The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-05-04
TAFT, THE MAN.

4.
II anything had been wanting u
impress the American people will
the greatness OF the man to whom
they have intrusted the sacred duties
of chief magistrate, that element was
surely forthcoming in the Massachu
sets speeches of President Taft last
week. Vibrant with feeling, tense
gripping, yet delivered with the calm
earnestness of a man trained to dea
calmsly and judicially with matters OF
thrilling moment; admirably free
from personal rancor or abuse; lofty
and dignified as becomes the man In
whom is epitomized the great Ameri
can people, and withal disclosing a
character unused to delving into the
rubbish and debris of personal criti-
cism; William Howard Taft, the man,
stands out in holder relief than ever
before to the admiring gaze Of the
entire people.
With what reluctance the Presi-
dent had finally consented to reply
once and for all to the cruel and oft.
repeated assaults so invidiously made
upon him by his former friend and
co-laborer is pathetically apparent to
all. His opening statement, this
wrenches my SOUL" is accepted and
appreciated by all. The President
meant what he said. The issue was
not Of his seeking. And had he alone
been involved in the attack 1t is ex-
tremely doubtful II the world would
have ever known his personal feel
ings in the matter.
But the fact was surely and stead.
lily forced upon his attention that not
only he but the entire policy Of the
administration were on trial. The
great Republican party was being put
in false light before the people, and
that too, by the man who above all
others should have been the last to
expose its few weaknesses and fail
ings-had they really eXisted-the
man whom it had honored with the
high office of its standard bearer.
Hence reluctantly, sorrowfully, ne
took up the task the consummation OF
which meant the termination of a life.
long friendship. Well might it
wrench his soul" But having re.
solved finally upon his course with
what power and precision he carried
out his painful part in the contro-
versy! How calm and dispassionate
the utterances, but how weighted
with wisdom and dignity! What an
array of statements! Nay this was
not the occasion for words gotten up
in gala attire; not season of lip
service. This was a time for facts
hard, ugly, but none the less real
facts, and when the presentation
was finished nothing remained to be
said. In one calm, deliberate treatise
the entire attack had been reduced 70
the status of a Theodore fighting
wind mills.
What a contrast! On the one hand
Republican President showing him
self big enough to be a true Ameri.
can President, with record OF
achievement along the lines that go
TO establish abiding peace and per.
words, but OF deeds. On the other
man gone mad with the virus OF
ambition, stalking flagrantly up and
down the earth seeking whom he
might devour, hugging to himself
the glory and credit for what not
himself, but what the great Repub.
lican party has done.
Colonel Roosevelt as President OF
the United States and later as pri-
vate citizen had our profoundest re-
spect, but Theodore Roosevelt, as
sailant OF his own party, naughty, in
dolent and selfseeking, and obsessed
with the notion that he alone can
save the American people from them
selves, is not worthy the attention Of
serious men and we'll deserves the
paternal spanking so gloriously given
him by the President last week.
y Il !.
UNITED LOGAN.
Il
Seated in the lobby OF hotel in
one of the cities of southern Idaho a
few nights ago we overheard the fol.
lowing scrap Of conversation between
two travellers. They were both men