The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-03-10
CAN BEAR CRITICISM OF IN
DlWDUALS, KNOWING SOUTH
APPROVES.
FROM PURE PATRIOT
Taft Made Him Secretary of War
Wanted South to Know it Was
Not Alien to His Ad
ministratlon.

Chicago, March 9-Secretary Of
War Jacob NJ. Dickinson appeared be-
fore the Iroquois club a Democratic
organization tonight, and made bis
first formal address since his ap.
pointment by President Taft.
Dickinson's speech before this
body was objected to last week by
former Mayor f. f. Dunno en- the
ground of Inconsistency. in his r
marks the secretary explained his
status as n Democrat and told the
club members that his sentiments to-
wards the south moved the president
10 appoint aim. dickinson said:
when | accepted the compliment
Of a farewell dinner from my friends
Of the lroquois club, | understood
that It had no political significance.
was in no sense an endorsement OF
my going into the cabinet of Presi-
dent Taft, and that it was merely an
expression of personal good will If
had anticipated that it would offend
any member of the club, | would
have taken by leave of my well wish
ers in an informal way When t was
brought to my notice that objection
had been made, | at oncerequested
that the occasion be pretermitted.
but that did not meet with the ap-
proval of those wha had undertaken
it. | shall not now let the objection
of absentees, however distinguished.
mar my enjoyment of this generous
testimonial OF your friendship.
His Own Status.
"A publicity has been given to a
protest made on political grounds, |
feel that 1t will not be iHlelicate for
me to refer to my own status. Fer
nearly forty years. and much of that
time with great activity | have been
IN the ranks of the Democratic party.
| have never sought of it the reward
of office, nor any other benefits. di-
rest or Indirect. Like many southern
men | have at times disapproved its
policies. but on account of local con-
ditions, did not actively oppose it. 1t
is an abnormal condition when al
most all those who represent the
property and best citizenship of ten
contiguous states act together po-
Htically. 1t is certain that all of
them do not think alike on all such
questions, and that differences of
opinion would lead to opposite party
affiliation in the southern states. as
in the other states. but for constant
annd powerful, compacting force. 1t
.s.gc- Il,
fortune to the whole country, that in
eXorable conditions were such that
differences on all other questions
have been sub-ordained to one Ques-
tion. When such action of those best
qualified to represent their people eX-
tended throughout so long n period
and so constantly, Il would be like
indictng a nation to affirm that it
was either unwiSe or unpatriotic
Whether or not these conditions will
operate in the future as they have
i'm the past, | do not claim the wis
10 INTO predict All lovers of our
country should unite in the hope that
this may not be true-not so much
on account of the political result. as
on account of the conditions them
selves, which are a constant menace
70 the south, and in reflex action.
operate with unhappy effects upon
the entire country.
South Likes Taft.
"On account of the causes to which
I have referred, all of the southern
states at the last election, cast their
electoral votes against President
Taft. as they may have hitherto done
with respect to other Republican
presidential candidates Therefore.
politically there was no bond be-
tween him and the southern states.
He is now. after the battle has been
fought. entering upon the duties of
his office. as president of the entire
country He has been much in the
south. and for years has counted
very many southern men within the
closest circle of friendship. His
jurisdiction as Judge extended over
the states of Kentucky and Tennes-
see. Through a long period he was
in close association with the peoDIe
there visited their homes intimately.
was always an earnest student of
everything affecting the general vel
fare of the country. and came to
know more about southern noopla
and the causes controlling their So
cial AMI political action than anv
man of the north who has been called
10 hith national Office Novel hv
no obligations to the south. but bv
strong friendship and sympathy for
the southern people and still more
by a patriotic love for the entire
country. whose welfare is necessarily
bound up with that of the south. he
determined to invite into his cabinet
n southern man, thereby giving as