Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-04
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO ROOSEVELT
TAFT WRITES ARTICLE ON HIS
PREDECESSOR
TELLS HOW WELL THEY AGREE
ON BIG ISSUES
Man Who Will Become Nations Chief
Executive Today Pens Vivid
and Interesting Char
acter Sketch
[By Associated Press.l


NEW YORK, March Bin its issue
of March 6, Golfers Weekly will pub
lish the following article by President
elect Taft under the title MY
Predecessor:
"Mr. Roosevelt and 1 came to know
each other when he was chairman of
the civil service commission, and L was
solicitor general in 1890 to 1892, in
Washington. We were both subordin-
ates in the Harrison administration.
We lived in the same part of Washing
ton, he OF Nineteenth street, near the
British embassy, and 1 on Dupont cir
Gle. Our wives knew each other well,
and some of our children were born
ABOUT the same time.
1--WE found after discussion that we
agreed in quite marked way in our
views of proper political ideals and
proper political methods. We were en-
phatic in the judgment that the politi-
cal reformer who was n0 willing to
accept conditions as they were as the
basis for his action, and to work for the
better things that were practical with
out achieving all that he would like to
achieve, was rather a hindrance than
a help to progress, and merely assisted
the permanent control of the boss and
the machine
This, 1 think, has been the moving
principle of Mr.. Roosevelt's career. He
has believed in practical progress, and
not in ideals which make for no real
advancement
Then Became Judge
after these two years 1 went on the
bench and left Washington, and only
occasionally met him, though from time
to time, as changes came In his career,
we carried on a correspondence, and as
crises would arise he would not infre-
quently write me to secure my judg-
ment on particular situations.
mo one associates with Mr.. Roose-
welt closely without having the strong
est possible affection for him.. His
mind, his disposition and his tempera-
ment are all of that class that would
rather make him agree than disagree
with the people with whom he comes in
contact.
"But this is not to say that he does
not enjoy a controversy and fight ac-
cording to the rules of the game, for
he does. He believes as strongly as
possible in team work, and I never
served under any man, or hope to serve
under another man, so intensely loyal
to the cause which he was both seek
ing to uphold and so generous in his
acceptance of the full responsibility for
his subordinates in the work as Theo-
dore Roosevelt. l never served another
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 Of his has been
calculated to tie men to him with
bonds of steel.
Theory Justified
1.-THE general theory that Mr.. Roose-
welt is Of an exceedingly impulsive ma
ture is, perhaps, justified to the extent
of saying that he has a marvellous
quickness for apprehending a question
and reaching the nub Of it, and also an
Overwhelming desire to decide to get
as possible.
1T never knew a man who worked as
far in advance of what was to be done
and who kept his engagements with