The Washington herald., 1909-10-11

Fresno Cal. oct. 1O.-President Taft
stopped here for three hours this after
noon on his way TO Los Angeles and de-
livered little sermon before one of
the largest audiences that he has faced
on his trip.
All the church congregations in the
city. Catholic and Protestant, joined In
attending the service. and to these were
added thousands who dropped in from
the surrounding country districts. The
service was held at the city hall. for no
building in Fresno could begin to accom-
modste the crowd. II is estimated that
5000 people were standing before the
open-air pulpit. on the platform with
the President were all the clergymen In
the city and big choir.
The service was opened BY repeating
the Lords Prayer. the thousands stand
ing with bowed heads and following the
words OF the leader making an impressive
scene. The President took as his text the
Biblical quotation: He who conquereth
himself IS greater than he who taketh
q city"
President Applies Text.
The President applied the text to the
political life OF this nation. 1T has not
been my part" said the President in be-
ginning, Ito appear IN religious exercises,
except as one of the audience, until I
started on this trip. I have, however
found IL impossible under the friendly
urgency OF ministers Of the gospel who
occasionally desire lay subject to keep
from taking their places and attempting
10 preach a sermon.
There also are the little things In the
home that in Mr.. Tafts opinion go 10
make up the greatest victory IN life.
1T is the conduct of the husband as
he comes home after a tired day" said
he. 'fn restraining himself when he is
met by his eager, curious wife. who
wants 10 know how he has been living
during that day. and what has happened.
Perhaps he cuts her Off with a short
answer. Oh, I know how it is, and so
do you. You have done it, and so have l.
II is the overcoming of that disposition
and the keeping in mind Of your wife's
happiness. and not your own comfort
that makes the conqueror greater than
he who taketh a city"
Maxim of HIS Life.
Here is one Of the maxims OF his life
that the President would teach: IF you
have TO say No. say 1t in such a way
as TO indicate TO the person to whom
you say II that you would like TO say
Yes II you could"
In applying his text to popular govern
ment. the President had this to say:
Popular government we all approve Of.
though sometimes don't think we know
exactly why we do approve OF #. think
we mistake frequently ends for reason.
We talk about liberty as something 70
be accomplished as an end. We think of
popular government as something 10 be
accomplished as an end. Well, neither Is
true Liberty is a means In the pursuit
OF happiness; popular government we
have because we learn in the long run
that II is the best government; that It is
the government which makes most people
happy.
You cannot run a popular government
merely by calling 1t so. You have 70
have some means of determining what
shall direct the course of government,
what shall decide. That is the majority.
don't know any other method in popu-
lar government. We do have checks; we
do have indirect means Of giving ex-
preston to the vote of the majority but
when you get down TO the basis, Il Is the
control Of the majority.
Must show SeIf-restruint.
Now, you cannot have a decent popu-
II, 4r.,.
conquer itself. That is. unless that ma
jority exercises the Self-restraint that
men with great power ought 10 exercise
II it is to be exercised justly.
Now. why Is It that II works that
way7 II is because the majority and
the minority do not govern themselves
and do not exercise that self-restraint
without which popular government is Alb
solutely impossible. And that Is the an
plication of the text that comes home IN
me in thinking and dealing with these
countries that are struggling for popular
government A minority that Is beaten
IN the election cannot stand the defeat
IL has TO go 10 the woods They are not
good losers. and the majority are not
good winners
Took Centuries 10 Establish.
Popular government Is a most difficult
thing TO establish. We have had 70
hammer II out in 1000 years OF Anglo
Saxon suffering and controversy and con-
test. And now IL rests in the commont
sense and the self-resraint OF the Amer
lean people. II rests in the knowledge
OF the majority that it has got to keep
within the checks Of the law and the
Constitution II the government is to be
preserved.
The people rule. There Is no doubt
about that. but they rule by law and
under the Constitution, and they vol
unfairly and willingly placed that Con-
stitutlon and that form and method OF
expression upon themselves in order that
they might act with elaboration and
with the checks that were sure to Sc
cure moderate. clear-headed. well thought
out policies. and. therefore. the Ameri-
can people voted that Constitution. and