The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-09-20

Swings around tne Clrcle'
As circle swinger Mr.. Taft is the
greatest of them all. Colonel Roose-
yelt was sometimes in the swing, but
as a plain and fancy traveller Taft
has been running circles all around
Roosevelt. In the time of the first
King Olaf there was in Iceland, Nor
way, Russia and elsewhere by turns a
gentleman called Thorwald Kodran-
son, who was known as the "far trav-
eler," but compared with our president
this Thorwald was securely anchored
TO an iceberg. A few years ago it was
estimated that Mr.. Taft had covered
enough ground to take him to the
moon and back, and since then his
iourneyings have extended the distance
to at least one of the fixed stars. Our
amiable and abundant chief executive
can certainly wander, go, trek, Jour-
ney, move onward, charge from point
to point, tour, hike, travel, take trip,
globe trot o" do any of the other
things that indicate motion across the
earth's surface.
Now he is at it again. Starting Sept.
Is, he remains out forty-seven days,
covers approximately 1900 miles,
travels over twenty-five different rail-
roads, visits twenty-four states, speaks
more than 200 times and spends $1S,-
900. He outdoes his previous record
in 1909. He intends to visit every in
surgent that is at home, and the others
will have to do some tall travelling if
he does not overtake them. For nearly
seven weeks he sleeps in a car berth
and eats at enough banquets to give
Indigestion to the whole Japanese
navy. Think of the number of recep-
ton committees and local chairmen
he mast meet during this time, the
wearying monotony of hearing Hail
to the Chief" from bands that are un-
certain on the high notes and the oc
casions he must listen to 1--WE have
with US tonight" or at gives me great
pleasure to Introduce" to say nothing
of talking eighteen times a day in
railroad yards, town halls, picnics and
county fairs. Believe me, the job of
being president of these United States
is not all pie and doughnuts. Neither
does our hearty chief magistrate jour-
ney about for health and pleasure
alone. Far from it; also to the con-
trary and quite otherwise. He has a
stern duty to perform-viz and to wit,
to explain to a somewhat extensive
country why he vetoed those tariff
bills, why the Democratic majorities
of last year should be revised down
ward and why some of his fellow Re
publicans should quit insurging and
come into the reservation. These are
NO slight chores for one man, even
though he does weigh more than 300
pounds and is quite strong for his
weight. Nor are they tasks any man
would undertake for the mere enjoy
ment. The crusaders may have gone
about their enterprise in a holiday
spirit, and perhaps Columbus consider
ed his trip across the Atlantic as a
junket, but speechmaking tour by
president of the United States deserves
sterner title.
There are already twenty large vol
umes Of Mr.. Tafts speeches, and the
present tour will make it twenty-one.
Nor do these include his messages and
state papers. Think of the labor it
must have been to make the speeches
in the first place! We gasp at such
vast literary output as the result of
an entire lifetime, yet the president is
comparatively young and has been
fairly busy at other things, such as
being reporter, lawyer, prosecutor, in
ternal revenue collector, solicitor gen.
eral, judge, dean of law school, gov
ernor of the Philippines, secretary of
war, proconsul in the affairs of Porto
Rico, Cuba, Panama and elsewhere,
besides being the most industrious
and prodigious traveller of whom there
is official record. A man who can play
golf, eat various chains of banquets
without missing a course, make all
these speeches and do so many other
stunts makes the busy bee" and the
ant, to whom "thou sluggard" is told
to go, look like sons of rest.
1t is frankly admitted by the presi-
dent and his friends that he is going
out this time to talk politics and is
going to do most of the talking In the
insurgent states. Whether he intends
by this to bid defiance to La Toilette,
Cummins, Bristow and their followers
under them and win their followers is
not stated. At any rate, it is declara-
tion of war and is so regarded by the
progressive leaders. Senator Clapp has
already been sent to the Pacific coast
TO counteract the Taft tour in advance,
and 1t may be that others of the pro-
gressive group will follow the presi-
dent. On the part of the Democrats it
has been proposed that Speaker Champ
Clark Swing around the circle" in
Mr.. Taft's tracks. But, whatever the
insurgents and Democrats may do,
Mr.. Taft himself is frankly making
political speeches. 1t will be his last
chance to do so on an extended scale
before the presidential campaign
opens, and he is not one to overlook
the political hay crop while the sun
is shining. There is a tradition in the
land that it does not comport with
the dignity of a Dresidant IN maLa