New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-11
TAFT ON SELF CONTROL
Failure, Unless Based on Common
Sense and Restraint

Fresno Call Oct 10-FrOm the capped
Sierras yesterday President Taft plunged to-day
into the summer heat OF the San Joaquin Valley.
and arrived here after p. m. with the Their
mometer lowering about the COS. He was greeted
by practically the entire population of the city
and surrounding country, and after a short auto
mobile trip through the business section addressed
a gathering of many thousands in the courthouse
square.
The Presidents speech was in reality another
Sunday sermon the third he has preached since
his trip began. His text quoted from memory
was He who conquereth himself is greater than
he who taketh a city," and from II the President
drew the lesson that popular government must al
ways be a failure unless II is based sound com
sense and the self-restraint that goes 10 make
the good loser. He drew analogy between the
American people in this respect and those people
who in their attempts at self-government follow an
election with revolution.
On his way here President Taft stopped at MERGED
for three hours and attended morning service at
the Presbyterian Church. His greeting at Fresno
from probably the most cosmopolitan com
munity he has met in all his travels. In the
throngs that lined the sidewalks were Chinese.
japanese Armenans Portuguese and a dozen other
nationaities In fact, II told to the President
that In one OF the public sections twenty-six ma
tonalities represented. One-half of the Armen-
ians of the entire country said to be gathered
here
Having the reputation of being one of the hottest
cities in the United States. with a summer tenn
perature ranging between 100 and 1l5 degrees,
Fresno has attracted many peoples Of the world
who follow the sun
feature of the Presidents visit to Fresno
the presentation of address of good will from
the Japanese residents as follows:
Mr.. President. We the Japanese residents OF
Fresno City and surrounding country. have the
friendly greetings, and accord you a most joyous
welcome TO our community. We hail you. sir,
glad is on the frendesf terms with ours. and we
the honor and 9 s our GeoSed JaRan mas
fraternal regard.
The President left here at $40 p. m. for Los
Angeles. He stopped at Bakersfield tonight for
few minutes to make a car-end address.
Mr.. Taft little stiff from his long mountain
walk Of yesterday. but declared he would like to
have similar experience every day.
INTRODUCED BY THE MAYOR.
The meeting held in the Courthouse Square was
arranged by the Ministerial Association Of Fresno
and nearly all of the churches of the city rep
resented. The President spoke for the first time
since last Wednesday noon He was introduced by
Mayor Howell and said in part:
1t has not been my part. until began this trip:
the audience. have found it impossible. under
the urgency Of the ministers of the Gospel, who
occasionally desire a lay substitute, TO keep from
taking their place and attempting to preach ser
l to say with respect to this audience that
the presence of the veterans OF the Civil War Is
higher moral standards and to everything that
goes 10 make our country worth living for
taken part in the battles of the war il viii come
by reason of its comparison with great signih-
cance-'He that conquereth himself is greater than
Now, the homely application to the individual
OF that text l need hardly point; There are so
upon the Importance of little things in life for
stand PLAYS It is made mp Of the little things that
go either to make others happy or to make them
1t is the conduct Of the husband as ne comes
home from a tired day in restraining himself when
ana what has happened PERHAPS somethns has
Happened that does not please him or that he
does not ike TO refer TO, and he cuts her off with
You have done it; so have l.
Now. the overcoming of that disposition. the
keeping constantly in minds and hearts
happiness, and yet your comfort and your dspo-
sit d2 that Is what makes you greater than taking
But I am supposed to look at things from politi-
plies to me more strongly In that regard. possibly
periences have had in political matters.
Popular government we all approve of. though
do approve it. l think mistake frequently ends
for means. We talk about liberty as something to
government as something to be aceompished as an
end Well neither is true.
LIBERTY ONLY A MEANS.
Liberty is means in the pursuit of happiness.
Popular government we have. because we believe
ii is the government that makes most men happy
But you cannot run popular government merely
of determining what shall direct the course OF
jority. don't know any other method in a popular
government We do have checks. We do have in
the majority hut when you get down to the basis it
IS the control of the majority.
Now. you cannot have decent popular govern
ment unless the majority can conquer itself-that
Is unless that majority exercises the selfrestraint
And why? am n3 r1 into R va aP paT
not that | am In a responsible position now
with respect to foreign countries, and | have got
TO speak with Care-I would call your attention TO
good many Instances where those who are in
favor Of popular government who. if l may
use the expression. pull the tail feathers ont of
the eagle in defying liberty and apostrophizng
everything that we think dear. and yet Just as
soon as they become majority they think that
gives them the right to control the minority alb
solutely. and if the minority show any disposition
TO question It they send them TO jail
popular rule this is the rule of the majority. So
what does the minority do? Why, the minority
says, We will take to the woods And they do
that alternates between election and a revolu-
Popular @ e Is most dca thing to
establish We have had to hammer It out in a
thousand years of Anglo-Saxon suffering con-
troversy and contest And now IT rests in the
common sense and the self-restrant of the Ameri-
can people. 1t rests in the knowledge OF the many
that it has got to keep within the check of the
law and the constitution If the government is TO
The people rule-there Is no doubt about that
but thew rule according 10 law and under the Con
sttution. and thew voluntarily and willingly placed
the Constitution and that form and method of ex-
preston upon themselves in order that they might
act with deberation and with the checks that were
sure 70 secure moderate clear-headed well thought
out policies. and therefore when the American peo
maintaining it and supporting il l hope they
always will, they are governing themselves and
are more 10 he credited than he that taketh a city
SILVER KING" CAUGHT IN RAID.