The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-09-07
TAFT'S IDEAL OF
WORCESTERSHIRE


Roosevelt. They do not believe that the
oppos ation caused by the Presidents
Canadian reciprocity policies explains
this feeling excepting in a limited part
of the country They have been unable,
they say to find that any real antagon-
ism to various policies advocated by
President Taft prevails
Within a few days one OF the ablest
members of President Taft's administra-
tion, one. too, who has been very promi-
nently before the public OIL account of
his part in some of the more important
judicial proceedings, said to some of his
friends in this city that he believed that
it was beginning to be recognized that
what is really at issue is the unwilling
ness of President Taft to make his ad-
ministration absolutely and exclusively
a Republican party administration. In
other words, it is beginning to be sus-
pected that fundamentally the opposi-
tion is due to the conventional belief by
all politicians that a government like
ours, to be successful must be a party
government. party may stand for
certain well defined an6 recognized prin-
ciples, this man said, but AFTER the issue
on those principles has been decided al
the polls it has been the expec
that the policies will be carried out eX-
clusively by members of the party which
'triumphed in the presidential election.
Whatever else Colonel Roosevelt may
have been he has never failed to believe
in, or, at least, to adopt what he be-
lieves to be the conventional view of the
American people-that this is and must
he a party government. Roosevelt never
went outside of his party to make an
important appointment.
PRESIDENT TAFT'S POINT OF VIEW
President Taft, so his personal and
official associate stated, either aid not
understand that ours is a party govern
ment or else thought that the time had
come to demonstrate that it was not
mere platitude to say that the President
is the President of the whole people He
was an ideaist when he became Presi-
dent, for he believed that if he caused
his Administration to be directed by the
best men whom he could find. no matter
whether they were Republicans or Denr
Gratis, he would be sure to gain the con
fidence of the people. From that ideal
view President Taft has never departed.
And yet his friends are now inclined TO
the opinion that If the President be de-
feated at Chicago it will be due to the
extent and vigor of che feeling among
Republicans that the party SHOULD have
been exclusively recognized by the Ad-
ministration at Washington.
Reference was made by this man to
the Cabinet. He said that president
Taft had selected as able body of
men, one the whole, as ever sat around
Presidents Cabinet table. and yet
there is not one of them who could go
forth into the country, eXpound the Ad
minstration policies and command any
thing more than a respectful hearing.
Into the Cabinet the President brought
one man of very fertile intellect, keen,
profound, a really great constructive
legal mind. And yet he IS without the
ability to persuade the people by public
addresses or upon the stump of the eff
cacy and business of some of the poll
cies advocated by the President. The
Treasury Department has been direct
ed with unusual skill, although the diff
fculties which confronted the Secretary
of the Treasury were less than some of
and overcome. But the Republican party
as a whole takes little interest in what
Secretary McVeagh has said; partly be-
Gause he has not the gift of political
appeal and partly because the general
impression is that Mr.. McVeagh has
never been a very enthusiastic Republic
can, while at times he was an enthus-
iastic Democrat. Another member of
he roh 4
been Confedarte soldier, and he was
esteemed as a very capable man. This
estimate of him, however, was not of
much avail when party success was I'M
der consideration. Another member OF
the Cabinet, possibly as able Secretary
as ever held the portfolio which he
holds, is regarded as a perfect type OF
the American aristocraCy.
TAFT ASSEMBLED A GREAT CABINET
The Cabinet as whole has typifed
President Taft's view that in the Admin
istration the men most competent to
serve should be given places. One anec,
dote will illustrate this: When Presi-
dent Taft was called upon two years ago
TO appoint a Solicitor General he sent
for Frederick William Lehman, one o..
Inc aOleSt lawyers OF the United States,
and at one time president of the Ameri
can Bar Association. The President said
to Mr.. Lehman that he wanted to APP.
point him Solicitor General. Mr. Leh-
man replied that the Pres dent might
have overlooked the fact that he was
not only Democrat, but of the kind
they sometimes call dyed in the wool"
President Taft said: II don't care what
your party associations are; | want a
competent lawyer for Solicitor General,
and I'm going to have lawyer for that
office" What could Mr. Lehman say to
that but to assure the President that if
1his were the sole qualification the
President looked for, then he would take
the offer under consideration. He did
do thai and accepted; but Mr.. Lehman $
friends say that he has often felt that
it was a mistake to have done so, both
for himself and for President Taft's own
praty.
1t has been known for some time that
Republican politicians throughout the
United States have felt somewhat resent