Evening journal., 1912-10-22
TAFT FAVORS
CLEAN FIGHT
President Would Eliminate
Personalities From All
National Campaign
WOULD ADVERTISE
THE PARTY ISSUES
COPYRIGHT 1912 BY THE UNITED
PRESS ASSOCIATION.

COPYRIGHT 1912 BY THE UNITED
PRESS ASSOCIATION.
BEVERLY, Mass. Oct 22.-That he
is opposed to the use of personalities
in a campaign was the emphatic
statement of President Taft in an ex-
elusive interview granted the United
Press yesterday In view of the in
terest aroused throughout the coun-
try by the charges made by certain
men that personalities were RESPONSE
BILE for the shooting of Colonel Roose-
velt the president was asked for his
view. He made it very plain that he
believes personalities absolutely out
of place; that they do not change a
single vote, but that they serve to be-
cloud the real issues.
The president endorsed the mod
ern methods of getting the issues be-
fore the public through extensive ad-
yertising, but admitted they were
most expensive. He made it plain too
that the questioning of the motives of
big contributors has made the raising
of funds for the present day fights a
real problem
In conclusion, the president made
a plea for dignity in Office seeking
declaring there was no question the
people of the United States were as
Jealous of the dignity Of their higher
officials today as they ever We're in
the country's history.
"Mr. President he was asked,
How do you personally believe pres
idential campaigns should be con
ducted?"
Presidential campaigns should be
conducted" he answered, "in such a
way as to bring out the vote of as
many citizens as possible. The great
danger to Republican government. as
I see it, is the lack of interest that is
taken in politics. and in the exercise
of suffrage by a very large number
Of our citizens.
u regret to say that I believe stat
istics would show that those who ne
glect this very important duty are
generally intelligent, well-to-do, and
capable of exercising the sort of dis
elimination of their vote that would
make for good government and every
thing, therefore, should be done to
bring out this vote in presidential
campaign presume that rallies,
processions-to or otherwise
and other manifestations of party
are absolutely necessary to arouse
the attention and the interest of the
voter. The press. of course, is the
chief instrument for keeping before
the people the controversies Of the
campaign and the necessity for po-
litical activity and the final act OF
suffrage. but other methods of ad-
vertising are coming into vogue-the
use of the billboard and electric
signs, and the advertising panels OF
the street cars is a logical outcome
of the study of the science of adver-
Using and publicity that so many in
dustrial concerns had occasion to
make.
"The great difficulty in such cam
paisns is the expense. A campaign
conducted in forty-eight states nee
essarily involves the expenditure of
vast amounts of money. The trav-
elling expenses of speakers are to be
paid, the advertising. whether IL is by
mail, through the newspapers, by bill
boards or otherwise, is certain to
amount to large figures while the
renting of halls, the transportation OF
speakers, the construction of plat
forms and the uniforming and equip
ping of clubs all involve expenditure
of money.
"At times it seems more or less
easy TO raise considerable sums by
popular subscription, but in times
past the subscriptions have been by
comparatively few persons of large
financial means and engaged in en-
terprises which might have relations
10 the government to be affected fav-
orably or unfavorably by government
tai action This has given rise, when
the contributions became known to
questions of motives. many of them
unfounded. that are likely to make
the collection of funds of this kind
exceedingly dit1cult.
THE question is not one easily
solved. In Oregon and some states it
has been attempted to pay the ex-
penses of the campaigns of all par
ties by furnishing a public record OF
the arguments made in favor of each
candidate and its circulation among
the people at public expense, but
should think this a very unsatisfac-
tory way of arguing out a question OF
some intricacy and that il might limit
the knowledge of people in respect
to the controversies upon which they
are expected to vote"
what DO you thlnk, MT. PRESIDENT
is the effect of personalities in the
campaign
L very much doubt" continued the
president. whether personalities
have anything like the effect in a
campaign that those who use then
think they do.
Sometimes there is a real revela'
ton as to the character proven to his
detriment so that he suffers, but or.
dinarily the use of epithets and the
personal attacks upon candidates only
anger their friends. crafty their enc
mics, and do not affect those who are
Indifferent one way or another. Il
lowers the tone of the discussion and
diverts public attention from tho
real facts at issue.
For that reason, the fewer th'
personalities in a campaign. the more
likely the public is to reach SOUND
and Just conclusion"
do the people still look for dig
nifty in high officeT
They certainy do. I am convinced
that the humblest voter among the
people would wish the high officers
- "a rcrtornracrf fn conduct fhpr,1.