The Washington herald., 1909-10-24
By JAMES n. MORROW.

Barker put Mr.. Taft into condition. cor
poreally. OF course. for the Presidency. and.
even further. for the speaking, travelling
and handshaNing campaign by which he
gained his election. Behind the scenes
and out Of sight. Barker is, nevertheless.
q national character.
When the President went to the Capitol
during the last hours OF the recent ses-
sion OF Congress 10 sign the tariff bill,
men who see him but rarely noted the
new spring in his stride and his improved
appearance personally. He said himself
that he was in better health than for
many years. Oral testimony worth. at
current rates almost any sum Of money.
thus fortified the visible facts Of a case
that interested the whole country.
Hard as granite, standing about five
feet nine In his shoes. and Weighing 80
pounds, DR.. Barker moves nervOusly
gracefully. and strongly. In his conversa-
ton he is energetic. philOsophic. and in
tslligent because he is a man of action.
reflection. observation. and education
His father was a Baptist clergyman In
Southern Ohio An elder brother is also
a preacher. Two OF his sisters are teach
ing IN colleges. There are. likewise. sew
eral physicians in the Barker family.
DR.. Barker. the Presidents physical
trainer. was student at DenisOn Uni
versity, in Ohio, and afterward at the
University OF Chicago. Leaving college.
he preached until he was thirty. Then
he broke down. and temporarily. as he
thought. quit the pulpit
Became n Nervous Wreck.
Il had always been as slim as a string
at best" he said to me. talking as much
with bis gray eyes as with his tongue and
lips. "Stil, while at college was active
In the various kinds of athletics. and had
no trouble whatever with my health. As
a professional man. however. I lived a
sedentary life. I ate when and what
l pleased. Before 1 realized my condi-
ton i was n nervous wreck I went from
one physician TO another Finally some
body suggested physical exercise, or cul-
ture, as IL was called. and a rational
diet The combination seemed 10 contain
the elements OF common sense. took
II up and stuck 20 Il, and in six months
was again In fine health. That was nine
years ago. Since then ! have not known
single bad day. I can truly say that
have almost forgotten how Il feels to
be sick.
MY own experience. together with
what l learned in other directions. con-
vinced me that physical culture then lit
tie known as a means OF restoring and
conserving sound health, was based on
scientific principles. 1 spent the next
few years in studying and experimenting.
There are several systems OF exercise
for the development Of the human body
Some are sensible and some are not
eliminated. adopted. and invented. and
became a specialist on my own account"
Il Tsrar TTof+
you in the first placer" I asked
Il was pracucing ct Madison, in Wis
consn. Through a member OF Con-
gress. who had been under my care,
Frank NJ. Murphy the big rail-
way man Of Arizona, learned of me and
my methods. He had been in poor health
for long time. and had about concluded
that he could not be helped. I met him
by appointment in Chicago. We talked.
and he seemed TO think that my theories
were reasonable However. he could not
locate in Madison. I did not fancy Ari-
zona The city of Washington was sat
isfactory 20 both OF us.
Introduced to Mr.. TAFT.
After coming here I got acquainted
with Hon. John c. Spooner. then a mem
Der OF the United States Senate. He
knew about me because his home is also
in Madison. Moreover. he wasn't feeling
first rate. SO ! became his physical d.
rector In a short time. realizing that
he was being benefited. he spoke of me
20 Mr.. Taft. then Secretary OF War in
Mr.. Roosevet's Cabinet Mr.. Taft asked
me to call on him and explain the prin-
ciples OF my practice. / saw him, and
he said he would try the experiment
That was the winter Of 1886"
What was his welght?' I inquired.
at was considerably more than 800
pounds. / found that ne had been work
ing very hard without any physical exer-
else; nor had he given necessary thought
10 his diet. He understood at the start
that l should require an hour Of his time
each morning Of the week before break
fast
But my days are too short already
he replied.
STILL you VIII feel so much better IN
side fortnight. / said, and will be do
ing so much more work that time will be
gained instead OF lost
Il went 20 his house every morning
and gave him exercises that brought all
the muscles OF his body into use and
started a good flow Of perspiration At
the end Of three months he weighed 26O
pounds He was free TO say that he felt
out fatigue-an experience that was new
TO him"
Your second engagement began after
he was PRESIDENT"
Yes; ] returned 10 washington last
June at his invitation. After 1 left him
In the spring OF 1906 he Travelled in Cuba,
Panama. and Porto Rico. The year fol-
lowing he returned 70 the Philippine ISL
ands. Then the campaign for the Presi-
dency came one. and he had no regular
time either for eating or sleeping. Nat
urally. his weight increased. suppose
he thought It prudent to get back 70 his
exercise and diet again"
Exercise in Early Morning.
What did you tell him7'
"All that I told him before: that he
could work as hard as he pleased in his
office but that he must sleep eight hours
a day and change his diet He under
stood, and there was no delay IN begin
ming the second course OF treatment. A
room in the White House was set apart
for the exercises The President was
invariably there at o'clock in the
morning.
AT first, the exercises were prudently
moderate, and considerable time was
spent IN resting. Mr.. Taft was no longer
Secretary Of War; but President Of the
United States, and realized the changed
relations he bore TO the nation. As be-
fore, my object was TO bring all the
muscles OF the body into action. espe-
cially those OF the abdomen and chest
AS the days went by we worked harder
and rested less.
by and by we did some wrestling. an
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