Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-03
WHEN TAFT RESIGNED
Roosevelt Responded: Dear
BiII-Fiddled
IT CLOSED THE INCIDENT
Hitherto Unpublished Occurrence Of
the 1904 Campaign.
SUGGESTION BY C0RTELY0U
Deemed Exploitation by Secretary OF
War of His Views on the Philip
pines Unpolitic.

That William Howard Taft. who has
been chosen by the American people al
the next President OF the United States,
once deliberately and formally resigned
from the cabinet OF President Roosevelt Is
a fact known to but few people. says
George Griswold Hill I'm Golfers Weekly.
Indeed, it is safe to say that aside from
the President and his former Secretary OF
War there are not a half dozen people in
the world who have ever heard or Mr..
Tafts resignation and Mr.. Roosevelts
characteristic decllnation thereof. but the
private letter press OF these distinguished
men will entirely substantiate the facts
here given, facts which constitute an i'm
portant II brief chapter in tho history OF
the nation because OF the striking ex-
ample they afford Of the timber OF two OF
its most prominent statesmen.
Had the fact of Secretary Tafts resig-
nation been known to the general public
just ended there would have been fewer
people who feared that President Taft
would be too greatly under the influence
OF ex-President Roosevelt. but apparently
the only person otherwise in q position
to relate the incident In print was pledged
to confidence until after November ,. zoos.
1t was during the campaign of 1904 that
Mr.. Taft, with many expressed regrets.
formally resigned his position of Secretary
of War because his loyalty to the best
interests of the Filpinos forbade his ceas-
ing to advocate the reduction of the duty
on Philippine sugar and tobacco and his
loyalty to the President seemed to de-
mand the cessation Of such advocacy by
a member Of the cabinet.
Tobacco Planters Stirred Up.
Secretary Taft was requested by George
B. Cortelyou, then chairman Of the re-
publican national committee, to make
several speeches in support of the re-
publican national ticket, and Mr.. Cortel-
yous request was urgently seconded by
President Roosevelt. Accordingly. MIR.
Taft went up to Connecticut, where his
standing as q Yale alumnus has long
made him exceptionally popular, and de-
livered a forceful speech in support OF
Roosevelt and Fairbanks. In the course
Of his remarks. Mr.. Taft dwelt upon the
solemn duty of the American Congress
materially to reduce the duty on Philip
pine sugar and tobacco.
In his audience were many Connecticut
farmers. who. under the guidance OF Sec
rotary Wilson. had invested their all in
the cultivation of tobacco, and they had
conceived the idea that any reduction OF
the tariff on Philippine tobacco would
seriously jeopardize their profits. Reports
OF their dtSapprOval of the sentiments ex-
pressed by the Secretary Of War reached
Chairman Cortelyou, and he proceeded i'm
mediately to indite a lengthy epistle to
the President, in which, In his most diplo-
matte manner, he submitted the facts and
suggested that, at least until after cleo
ton, 1t might be wiser for the Secretary
OF War in his public addresses to refrain
from dwelling with any considerable en-
phasis on the plain duty of the United
States to the Philippines, and especially
in SO far as the tariff was concerned
When President Roosevelt received
Chairman Cortelyou's letter he scrubbed
across one corner: Respectfully referred
to the Secretary Of War; and sent the
communication by special messenger to
that official.
Taft Resigns.
AS son as Secretary Taft had read the
letter he gave instructions that he was
no. to be interrupted for any cause, and
set to work on the difficult task Of COM
posing letter Of resignation which would
adequately express his feelings. So deli-
cate did he consider the undertaking
that he employed no stenographer, but
laboriously penned first a draft and then
a final copy. He assured the President
of the deep sorrow with which he found
himself confronted with the necessity OF
such action, OF his absolute unwilliugness
by any act of omission commission
to jeopardize Mr.. Roosevelt's political
welfare, but, on the other hand, of his
answering loyalty to the people of the
Philippine Islands, his unshakabe con-
viction that 1t was the plain duty of the
American Congress to grant the tariff
concessions he had advocated, and of his
own inability to perceive a course where
by he might. without Sacriflce OF loyalty
to one or the other. cease from urging
reduced tariff or avoid injury TO Mr..
Roosevelt's political fortunes. Under these
circumstances he felt compelled In deep
est sorrow to sever his connection with
the Roosevelt cabinet, his resignation to
take effect as soon as might prove con-
venient to the President.
The composition and double inscribng
Of this long and delicate communication
proved no easy task, and 1T occupied the
greater part of Mr.. Taft's day, so that
1t was nearly nightfall when a special
messenger carried the document to the
White House.
Resignation Promptly Refused.
1t required barely two minutes for Mr..
Roosevelt to compose and inscribe his
reply, and his answer may be recorded
as one of the most comprehensive and
portentous epigrams in history. Across
the corner Of Secretary Tafts carefully
penned communication the President
wrote these words:
Dear Bill: Fiddledeedee.-T. r.
That was ALL but it was sufficient. and
William H. Taft understood that his resig-
0atlOn or the pOTtIOllO OIL WdT udu peeh
promptly and emphatically declined.
Mr.. Taft has never ceased his earnest
advocacy of the reduction of the tariff
on Philippine sugar and tobacco, and it
lis a safe prediction that unless the na-
tional legislature shall already have
granted the urged concession II will play
an important part in his first annual mes
sage to Congress; but during the cam
paign Of 1904 Chairman Cortelyou did not
again assign the uncomprOmising Secre-
tary of War to speak in any section where
the growing of sugar or tobacco con-
stituted one of the important industries.