The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-09-27
PRESIDENT SMITH ON TAFT.

! Inc leaulnG eultorlal III tue current
| (October) number of the Improvement
Era is signed editorial by President
/ Joseph +. Smith OF the Mormon church.
In it President Taft, his Mexican poll
! cics and his administration are all
suuarelv indorsed. There is. besides,
4. special commentator of President
Taft as applying conservative and
| legal remedies and as applying the
! law as remedy without resort to un-
constitutional means, TO lawlcsSness and
anarchy which Colonel Roosevelt s
friends viii read with pain az posi-
contrary methods adopted by their idol
when he was President.
The editorial referred TO appearing
over President Smith s signature in the
October Improvement Era is as fol-
| lows:
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
| The forthcoming presidential election
| is one of profound Importance. and opens
| to the student wide field for the study
| of applied political economy, as well as
| for leading social questions that arc be-
| fore the nation to be solved.
| No reasonable citizen who has inves-
| tisated the political situation, with a
| view 10 learning the true status OF the
| claims set forth by the various political
parties, can in any way justly find fault
| with the present administration. Presi-
dent William II. Taft has met the just
needs OF The people and the economic
demands OF the country with steadfast-
ness and wisdom. In the treatment OF
| the great questions that have come be-
occasion and applied such conservative
| legal remedies ne have won him true
| admiration from patriotic citizens OF all
! parties
The extremely delicate stuat ton with
Mexico has been handled by him in a
way to establish confidence in his abl-
~. and notwithftandlns tho criticism Of
his action, in this matter and in that OF
the Central American republics, time Will
doubtless prove that his policy Is best
Most people do not understand what
intervention In Mexico would have meant
when IT was most advocated. American
coonists. in large numbers. We're dis
tributed over various scattered sections
OF that country, and had not the situa-
tion been handled as carefully as it was,
war would inevitably have been the re-
suit War would have meant the de-
massacre OF many Americans In the in
terior. II would take long time for
soldiers 10 reach points where they could
bo a protection TO the colonists. in view
Of the great stretches OF cruel desert
which would have to be traverscd. The
recognition OF the rebels, besides making
war almost inevitable. would have given
them legal standing. At present they
are looked upon as mere citizens in arms.
and the Mexican government may be
held responsible for their depredations,
which might not have been the case.
had they been recognized. Everything
considered the administration has dealt
properly with this very delicate situa-
ton The colonists who were driven out
being provided in their extremity In
great kindness: with food and means.
The only charge OF any consequences
bring against him is that he has been
and is tool OF the Interests" which
means, doubtless, that he unduly favors
big, business" or trusts. His admins,
the careful student Will find that he has
done as much to regulate the trusts as
was ever done by any other incumbent
done It legally. He believes strictly In the
judicial application OF the law In these
cases, and as firmly as any one In the
need OF just and fair laws to deal with
ing problem. which not even the experts
know Just how to handle, and which can
not be solved by mere change OF presI-
dents, President Taft believes In find
Ing out what is necessary, and then in
applying the law n remedy without
resort TO unconstitutional means, to law
policy. and what he has accomplished
has been effective without being revolu-
tionary and illegal.
At no time has the country been more
prosperous than now, and as far as
politics may affect prosperity. the people
Of the country have no occasion TO com
plain at the administration, on this
matter. So that, on the whole what
ever may, happen through the elections
In November. whatever may be the final
outcome of the peoples choice It is clear
that President William II. Taft has made
a good president, and his administration
has been a success. Should the people
call him once again TO the presidential
chair, It is not likely that they Will re-
gret IT, but. on the contrary. will find
their action wise. sensible and sound
JOSEPH F. SMITH
That will certainly be reassuring to
the supporters Of Taft in Utah, and in
all of the communities where Presi-
dent Smith IS word carries special
weight,
But while il will thus be satisfactory
to the Taft men, how about the other
fellovs7