Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-21
Educating a President.

Educating q PRESIDENT.
President Taft will visit more
places, meet more people and travel
more miles in his coming our than
any president has ever done. The
value to the country will not consist
entirely of what he teaches the assem-
bled multitudes or in the reports OF
the speeches which he is preparing in
his vacation house at Beverly. He
will learn much every day Of his jour
ney. In various ways he will have
the company OF men from the inner
circles OF those who do things. There
will be senators and congressman,
governors and state officials. munich
pal department heads and able bust
ness men, professional men Of emf.
hence, ministers, lawyers and doctors.
While the trains are IN motion these
men will be around him. He will
meet them at %banquets and receptions.
The nation will be teaching it's chief
executive all day long. A public man
soon acquires the gift of learning
from a crowd. Though nothing def
mite may be said, he senses the col
lective thought from the feeling dis
played. The murmur that follows a
sentence of q speech has a language,
the spontaneous sound of approval or
the silence of doubt tells a story. A
mar used to dealing with audiences
knows how Il test his ideas and ascer-
tain the popular status Of a policy.
Before his trip is half over Mr.. Taft
will be clear about many things he
could never learn in Washington.
No man living is more adept than
the president in this absorption of
knowledge from contact with people.
He likes them and they and he soon
reach familiar und Outstanding. His
remarkable experience In public
speech all around the world has
acquainted him with every c~onceiva-
BILE fashion of name and thought.
He will go back to the White House
an instructed official and the instruc-
ton will have come straight from the
voters, balanced by contributions from
all kinds Of opinion and all degrees of
knowledge.
After President McKinley's tour fol-
lowing the Spanish war his mind was
clear about the nations policy in deal
ing with the Philippines. Until then
he had entertained doubts in the new
experience of American government.
His return found his policy settled
and there was no further thought Of
change. Before Mis- first election Mr..
Mckinley was 10 familiar with the
country from experience with masses
of people in all the different sections.
From that time he was a broader and
more certain leader in great matters
Of policy.
Neither he nor Mr.. Roosevelt ever
wanted courage, but each acquired the
boldness that comes from an assured
certainty Of touch and the difference
appeared after what for a president
might be called the grand tour.
Mr.. Taft is said to have three great
propositions for the short session of
congress. He hopes to put govern
ment action on a permanent basis re-
specting the interstate commerce law,
the antitrust law and the supervision
of corporations generally. In a score
of ways he will test the sentiment of
the people on these subjects as he
travels among them. He will return
with his own mind clear. He and
congress will be On terms Of under
standing II not exact agreement. He
will know more not only of policy,
but of detailed working out and OF
prearrangement in perfecting legisla-
ton.
The education OF a president by
public opinion is as desirable as the
education of public opinion by a presi-
dent. 1t will be the best accomplish
ment of a long, on the surface fatig-
uing and noisy, journey. 1t is a great
thing for the people to see and hear
their president. 1t is a greater for a
president to observe and listen to the
people. The mex session and the rest
of Mr.. Taft's term will show the re-
suits.