The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-16
in FIGHTING MOOD
New Quality Seen in Presidents
Lincoln Day Speech.
Judicial Dignity Gives Way to
Personal Vehemence.


New York, Feb. 16.-Congressman
| Underwood, leader of the majority in
the lower house of congress. is to be
| the guest of honor at the annual ban
quet at Philadelphia of the Pennsvl-
van1a branch of the Society of the
| Cincinnati on Washington's birthday
| The selection of Mr.. Underwood seems
/ to involve a departure from the policy
followed by the Society of the Cincin-
natl at its banquets Politics or kin
! dred subjectS-at least the politics of
the day-have not been thought suit
able subjects for addresses to mem
bers of the Cincinnati society.
Mr. Underwood, however, was in
vited, not because of his political
prominence, but because it was known
that he had made a thorough study of
Washington and Of the times in which
Washington comprised his achieve
ments. Mr.. UnderWood's address has
already been written and it is known
that while there may be certain yelled
illusions to the spirit of demagogy
and to the disposition 20 attack the
motives of men who are in public life
as these things prevail at the present
time, yet it will be said that they also
prevailed in greater intensity in the
time of Washington.
Whatever may have been the pur-
pose Of the Society of the Cincinnati
in inviting Mr.. Underwood to become
the chief guest at the Washington's
birthday dinner yet the prominence
of the Pennsylvania branch and the
very high character of its member
ship will, it is thought here surely
add something to the prestige which
Mr.. Underwood has already gained as
a majority leader in the lower house
of congress. This banquet and his
speech will tend more closely to fix the
attention of the public upon him
At the dinner held on the night of
Lincoln's birthday in this city, at
which President Taft was the guest of
honor, there were a good many under
currents and ripples which carried all
sorts of political information. Some
of it professed to tell of present tend
encies of the Democratic party. One
of the reports which passed from one
to another of the members of the
club was to the effect that it would
not be cause for establishment If SEN
timent at the Dem ocratfc national con-
vention were to concentrate upon
presidential ticket at the head of which
New York and in the second place the
name of Oscar Underwood of Alabama. !
A Modern poor Richard"
Within the past year Mayor Gaynor
has increased his reputation by the |
faculty with which he applies the phi |
subject which he discusses in public |
He speaks in quaint, homely words
to the plain people. He gives the i'm
preston that he is an eminently prac- |
teal man, looking upon all measures
from the practical point of view, ana
in some of his addresses has seemed /
to initiate the philosophy of Benjamin
Franklin. Plain, homely talks, packed
full of common sense, spoken with ap-
parent Indifference and courage TO
personal results of a harmful political
nature, have certainly greatly increas-
ed Mayor Gaynor's reputation in this
city and in other parts of the country,
as we hear
Yet it is known that ammunition
has been prepared for use with in
tent to destroy Gaynor's prestige IN
case he seems to loom formidably as
q candidate for the Democratic nom
nation to the presidency. Those who
are in charge of this ammunition be-
lieve that it will be effective
Whoever talks with members or the Re-
publican club who heard President TaffS
Lincoln day address speedily learned that
it is not so much the subject matter OF
the address it was the manner of its
which especially interested and
concerned his hearers. Some who were
present have heard President Taft on
other occasions. 1t has always seemed to
close students of President Taft's charac-
teristics as public speaker that he SEEM
ed little less interested in what he said
and in its influence on his hearers than
the hearers themselves were. That, how
ever, has been attributed to the pre-
judicial quality of his mind He
has been accustomed to read his speeches
with something of the manner of a judge
who reads an opinion But in his Lincoln I
day speech a new quality was discovered
The president spoke If not with i'll tenn
per, at least with high temper The per-
sonal quality was there. He read rapidly,
whereas upon other occasions he has de- 4
ivered his addresses in slow, almost
tone of voice. One who sat
at the head table, not far from President
Taft, in a whisper to President Otto Ban
lard asked him to request the president =
to speak little more slowly. But the
was not made since 1t was seen {
hat the presidents Tapfdity of utterance 1
vas due to the vehenence and earnest I
ness with which he was delivering his
The common opinion at the Republican I
elub was that the situation stands TO- f
lay President Taft will be renominated
without much difficulty. But it was also I
said that in many parts of the country
delegates will be chosen and sent to Chi
ago there to make the plea that the reg
liar delegates we're elected through the
of organized machinery where
Is. had there been statewide primaries
delegates who favored the nomination Of
Roosevelt would have been chosen
OF course. these delegates would not be 3