New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-28
from The Tribune Bureau I

From The Tribune Bureau
PRESIDENTS EUMILITY.--"They told
me that to be Chief Executive OF the United
States made man conceited 1t is not
true l; makes him humble and rohs nm
of the last atom of se,f-conceit he ever
possessed. Why. he finds that there is no
man so inexperienced that he is ineompe-
tent 10 advise the President. youth SO
callow that he cannot give pointers to the
head OF the nation he learns that law
yers on whose diplomas the ink is not yet
dry can perforate his legal opinions WIN
constitutional flaws and that. were IL nov
for The astuteness and discernment OF tue
bureau chiefs in the federal Organization
he would be the defenceless dupe ei every
schemer who sough; 10 foist new funoa-
mental policy on an unprotected Puohc-
This is. in effect. what President Tart toto
a friend to-day-a friend who promptly won
his confidence and regard by refTainihs
from Offering any advice as TO now Inc
Taft administration should be saved from
eternal destruction. The President added
that IL was not until he read the statement
made by ex-Forester Pinchot yesterday
that he realized the pitifully defenceless
position OF the country while he occupied
the White House.
PRIDE CAME FIRST-When, last April.
Clifford Pinchot warned the President of the
reactionary tendencies of Secretary Balm
ger. Mr.. Taft took occasion to make some
inquiries and even went far TO dis
cuss with Judge Ballinger the questions
raised by Pinchot. When. In August, Pin
chot sent CLAWS TO Beverly with a formal
set OF charges. duly prepared by the law
officer OF the Bureau OF Forestry. Mr.. Taft
spent many days and frequently burned
the midnight oil examining the evidence,
studying the records of the Interior De
partment. snd weighing his conclusions.
Then he prepared an opinion in his best
judicial manner. So conclusively did he
dispose of the charges that he actually
prided himself little, he now admits, on
the exhaustiveness and conclusive chsrsc-
ter Of that opinion But that was many
months ago. Having been advised by the
daily and periodical press that his opinion
was valueless. that ne had failed COM
pletely 10 penetrate the depths OF the prob
lem with which he had contended, he re-
que.ted the Attorney General to do the
work ali over again. Mr.. Wickersham
gathered all the evidence retired to the
quiet of his country home on Long Island
and there devoted three weeks TO its study
and the preparation Of his report. By
some extraordinary coincidence, TO borrow
Mr.. Tafts own expression. Mr. Wickersham
agreed in every particular with the conclu-
sions reached by his chief, and the Presi-
dent admits that he was somewhat reas-
sured By the fact. il was not indeed. until
he had read the Pfnchot statement that the
President realized how utterly incapable
both he and his Attorney General are of
weighing evidence reaching accurate con-
illusions, and he finds his only consolation
in the fact that the humiliation OF the At
torney General must be almost as great as
his own, while he submits that being Pres
ident certainly does not add TO a mans con-
ceit.''
SENATOR CARTER SOLUTION
The bitter controversy which has attended
the proposition that the rate of postage on
magazine mail should be increa sell seems
destined 70 be completely obliterated
through the enlinently practical suggestion
Of Senator Carter that ali such legislation
should give place 10 the postal reorgaEiza-
ton bill, soon TO be reported from the Sen
ate Postoffice Committee. Mr.. Carter points
out that Congress has expended So 600 TO
secure from experts plan OF reorSanization
for the postal service; that II has learned
from these experts that under The existing
system Of accounting nothing can be known