The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-19

W ing statement of the relations
 w between Taft and Roosevelt in
 the May American Magazine, which ne calls "Should old Acquaintance Be For
 got?" says in part:
 ..In June. 1910, Roosevelt returned from Africa His ovation was significant. IL meant one thing: that the people were tired of the material leadership ot Pfesi' dent Taft Much has ben made of late of the fact that Taft and Roosevelt were friends. when Roosevelt pushed Taft into the presidency One of the many times
 during the four years now passing for Mr.
 Tafts friendship to have asserted ltseF
 was when Colonel Roosevelt came home
 from Africa. He might have appeared al the reception; even a President sometimes may appear as a friend in a public func- ton if he chooses to appear But grant ing that a sense of dignity of the piesi- dential office prevented President laI' from greeting his old friend at tho dock his absence indicated that he was stand ing upon official ceremony, and it was therefore hardly Colonel Roosevelts place to proceed unbidden to the White House.
 
 there were many matters on his mind. His counsel was at President Taft's com mand. No one knew this more surely than President Taft He did not send Tor his friend. When they came together few months later they talked of most formal and uninteresting matters Tie President, who had seen fit to stand upon the formalities of the occasion when Col cnel Roosevelt came home, might have taken the initiative at this later meeting: if was his place to take the initiative In reopening the close cordial relations that existed before his friends departure from the country. for it was Taft. not Roose- welt, who had put Up the official bar at | the dock. But here, again, the Presl- dents temperamental difficulties arose To discuss certain matters would have been unpleasant. Moreover. unless an abrupt reversal of certain administration policies was possible, serious friendly con- | troyersial discussion of matters pending was bootiess. So again President Tafts I temperament was manifest in his aYcid- ance of his friend and so long as he stood upon the. dignity of his office = l him into that office--it was hardly friends part to force advice upon un- willing ears.
 | "So from that meeting the two men went their different ways. It was just as necessary for Colonel Roosevelt to have deep convictions upon passing public questions as it was foreign to the Presi- dents nature to have anything but opin- ions It was a vital part of Roosevelt's $ temperamental organization that he should put his convictions where they would do the most good. There can be no question hut that he would have pre- | ferred to take them to President Taft. But the Presidents door was barred barred by the Presidents own attitude. According to Colonel Roosevelts way or | thinking, certain things in the country
 were going wrong-notably in the matter of tariff legislation. corporation control
 the peace treaties, and the question. or broadening the democratic grip of the neople upon the machinery of govern
 ment He could not get his convicuons
 before President Taft except by inpu- dently forcing his way unasked into the l White House He therefore hau two courses left-to sit silently by and see
 things going wrong, or to take his convic-
 lions 10 the people. To say nothing would
 have been loyal to the President. To sneak out was loyalty to his countrymen. what else could he do? He could not fit
 his convictions to the Presidents course. He could not discuss these matters with .ha presidenf except as an unbidden guest tc the White House. So he talked 10 she | public. and men said he was treating his old friend badly. Yet if there was any obligation of friendship upon either side, any burden of gratitude, upon Taft CT
 Roosevelt. and pull of old relations that