New-York tribune., 1910-01-21

the subordinates of the department heads
with sufficient frequency TO keep them in
touch with his views and policies. even did
he deem that important. which President
Taft emphatcally does not except as it is
done through the properly constituted heads
Of the departments.
That President Taft is not counting on
a second term was recently asserted in
this column. when 1t was pointed out that
those who would gauge accurately the
Presidents character and attitude must
take that fact into consideration. Mr..
Taft has recently taken occasion to make
this fact clear to some friends who have
volunteered advice based on political con-
sderauons He has said frankly that he
is not considering a second term, and that
he Is actuated IN determining his course
solely by the ambition that this term may
witness something accomplished for the
good OF the country. The President has
never said II should be understood, that
he will not accept another term but that
he Is not counting one The fact is
that Mr.. Taft is not a politician, that he
does not know the game of politics and
cares less for IL, that he cherishes the
laudable ambition to see some material i'm
provement in the laws of the country, and
in their administration during his present
term, and he is entirely wiling to let the
future take care of itself. Standing in this
position, Mr. Taft does not precisely well
come the volumes OF well meaning advice
regarding the manner in which he should
play his political cards which anxious
friends in all parts of the country are so
industriously sending him. In fact, he is
disposed to regard such communications
with some small measure Of hnpatience.
Therefore those who cherish ambitions for
Mr. Tafts political future have no course
open TO them but to pray hard and to do
such work as comes TO their hands in their
respective localities. Written advice serves
only to burden the genial negro charged
with the disposition Of White House waste
paper.
Some of the reported comments on the
Presidents attitude toward the insurgents
in Congress seem 10 warrant the assump-
ton that his attitude is not well under
stood Mr. Taft takes the position that the
Republican platform is the test of genuine
Republicanism; that the man who rejects
its planks forfeits his right TO be consld-
cred a Republican, and that the man who
furthers its promises is entitled to be re
garded as a member of the party in good
and regular standing. Taking this ground.
the President believes he Is entirely war
wanted IN making sharp differentiation
between regulars and insurgents He is
much gratifed, however, at the indications
that, with the possible exceptions of a few
reca alcitrant Wisconsin Representatives.
there will be no more insurgents at this
session
The political prophets. having exhausted
their speculative resources regarding the
likelihood of ex-President Roosevelt &C
ceptine a nomination for Governor of New
York or for the United States Senate, have
now hit on the speakership OF the House
as the most probable billet for the return
ing hunter While such speculation is
harmless and perhaps not uninreresttng,
Representative Cocks treats 1t with suf-
ficient seriousness TO announce that he
will willingly stand aside for his great
constituent" Mr. Cocks says he has never
heard Colonel Roosevelt express any desire
TO come to Congress. but If he does so he
will be welcome to his seat, and that
doubtless there are plenty of people in
the district who would welcome so dis
tinguished a Representative Asked what
he thought Colonel Roosevelt would do
with the present House rules. Mr.. Cocks
replied: I'VE would not need any rules
with Colonel Roosevelt in the chair. He
would make up rules he went along"
The charge of certain Democrats that
the press agent OF the Census Bureau
was utilizing his Office for partisan pur-
poses was completely exploded by an in
vestigation conducted by the House Com
mittee on Census to-day. The investigation
revealed that the representative Democrats
regarded bulletins setting forth ascer-
tanned facts regarding The prosperity of
the country as partisan literature because
II was likely to make for Republican rather
than for Democratic success Director
Durand exhibited samples Of the bulletins
his office has been sending out, and they
we're warmly approved by majority OF the
committee. although the motion. declaring
the charge disproved was carried by a
strict party vote u u. II.