The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-03-10
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10. 1909.
PRESIDENT TAFT.

When william Howard Taft becam
the republican nominee for the presi.
dency. his political opponents sought
to diseredit his candidacy by alleging
that he was R%oosevelt's msn-that he
had been selected by Mr.. Roosevelt as
his successor to the presidency. and
owed bis nomination principally to
the presidents support. These allie.
gatious, however. appeared to have
the very opposite effect to that in.
tended, the fact that Taft was Roose.
velt's choice for the presidency in
creasing his popularity with the PEG.
pie.
That nj new president will prove
to be Q worthy successor of Mr..
Roosevelt, is the confident prediction
of those who are familiar with his
record. As q judge in the federal
courts, the director of American sf-
fairs in the Philippines and Cuba, as
secretary of war and the responsible
head of Panama canal affairs, Mr..
Taft has ''made good" in every re.
spect. That be will continue to make
good" is the assurance guaranteed by
a long period of faithful public Ser
vice.
A biographical sketch Of our new
president says the character of Mr..
TAFT is the resultant of strongly ION.
trasting forces. He is q man who
laughs and fights. From his boyhood,
good nature and good humor have
been the traits which always received
first notice. But all the time he has
been capable of q splendid wrath,
which now and then has blazed out,
under righteous p%rovocation, to the
utter condemnation and undoing of its
object. Because he Is always ready
to laugh, and has q great roar OF en-.
joyment to signify his appreciation of
the humorous, men who have not OBJ.
served him closely have often failed
to understand that he is just as ready
to fight, with energy and determine.
ton, for any cause that has won his
support.
This combative altruism is MIR.
Taft's most distinguished character.
istic. As secretary of war he has
earned the worldwide sobriquet of
'Secretary of Peace" He has fought
some hard battles, but they we're with
bloodless weapons, and the results
were victories for peace. The greater
the degree of altruism the keener was
his zeal, the harder and more per.
sistent his battle. The greatest strug.
gle OF bis career, in which he disre-
regarded utterly his settled ambition,
and cheerfully faced q continuing
serious menace to life itself, was on
behalf of the weakest and most help.
less object in whose cause be was ever
enlisted-the Filipino people. That
was the purest and Hottest altruism.
But although this is the domin ant
trait of Mr.. Taft, he ia we'll known for
other qualities. His judicial tenn
permanent, founded upon a deprecated,
comprehensive and ever alert sense of
right and wrong; his, courage proved
by repeated and strenuous tests; his
calm, imperturbable Judgment, and
his all embracing sympathy are char.
acteristics that have been often and
widely noted. They are his by right
OF Inheritance from generations of
broad-minded, upright men and
women.
The American people know Mr.. Taft
as a man of pervasive good humor,
always ready with a hearty laugh, and
quick to see fun in any situation. His
other side has not often appeared, but
he is capable of tremendous wrath.
Nothing arouses it more quickly than
unfaithfulness to a trust or an exhibit
ton OF deceit. Injustice in any form
stirs him to the bottom instantly. He
has a broad, keen quick. all.embrac.
ing sympathy always ready to res.
pond to any call. His sense of Justice
is wonderfully quick.springing and
alert. And he has a genuine fondness
for work, which enables him to derive
real pleasure from his task. These
qualifications are the endowment of an
unusually gifted man. The people
know, because they have seen. his
ability to turn of an enormous
amount of work. They have seer him
prove an exceptional executive ability,
They have seen him manifest an equip.
ment for the presidency such as no
other man has shown before his cleo.
ton to that Office. In experience,
training and ability, Mr.. Taft has