The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-04
TAFT PRAISES
ROOSEVELT IN
STRONG TERMS
Says Ex-PreSident Will Take
His Place in History Beside
Washington.
SINCERE CHAMPION OF
THE COMMON PEOPLE
IMPULsIVE BECAUSE OF MAR
Vicious oUIcKNEss IN REACH
ING NUT OF A QUESTION.

New York March Sin the issue OF
March 6, Golfers Weekly will publish
the following article by President-eleet
Taft under the caption My Predecessor"
''Mr. Roosevelt and L came to know
each other when he was chairman of the
civil service commission and / was Solci-
tor general in 1880 TO 1872 in washington.
We were both suboTdinates in the Harri-
son administration. We lived in the same
part of Washington. he on Nineteenth
street near the British embassy, and l on
Dupont Circle. Our wives knew each
other we'll and some OF our children were
born about the same time.
Agreed on Reform Question.
I'VE found after discussion that we
agreed in quite q marked way in our
views of proper political ideals and pro-
per political methods. We were emphatic
in the judgment that the political re-
former who was not willing to accept
conditions as they were as the basis for
his action, and to work for the better
things that were practical without achiev-
ing all that he would like to achieve was
rather a hindrance than a help to prog
ress and merely assisted the permanent
control of the boss and the machine
'"Phis. 1 think, has been the moving
principle of Mr.. Roosevelts career He
has believed in practical progress and
not in ideals which make for no real
advancement.
After these two years I went upon
the bench and left Washington and only
occasionally met him, though from time
TO time as changes came in his career we
carried on correspondence and as crisises
would arise he would not infrequently
write me to secure my judgment on par
ticular situations.
Affection for Roosevelt.
NO one associates with Mr.. Roosevelt
closely without having the strongest pos
sible affection for him. His mind, his dis
T. ,saT-uF, resr7r N
that class that would rather make him
agree than disa gree with the people with
whom he comes in contact But tnls Is
not to say that he does not enjoy con-
troversy and a fight according to the
rules of the game, for he does He be-
lieves so strongly as possible in team
work and l never served under any man.
o71hope to serve under another man SO
ifl1ensely loyal TO the cause which we
We're both seeking to uphold ana so gen.
erous in his acceptance OF the tull respOn-
sibility for his subOrdinateS in the Work
as Theodore Roosevelt. never served
under another man who was as generous
in his praise of those who worked with
him and who was as willing TO accord
more than their deserts to the men who
were shoulder to shoulder with him IN the
fight That characteristic If his has been
calculated TO tie men to him with bonds
of steel.
An ImpuIsive Nature.
The general theory that Mr.. Roosevelt
81 of an exceedingly impulsive nature is,
perhaps, justified to the extent OF saying
that he had a marvellous quicknesS for
apDrehending a question and reaching the
nub of ii and also an overwhelming de-
sire to decide to get rid OF the issue pre-
scented as promptly as possible. never
knew a man who worked as far in ad-
vance of what was TO be done and who
kept his engagements with reference 10
what ne had agreed to do as providently
as Mr. Roosevelt. Perhaps 1 value this
hpFQnEp / Il
self The result of quick decision and
action might have inspired the success
of Mr. ROosevelt's career, If II had not
heen that he has been freer than most
men from that pride of opinion which
prevents many men from admitting their
errors. reversing their judgment ana
changing their course. have mad 10 90
with a number of presidents and with a
good many chiefs and | am well within
the truth when L saw that L never met a
nan who, under proper presentation,
would reverse himself as willingly and
with as little trace of obStinacy or I'M
reasonableness as Mr.. Roosevelt.
Tastes Not the Same.
'~The relations between Mr.. Roosevelt
has been one of close and sweet mt
macy. It has never been ruffled in the
slightest degree and I do not think that
we have ever misunderstood each other.
Mr. RooseVelts taste and mine nave not
been the same In the matter OF atm
lent than / am suited to. and more Vio-
lent than 1 like. He has the strongest
literary sense and q power OF application
IN reading current literature that 70 me
is marvellous. He loves the woods; he
loves hunting: he loves life akin to that
of the pioneer; j don't
MIR. Roosevelt never had the educa-
ton and practice of a lawyer. His in
tense desire to reach practical results for
good has made him at times impatient
of the restraint of legal methods, while L
have been trained as a lawyer and as q
Judge and am as strongly imoued with
The necessity for legal methods as eleven
years on the bench are likely to make
one: and vet I'm spite of this difference OF
method and difference of temperament,
in Is quite remarkable TO me- and We haVs
frequently commented on it to each other,
mai we have been in agreement IN our
views as to the results that ought TO be
obtained i'm the matter of government and
political progress, even TO oelaiis' HhucIi
p Continued on Page 3.