The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-17
INTERPRETING MIR. TAFT.

Several weeks ago, as the story II
the New York Times goes, President
TAFT talked to "a friend" name not
given. ''about the political outlook fol-
1912" This statement was based upor
"a trustworthy source" From an en-
Itirely different source" Chat is to say
an untrustworthy so,rce), not more
specifically identified tho correspond
| ent Is informed that President Taft
made substantially the same remark to
another friend" name not given. The
! CORRESPONDENT further says that "these
statements have been repeated among
the intimate associates of the Presi-
property names Of Intimate associ-
ates" not given. In addition to this.
and as mere corroborative detail" as
the Sullivan comic opera puts 1t, n dis
patch sent out by the United Press is
quoted The statement alleged to have
been made by the President. first to "a
friend" and then again to "another
friend" and once more to his intimate
associates" is:s'I am not thinking of
1912 therefore he could not have been
talking to his friend" and then to
another friend" and then to his init
mate associates"):lin fact. don't know
that | care for a denomination. From
the way things are drifting 1t may be
that no Republican can be elected. save
possibly one" name not given.
The dispatch sent out by the United
Press says: President William II.
Taft onote the care taken by the cor
respondent to thoroughly identify him
by using his first baptismal name, SO
that any one Will Immediately recog-
nize the particular Taft to whom ref
erence is made) has reached the con-
clusion that Theodore Roosevelt is lay
in g (his plans to be the next President
of the United States" and that "he
the William II. Taft previously named)
Is determined that. so far as the pres
ent incumbent of the White House is
concerned, Colonel Roosevelt Will have
a. clear field. Mr.. Taft presumably the
said Taft as aforesaid) does not want
another term The United Press man
says, in addition: 1T can be stated au-
thoritatively (authority not giyen) that
President Taft (probably William H.,
supra will make no public statement
(Wlll just keep on talking to his
friends" and intimate associates'D or
no offensive move against Colonel
Roosevelt and the latter's projects, no
matter what tactics may be adopted
by the latter. Dignifed silence Eek
cept, presuma bly,. when he is talking 10
his friends and intimate associates')
sums up both the defensive and often
sive measures that will be employed by
the President" Yet for thousands Of
years we have all been wondering how
1t was possible for the Israelites, when
they were in captivity down in Egypt,
before the Nationalist Party was organ
lied. could make bricks without straw,
Think how much easier their lot would
have been had they only served an APP
premiership on the average American
newspaper!
Not satisfied with what Mr.. Tafts
friend" said that Mr.. Taft said to him,
and what Mr.. Taft is reported to have
said to another friend the cores
pondent of The Times, writing on
Thursday said: "A pretty positive
statement that the President would not
pc candidate for another term was |
current In Beverly to-day. 1t had no
ohc1al foundation, but aroused much |
interest because of political conditions
II the present time. The subject lis in
he minds of many prominent Repub-
leans, ana friends of the President
there 1t is ,again) are und erstood (see
low carefully that statement is guard
ed) to believe (note believe not
knoW') that his course is bound to be
2 matter for frequent speculation (sic)
from now on" The further informa-
ton Is Impaired that there has been
3 studied silence about political toptcs
on the Presidents part for some time"
but that ut is hardly a secret eve
should think not, with his friends"
and intimate associates" talking
about him and his resolves all the
time), however. that he is much dis
couraged."
However Mr. Taft may feel about po-
iitical TOPICS. no one could blame him
very much for preserving a studied
silence when his friends and 'inti-
mate associates" are around. It's Of
such stuff as this that newspapers Of
the metropolitan sort are made. Prob
ably the only really truthful thing said
by the Times correspondent is that Mr..
Taft's chief idea has been to fulfil the
party pledges during his present term"
S------ =----=----
BLACKSTONE.
Swift charges have come III the last
half-century in the ideals OF legal edu-
cation. In the old days. the embryo
lawVer wac ind oct rinafed In tha nf1nn