New-York tribune., 1911-12-20
TAFT NOT VOTE HUNTING
President SIapS at statesmen
for Platform Purposes"
SERENE ON THE OUTLOOK
Says Republican Party Has Been
Staggered, but Has Not Lost
Public Confidence.

President Taft outlined his political be-
liefs briefly to the Brooklyn Young Re-
publican Club last night, when he came in
TO their banquet at 1;30 o'clock. Darwin
r. James, jr.. and his club gave the Presi-
dent aw arm welcome. and the President
plunged directly into an almost purely po-
litical discourse.
IL am not in favor of playing politics for
the purpose of putting somebody or some
party in the hole" he said, II favor a
policy, not because II attracts votes( no;
for purposes of campaign platform. but
for the purpose of putting it into statutes
The trouble is we have too many states
men who are always thinking of the effect
OF their votes-statesmen for platform pur-
poses"
The Presidents first few words made the
diners sit up in mild astonishment. He
had barely finished thanking them for their
invitation when he said:
Every once in a while ii seems as If
the old party is alittle staggered by blows
from inside and out. but we shall see IL
recover and see it intrusted with the power
Of government
The last part Of his statement brought
the gathering to its feet with a long round
of applause, and when the President added
that the people were not going TO reject
the Republican party and its policies for
the chaotic and uncertain policies of its
opponent. his confident prophecy brought
more applause.
II am in favor of doing something for
the country" the President went OIL, mot
just saying that we are doing g."
He told the club then that he was proud
TO stand well with a club which was the
bone and sinew Of The Republican party,
and then, turning again 10 the political
side Of his address, he cont nued:
"We are working out our problems in
Washington / really hope that, in spite
of the coming election, there might BE- some
laws passed now that Will be good for the
country.
But, if not, We will have to go TO the
polls and join with our old enemy to ask
for control of the three branches of the
government, as the representatives OF u
party which will stand for mi6dle-of-the-
road course. not extreme. a party which
recognizes that improvement is possible,
but which also recognizes that there are
improvements which should be preserved
The President arrived at the clubs din
ner at the Imperial in company with Rep
resentauVe Calder and Naval officer l.. J.
II. Kracke. Preceding the President on the
list Of speakers We're Representative Frank
r. Willis, Of Ohio: DR.. Nehemiah Boynton,
Z. T. O'Loughlin, the new County Regis
ter. and Creswell Mclaughlin.
Mr. Willis eulogized the administration
Of President Taft and prophesied that Ohio
would stand solidly behind him in the next
campaign. The present administration, he
said. had stood for the equal enforcement
OF law. with particular reference to the
Sherman law.
THAT is to be the issue in the next cam
paign," ho said. whether the laws are to
be enforced, not with the endahgering OF
any legitimate business, but with the idea
that the people are greater than any man
or group Of men,
The President. he added, stood between
the country and disaster when he had the
courage TO veto the Farmers Free List bill,
the woollen bill and the cotton bill, and he
pointed out tire inconsistencies of each Of
these measures as presented by the Demo
cratic House. Finally, he said. the Presi-
dent would win the approving vote OF the
United States on the single issue of his
work in connection with world peace.
DR.. Boynton talked of the principle Of
elevation for which America had always
stood, since the landing OF the Pilgrims, he
said. and then said that no man had been
truer to the principles Of true elevation Of
all the people than President Taft. Mr.
James. in introducing Dr. Boynton. reminded
him Of the words of Mayor Gaynor the
other day. and remarked that since the
death of little dog Spot inspiration had
departed from the City Hall
"These are the days when every one for
gives his enemies" responded the clergy
man, "and inasmuch as the charter is as
dead as the bulrushes that surrounded the
babe Moses, / will give you a toast-hs
Honor, the Mayor. may he have a Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year" There
vas great laughter all around, but the
diners stood and drank the toast seriously.
Cresweu Mclaughlin. who was speaking
when the President arrived, threw out the
only words of dissent with any part Of the
Presidents policies that were heard, and
that only after he had expressed the high
est praise for everything that the President
has been trying TO do. But on the subject
Of peace and arbitration, Mir Mclaughlin
disagreed in a measure. He put ii squarely
to the President after the welcome that
greeted his arrival had subsided. ~ these
words
while that nervous Dutchman is on the
throne OF Germany you will have war in
sight. He will never be satisfied until he
rides his warhorse at the head Of his
troops, for the glory Of the human race
and the moving pictures and they'll have
war over there in some way inside OF a
few years"
The President did not refer TO the war
talk during his address.