The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-02
THE LESSON OF THE VACA TON

THE LESSON OF THE VACATION
The Nation being the reprinted form
OF the editorial columns of the New
York Evening Post, is led to remark,
that there ought to be a prohibition
by statute enjoining the chief execu
tive from taking vacation during the
first six months of his office. In
driving this home the Nation adduces
the argument that the diplomatic corps
is suffering from the absence of Pres'-
dent Taft. 1t cites the case of the
important post at Picking which was
offered to two notables in this country
and then passed on to Mr.. Crane, who
was led on and on into the mire of mis-
fortune.
But the Nation does not speak of
more intimate reasons as to the unde-
STABILITY Of the present trip from the
viewpoint of the administration. What
real good has it accomplished? Has
the president really gotten into closer
touch with the people? Surely the
people who have been at his elbow are
those who have had some special axe
to grind and the conversation of the
real people. or as we would prefer to
call them, the average citizens, has
been mainly cheers or absolute silence.
This does not suppose any very init
mate inquiry into the state of mind of
the rank and file.
Or viewed from the other standpoint
does the propaganda of Mr.. Taft in
standing up for Aldrich and Cannon
seem to have converted the citizens Of
the Middle West? On the contrary,
there are those who would think that
the people would just as soon have
not had to listen to the glowing trib-
president. Instead Of dispelling what
doubts the people had of the present
policy of the adminstration-did it not
add to those very doubts?
The vacation" as the Nation is
pleased to term the presidential tour.
has led to feeling in the minds of
Middle Westerners. which is we'll ex-
pressed by the Indianapolis Star:
Probably the most discouraging fea-
ture of the situation is the apparent
hopelessness of asking or expecting
,fl
reforms of all sorts have grown accus-
toned to look for encouragement and
active help. Thesupport that Mr. Taft
has given both to Cannon and to AL
drich has been not of negative. but OF
positive character, and at times when
they needed it the most: and the signal
assistance he rendered to Mr. Tawney
is painfully significant in view of that
gentleman's uniform and spirited an
tagonism to the Roosevelt policies. II
seems extremely improbable that Mr.
Cannon can be endorsed in the house
or Mr.. Aldrich in the senate without
aid from the White House, and of that
the prospect is very dark
This doubt of the administration s
policy does not proceed from any thing
else than the actions of the admins.
tration itself. The people of this part
of the country who supported Taft, did
so with few misgivings. They voted
for continuance of the Roosevelt POI!
icies and the doctrines which now form
the frame work of the insurgents I!
can be said that the insurgent move
ment began primarily with the people
and to that fact the movement owes its
strength. Whether it is that the adj
ministration has never really under
stood this or motor whether it has
disregarded it in a deliberate effort t.
prove that this is not continuance OF
Roosevelt's regime, makes no differ
ence. The trip of the president has
not done anything to clear the waters
except that the people are beginning to
feel that whatever they wish for they
must obtain through their insursen,
representatives and not from the exec,
utive department. And those con
gressmen who are hiding behind the
administration are not improving thei,
chances for reelection.
This realization. which surely was
not the intent of the trip of Presiden,
Taft. begins to loom up as the rea
ny.oduct Of the vacation"