The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-09
CONE AGAIN. VII. rArr.


hit Mr. Taft in the Stats, as the Hon
Jack Johnson would express it. Just
now 1t is worrying about his abundant
travels and whether or not they have
afforded him that more intimate touch
wa the thought reservoirs of the
country, which is only another and a
very classy, way of saying public sem
timent," so necessary to his more per-
feet understanding of what the coun-
try needs as well as what it wants.
The Times does not think that the
people can form correct estimate Of
a President from looking at him and
hearing him make a speech, and that
ne cannot tell from the behavior of
his audiences what they think of him
and his policies. How does the Times
know? 1t has never seen the Pres
ident and the people together, it has
never sat on the stage with him or
travelled in the car with him, or seen
the very cordial spirit in which no
has been received by the people, and
realized with them how much nearer
he has really brought the Government
at Washington 10 them and made
8 them feel that they are a part of the
great National life. 1t lives in a tower
unified high above the groundlings,
land thinks over their heads OF course.
the people treat him as a guest---how
else could they treat him? OF course.
they have on their company man
t1lers'--what other sort of manners
SHOULD they have ono OF course there
are always crowds to greet him-why
tshouldn't there be? OF course, they
do not dispute with him about the
things that he says in his speeches
why should they? They would not
quarrel with any of their guests,
whether they disagreed with them or
not, and why should they make point
of behaving badly simply because it is
the President of the United states who
IS in their midst?"
But. says the Times, from his re-
cent trips the President has deduced
the conclusion that he is an object o,
enthusiastic popular approval---that the
country. or at least that part of i
which he has visited, is with him
and that since he came across M
critics. they must be few in number
We do not believe that the President
mas reached any such conclusion. He
is not that sort of man; he can tell !,
hawk from handsaw as we'll as the
next man, whether he edit news
paper or deal in stocks and bonds; but
he has always returned 10 his work
at Washington with a larger view of
the people of the country and a
clearer idea OF their methods of
thought. possibly of their lack of
thought. With &c exception of his
speech at Winona and that other
newspaper folk because he suggested
that they might" lie Influenced in their
attitude towards the Administration
by its failure TO press the passage of
,1he free wood pulp BILL both of which
Eutterances We're unnecessary and i'll
advised. he has never done more in
any of his public addresses than 10
express in good English his views upon
Epuestions of immediate interest to the
tpeople. We have heard him speak in
the South g number OF times and we
have never yet heard him say word
(which could give offence or which We
did not believe TO be the honest utter
lance OF an honest mind.
Have we always agreed with him
No. Has he made any appeal to pas
sion or prejudice? No. Has he slurrec
the "sentimentality'' or the "senti
ment' of our people. or done any
At
timing which could lessen their respec
for either the man or the office h
holds? No. we have heard him SAY
10 an audience composed almost en-
3tirely of white men and Democrat t.
I-what he thought, and say 1t like
oman. without one thought of unset
ftling any Of their honest convictions
hand, indeed, with the distinct state
ment that he had no such intention O
wish, and we have heard six thousan,
Epolitcal opponents cheer him TO tn
echo because he was honest with him
self and with them.
We do not believe that on any O
Mr, Tafts trips TO the South he eve
asked mar TO vote for him or t
Join his party. That was not his mis-
slpI. ne caiI!e 70 lnSm by their IN
vitation as President OF the Unite
States and as their President. as wei
as the President of the other half of III
country. and his "reregrinatons." a
they are called by the Man in the Tai
Tower have been worth all that the
have cost the public treasury-plus III
five or ten thousand dollars he has bee
required to pay out of his own poke
}thanks to the meanress OF Congress
yvnen, who have never failed TO TAX
care OF their own mileage--in the in
,proping and increasing National sens
irhey have caused.
X TIA =---------------------------
MORE SIGNS OF THE TIMES,
When iola, palzell's campaign man
wager heard the other night that hi
rhier had been reelected 70 Congress