The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-22
PRESIDENT TAFT.

Golfers. in its issue of Saturday,
takes occasion to deny emphatically
that its severe criticism of Mr.. Bal
linger, secretary of the interior in the
Taft cabinet, and its alleged expose of
a gigantic scandal in connection VITA
the handling of public lands, is in any
way part of conspiracy which has
been formed at this early date to pre-
vent the denomination of President
Taft and the substitution for him of
Theodore Roosevelt as the next Repub-
lican presidential nominee. This has
been charged by the New York Tribune
and in other quarters. But Golfers de-
clares that it knows of no such con-
spiracy and has no intention of par
ticipating. in one if it is in existence
1t insists that it is not the spokesman
of any faction" and it's brilliantly in
dependent career in times past ought
to be a sufficient guarantee of it's hon
esty in making such a statement.
To make it's denial on this point as
strong as possible, Golfers uses
whole page, besides a lengthy editorial
on the subject, to reprint it's expressed
opinions of the past including those of
most recent dates of President Taft
anu dlSO Vi 1OlOIlSl IOOSSNSlls "A 5hdASO
at them is sufficient to show that Col
lier's has ever held Mr.. Taft and his
abilities in the highest regard, while Oh
the contrary its criticisms of Mr..
Roosevelt as a man and as a president
have been unusually caustic on many
occasions Under these circumstances
it is readily to be conjectured where
Golfers would stand in a choice be-
But Golfers continues to insist that
Mr.. Taft's administration will be mar
red and handicapped if he continues to
surround himself with few of the adj
visors who now have MS ear, Mr. Bal
linger included. This is a matter for
personal opinion and because Golfers
expresses one on the subject it does not
necessarily mean that it is a correct
one, although that paper has made
pretty strong case against BallinGer
which has not as yet been adequately
explained away. Mr.. Taft's character
is so high say Golfers, "his aim so
pure, his intellect so clear and trained,
that nothing can prevent approval from
the people in the long run except two
amiable human traits: blind confidence
in those about him. and dislike of con-
troversy" AS a matter of fact, though,
Mr.. Taft has not been long enough in
the presidential chair to demonstrate
conclusively that these two excellent
traits of character are going to spoil
his administration. Large bodies move
Slowly and it may be possible Tat 1T
will take Mr.. Taft a little time to find
perfidy in some of those about him, if
any exists, but the character of the
president is such that it is certain
heavy hand will be laid on this perfidy
when it is found.
Now it would be a good plan, wouldn't
it, for everyone to wait until Mr.. Taft's
administration is half or two-thirds
completed before pronouncing it fail
ure and before instigating conspiracies
and plots, or talk of them, to deny him
a second term and put Mr.. Roosevelt in
his place. The chances are that when
Mr. Roosevelt gets back from Africa, if
any expression of opinion on the sub
ject can be obtained from him. he will
continue to stand Just as strongly for
Mr.. Taft as he did in the days when
his nomination for the presidency was
being brought about. If this is the
case many of the present 'corspira-
tors against Mr.. Taft will find the
limb, on which they have crawled, cut
from the tree and down they will
come with dull and sickening thud
Our wish happens to be-" says Col
lier's, that Mr.. Taft's administration
shall be so righteous. so efficient. 50
wise that his name alone will be pre-
scented to the convention of 1912" Mr..
Taft's friends and everybody else who
is disposed to give him fair show, be-
lieve that such a wish will be gratified.