The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-16
CHAPTER xLVTE.

CHAPTER XLVIX.
Five hundred Republicans in person,
| by letter, telegram or telephone urged
Col Roosevelt TO take up the active
| leadership Of the Republican party in
New York state. Scores of representa-
tives were unable to get to him yes
terdaX through sheer physical inabili-
ty, not to say any Discrimination on
the part of the colonel to see them.
Upon his return to Oyster Bay last
night Col. Roosevelt appeared to be
the most cheerful man upon the is
land.
.Ha ha. ha. ha,~ he exclaimed when
asked if he would make any statement
regarding the offer 10 him of the sup
port Of the regulars if he Womb rro-,--
Use to be conservative
Ten reporters have tried TO ask me
about that story" he replied. 4 have
even refused to look at it when one
reporter tried to put it in front of
me. I haven't a word to say"
It is rather significant that Clifford
Pinchot, who recently came out in
strenuous manner for LaFoliette was
one of the coloneFs callers today.
Neither would make any statement as
to the object of the visit.
Taft will surely grow in strength as
the people better understand his great
service and take their sober second
thought of his remarkable, practical,
progressive achievements and his
broad gagged. level-headed mind in
surfing conservative, though positive
ard sane. effectual actions
The East has some strange. unjust
opinions of the West. but the West.
too. understands and misinterprets
many eastern views and actions. About
the worst thing that may be said about
Taft is he to his personal injury as
tc popularity has woeful1y lacked, on
critical occasions. diplomacy in speech
and actions, mainly through his repre-
sentatives.
This may seem odd to say of man
who has shown such astute diplomacy
over and over again in dealing with
national and International questions, |
under his own administration and
when President Roosevelt repeatedly, |
with marked success. made him spe- |
.iaI minister extraordinary to thresh |
out or solve Cuban. Philippine and |
other complicated problems and in |
more recent days, Mexican, trust. |
peace and judicial questions. solved |
sound solutions pending. Still Taft
has bIundered. more to his own per-
sonal injury than to any undoing of
national welfare quite the contrary. |
Taft is brave, courageous and often /
does things without apparent thought /
to their effect on his personal po- /
litical fortunes, merely conscious that
he is sincere and doing what he be-
lieves to be right he rides roughshod. /
when the shoes should be rubber soled.
He and his former secretaries. not !
Hilles. who is Godsend, have need
lossly offended reporters and support
ers. He through his vigorous, COM
prehensive and even quick mind. phil
hurriedly and hasn't always |
weighed his words or Us synonyms. /
Roosevelt could have said practically /
the same thing Taft did in his Wi
mona speech and brought praise in
stead of criticism. Tt is not so much
what Taft says or does. as the way CT
words he at times uses Think Of this.
was the Payne tariff bill with all its
real and alleged, not the best
that had been traded or compromised
into a statute UP to that date?
He and his environs have too often
rubbed people the wrong way. but
Hnles. able and quick and smooth and
knowing. has rapidly Strengthened out
the kinks and knots snarled up by Car
penter and Norton and others These
old tangles were unfortunate. however
we'll irtended or ingenious the tangles.
Chapter I. MondayJ