Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-12
Pres. Taft's Record
Notable Achievements of the
Administration Accomplished
without Unnecessary Noise.
Policies of Predecessors,

When Theodore Roosevelt succeeded 20
the presidency on the death Of Mr.. Nc
Kinley he pledged himself 10 carry out
the policies of his predecessor. Nc one
expected that by such a pledge he in
tended to bind himself to give the coun-
try a copy-book imitation Of Mckinley;
he could not have done so, had he made
the effort. and fortunately for the coun-
try AMI his own reputation he had too
much sense to enter upon any such hsz-
ardous attempt. In undertaking TO carry
out these policies he very wisely re-
served to himself the right to select his
own methods. To have aped the methods
Of his predecessor, from whom he dif-
fered in great many ways. would have
doomed his pledge to unfulfilment and
mis- administration TO failure.
In throwing the whole influence Of his
administration to the support OF the can
di5acy both before and after the nomina-
ton Of Mr.. Taft In the effort to have
his secretary OF war succeed him in the
White House. AIR. Roosevelt while presi-
dent made no pretense of believing that
Mr.. Taft would attempt to copy the
Roosevelt administration. and he fire.
quently illustrated the independence OF
his own cabinet officer by telling OF
many instances where they differed In
matters OF method, although striving 10
reach the same goal. One reason why
his successor has been the victim Of so
much criticism is to be found in the
disposition Of many people TO find fault
with the Taft administration on the score
Of its difference from that OF the two
Roosevelt administrations preceding. AMI
yet no man was more firmly OF the opIn-
ion than was Mr.. Roosevelt during hls
last year In the White House of the
essential difference between the tasks
which he had tackled so effectively and
the problems which would confront his
successor. In replying on one occasion to
the urgent appeal Of several personal
friends that he allow himself to be re-
nominated at the Chicago convention OF
1905, Mr.. Roosevelt in some such words
as these justified his determination to
leave the White House at the end of his
second term, and II possible to accom-.
plish the nomination and election OF Mr.
Taft as his successor: For the last
seven years | think | have been the man
best fitted for president. l have mad a
In rough fashion. Mine was the work OF
blazing the way. but for the next eight
years l am certain that Taft Is much
better suited for the presidency than
am. because the problems 10 be solved
during the years that follow are con-
structive and call for man OF the legal
training and ability which Taft has in
such abundance"
The Presidential Succession.
Nor did Mr.. Roosevelt hastily reach his
conclusion with respect to Mr.. Tafts fit-
ness for the presidency. At the time that
there was a vacancy on the supreme
bench, to which Mr.. Justice Moody ulti-
mately was appointed President Roose-
welt for the third time offered the APP
polntment to Mr.. Taft, who was then his
secretary OF war, and the temptation 10
accept that appointment and thus crafty
a lifelong addition was almost stronger
than MIR. Taft could resist. A few days
before he reached his decision and when
his family and closest personal friends
had almost despaired OF persuading him
to decline II. President Roosevelt wrote
n letter in which. although he did not
undertake TO decide q question which only
Mr. TAFT himself could decide. very
clearly and AZ some length emphasized
the reasons why Mr.. Taft ought to sue
coed him rs president. and enuncisted
the narticular qualifications for tina,
office which Mr. Taft possessed. That
le,,er NJ pres,dent Roosevelt, was a vary
po,en, ,ae,or IN the adverv. conclusion
which Mr. Taft reached. for Mr.. Roose.
val, no,n,sd ON, thar Al such a time a
man mus, No, alone eonsult his personal
nrsfsrancs h,, mus, de,err,na N what
d,rec,ion law HIS duty He was frank %
saw that IN his Judgment El,hu Roo,
wop,a ,naka . sr.star nr.ald.r, thar
slthsr Mr. taft or himself. and that one
=, ,bs rsa.on. WIN he haa sent hin, "a
sou,h ArDartca a. sacr.,ar,, a, s,s,A x,as
% g,va IT., IN. onnor,nn,,v m hs,ny
sroa,n h,, IN, naopia ~ tho Irn,,.d s,.,e.
ana hv ,har, annraciatad IN tha wav ,ha,
s,,cn .tosa ,r,.nas a. NJ poo..y.i, a,a
H. T.,, 80 ara annrsc,a,ad n,ro pr,
al,nos, =, an. ana az a memorable ana
markedly successful tourney. during
which s.cr.,arv Roo, visited alpoos, .vsrv
on. !, ,ho so,,,h Am.r,c.n ran,,huc. .
ssr,ou. cr,s,. occurred IN cuba tbs, Az.
nanaas Immediate attention and Mr.
r. :, s,a. a..na,ohod 90 ~. .o.nn ga a..
ac,,,,.,.a h,r,.aI, ,hsro ,has nrn,,n a.
tans,on w,s pron,ptIv corcar,rs,sa uno,
M, In, a. i, had hssn vh.r NJ poos..
vi, won, an ans a, h,s ,,as,.rn hur,I,,
,r,n. .na ~, NJ T.,, ,n.r .aera,.rS
a, u,.r ...,,,,,,g an ~ IA !" :, ~ NJ.
- 80 80" 49, 49,