The Washington times., 1912-02-15
MIR. TAFT APPEARS AS A TRUE FRIEND

The time has come when President Taft is en-
titled to complete exoneraton in connection with
the charge that he is conshutionay unable to stick
Loyalty by a friend. This newspaper has been mol
sycophantic adulator of the President 1t has ven
tured to disagree; even in its accustomed sweet and
mild fashion, to express disagreement. Wherefore,
it feels the more obligated to acknowledge that an in
stance has been discovered that must cover with
confusion those critics who have doubted the Pres
dents capacity for devotion to a useful friend
Reference is had, Of course to the beautiful
demonstration Of the Presidents friendship for Major
B. B. Ray. Since Damon and Pythias, nothing more
touching has been noted II is modern setting of
the story of David and Jonathan and if its only liter
ary record at this time is found in the cold, unnspr
ing files of the War Department, that misfortune will
be corrected literary persons realize its availability
for their purposes.
Major Ray was railroad conductor with pen
chant for politics; good hand with the Labor vote.
So he got into politics: the President writes that
Major Ray did me some service of political char
acter years ago at the instance of my brother" He
became a paymaster in the army.
IndiScretons were charged against the major A
clerk under him wrote to General Whippe charging
that Ray had dishonored this clerks wife He had
forced his attentions on the young woman; had used
threats of having her husband discharged and leaving
her without support. In that event, it was alleged,
he promised to care for her and make sure that she
should need for nothing.
The case Of Major Ray, under these charges,
went UP to the President, who wrote General Whippe
in part thus:
"* In times past had personal inter
est in the welfare of Major Ray. While
Rays conduct if charges true, could subject him
to severest condemnation it would be we'll
to avoid the demoralizing scandal for the army in
volved in the court-martial proceedings.
Ray could be told that his Superiors knew his fault
and have provided against it, and it was
deemed best not to present it to board on the con-
dition that he avoid such conduct in the future.
= | would make the same suggestion as to
any army officer in a similar case"
Truly remarkable return for some service of
a political character" Major Ray for dshonoring
the wife Of a subordinate in fashion which on the
record appears peculiarly reprehensible was to be
told that his superiors knew" And then, lest that
should be an unbearabe penalty, the major to be
assured that they have provided against his fault!
Precisely what the judical-minded President meant
is not quite clear, when he refers to providing
against that sort Of fault Evidently, however, he
meant providing against the sporve major suffering
any discomfort such a court-martial and cashier
ing; for the major is still major and paymaster,
and even the letters concerning his were, by di-
| recton of the President, withheld from the fes and
only the rgorS or nVeSrgaton nave torced them into
publicity.
1t is sincerely to be trusted that in view of this
fetching showing of the extremes to which the Pres
dental friendship is capable of going there will be
no more complaint that Mr.. Taft has not stood by
his political friends Even if he did forget the pledges
on which he was elected; even if he INDUCED the
error of making downward mean upward" even
| if he did repudiate his promises to fight Cannon
even if he unable to recall ancient acquaint-
ance with Theodore Roosevelt, to recognize the
progressves who had fought to make him the nomi-
nee of their party, and the President Of the nation;
granting these little of omission and commits
son does not this beautiful display of loyalty to the
friend who had got mixed up unfortunately with
another mans wife, in scandal disgraceful that
it couldn't be aired the papers concerning it remain
in the department files, justify in forgetting and
| forgving any minor derelictions? Should not the
President be recognized having at last demon.
strated how closer than brother he can stick to
| friend in need?
Il would make the same suggestion as to any
army officer in a similar case" protests the Presi.
dent. Could friendship 60 farther than thus to an
nounce general policy of suspending the laws oi
decent society and respectable conduct, as to the
whole army, in order to protect man with pull who
did me some service of political character?"
i Surely the President will no longer be accused
of forgetting his friends, of disloyaly to those who
served him in politics.
It's really too bad that the American Public
Health Association and the International Congress.