New-York tribune., 1912-03-03

gave audience 10 senators anu OthSl
eminent persons 1t was all politics.
True, most Of them came on political
errands, but whether they did or not,
politics mingled with the discussion OF
other business. Mr.. Roosevelt was as
quick to see the point Of junction as Mr.
Lloyd George, in his speech last Satur-
day in the City of London, was to note
where politics blended with finance; In
the proportion of very much politics and
not too much finance. There are other
points of likeness between the British
Chancellor Of the Exchequer and the
American ex-President, but on these
must not now dwell.
Far otherwise was it, and is 1t, with
Mr.. Taft At that time his business was
to administer the Army. and he did 1t
with sole reference to the Army and the
public interest. II an applicant came to
him with a pull" or If in discussing
military business he interposed an argu-
ment of party, he had short shrift Not
on that basis did the Minister Of War
conduct his war business. Yet to any
appeal germane to the question he
showed himself sympathetic. There
came in an officer on some Philippine
matter. Mr.. Taft's pacific conquest of
the Philippines had. of course, been ac-
complished before this time. In the few
sentences he exchanged with this officer
caught Il glimpse Of the secret, or one
secret, of that splendid success. He had
got inside the mind of the Filipino
Moreover, he had opened his own mind
to that half savage, wholly suspicious
and distrustful race, and with Him they
had ceased to be suspicious or distrust-
full.
Not a bad experience, one would have
thought, for an encounter with the pro-
fessional politician; yet we are told that
Of practical, or machine, politics Mr.
Taft has a less profound knowledge than
his predecessor in the White House had
He has not Mr.. Roosevelt's astuteness
He has less Of the Machiavelli and more
Of the Cavour In writing some months
ago of Mr.. Roosevelt In similar circum-
stances l think J said that when talking
W
boss did about his own district. and was
more than a match for him on his own
ground. There was nothing in these in
terviews with Mr.. Taft 10 suggest that
There was, however, in his handling Of
public affairs always the touch Of the
statesman. And there are, l believe.
good many patriotic and intelligent
Americans who, if they had to choose
between a politician President and a
statesman President, would choose the
statesman.
That. of course, is a personal opinion
my opinion-and compromises nobody
else. I only am responsible for my opin-
ions and indiscretions, and | write freely
because I am sure no one will suppose
that anybody else is responsible. l have
written all my life as l do now, over my
own signature, and have always been in
debted, as l am now, 10 The Tribune for
the privilege of writing what I think, or
perhaps feel. have never been able TO
write otherwise.
I heard at the time that the affairs OF
the War Department were guided by
master hand. There was no confusion
and no delay. To military questions Mr..
Taft had to apply his mind as to any
new case to be dealt with at the bar or
on the bench. He had I'm the beginning
no technical knowledge of war. He con-
suited those who had. listened patiently
and decided for himself. No responsible
him self a SOL
dier can do otherwise. Even Lord Hal
dane. who stands on the border line OF
omniscience, does not disdain the advice
of the soldiers about him. On no other
terms can Parliamentary control be
made efficient. But in MIR. Tafts case
the control was not only efficient in the
sense of being a real control but was an
intelligent control. He has shown the
same power as President, having to deal
with all great departments instead OF
one.
In the social world the Presidents
individuality was as marked as In MS
official methods. There was no more
genial companion. There was none who
could pass so easily from dinner table or
smoking room talk to the discussion or
high matters. His popularity was uni
versal. like his conversation. / thought
it a misfortune for his country that his
projected visit to England some years
since had to be abandoned. remem-
bered what Mr.. Blaine had achieved;
how he came here amid cloud or an
tipathies, dispelled them by his personal
charm, converted them into sympathies
with himself and his country. Mr.. Taft
would have had no prejudices TO con-
front. What / felt was that he Is the
kind Of man with whom the English
would find themselves at once in friendly
relations. He and they would under
stand each other. It would have been
one more link in the ever-lengthening
chain of qualities in common which
binds the two peoples together.
The link has been forged in another
way: by what he has done. No act of
any President since Lincoln's Emancipa-
ton Proclamation has so much i'm
pressed England as President Tafts
Arbitration Treaties. Taking those and
his general policy together, England and
all Europe have come to know Mr.. Taft
as a strong, wise President; the strongest
and wisest of recent American rulers.
and a leader in the thought and the
affairs OF the world. G. w. s.
BISHOP DoANE, 80, CELEBRATES