred and one public functions
that are annual fixtures at the
White House. Then came Mrs.
Theodore Roosevelt, and whereas
she is known far and near as a
charming hostess, yet it is a we'll
known fact that Mrs. Roosevelt is
far happier when surrounded only
by members of her immediate fam
lily than when presiding at state
functions where officialdom is her
guest.
Mrs. Roosevelt has tact-abun-
dance, in fact-and she is a keen
observer too. This was clearly
demonstrated by the wholesale
sweep she made when she entered
the White House as its mistress.
Mrs. Roosevelt has as little regard
| for precedent as her husband and