Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-07
Taft BIunders That Smile viii Never

Taft BIunders That Smile viii Never
Overcome.
Taft is all right personally, but the
| Taft smile can never be a sufficient
answer for the Taft tariff blunders."
The president went into the west TO
ask the people what they thought OF
his administration, and the above Is
the answer that the average westerner
gives. Mr.. Taft's friends in the west
and they all are his friends when
he is among them-pat him on the
back and tell him he is all right when
he visits them. He is the president OF
all the people. and no community, es-
pecially If he is in the west, will per
NIT it to be said that a president Of
the United States, be it Taft or any
body else, could visit there without be-
ing shown every hospitality.
But what the people say to the pres
ident when he is in their midst, and
what they think of him after he is
gone. are two different matters.
This is being demonstrated just now
by one of the Chicago newspapers (the
TTibune), which, instead Of sending its
correspondent along with the presi-
dent, is requiring him to travel two or
three days in the wake of the presi-
dental train, in an effort to get the
real opinions of the people after the
usual buster of the presidential visit
has vanished and the people are set
tied back into their accustomed atti-
tude
Most of the men interviewed by this
correspondent, and he is making it a
point to ask all classes of individual
citizens what effect the presidents
visit had on their community, express
an opinion similar TO the one given
above. They all admit that they en-
joyed seeing the president-which is
an opportunity which comes to some
Americans only once in a life time, and
sometimes not that often-but the great
majority of them went back to the
Taft signature to the Payne-Aldrich /.
bill, and the Taft veto of the demo /
cratic revision downward bills of the /.
special session, when they were asked /.
for their real opinion of the president /
Although this CORES pondent has in /
terviewed hundreds of men so far on /.
his journey, il is significant that only |
q scattering few, less than half dOz- /
en- all told, have come out violently /!
and enthusiastically for him. In most
of the cases it was the opinion of the .
person interviewed that Taft was
doomed to defeat next year, or that it T.
would be best to give him few more I
months in which TO make good his /.
promises. None endorsed his admins /.
tration unequivocally.
II developed. too. that a great many !
men. in all walks of life. candidly ad- F.
mitted that next year they proposed to F.
vote for a democratic president, not /
withstanding they always had voted /
for a republican. \ great many of /.
these referred to the magnificent rec /
ord the democrats had made in con F.
gress last session, and frankly admit
ted that since the democrats had /
shown real ability to govern. and gov
ern wei. it was no more than their due /
that they should be given greater re +
spousibiliJy.
If President Taft really wants to
know what the western people think of .
him il VIII pay him 10 discount the .
Ligh-soundins platitudes he hears at /
the bauQuets he attends. and read the .
opinions of these citizens who pass F.
judgment on him after he is gone. not /
while he is their guest
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