Arizona republican., 1912-01-24
WEDNESDAY.
Mir. Taft's Utterance

or all men who have sat in the presidential chair. George Washing Ion knew least about practical poli- ties. Next To him comes William Howard Taft.
 There is no question of the prcsi- dents honesty, sincerity. or of his great ability. He is a wise presi- dent. He has done a splendid work in the service of his country. and his name will live in history. But he can't play politics.
 The other night before the New York Bar association Mr Taft said: Not all the people are capable of self government You believe that is true. but you are afraid to say it. am not afraid to say it"
 Now. it was a brave thing to say that. The president had absolutely nothing to gain. That is to say, he had no political advantage to gain. The only gain was the personal satis- faction a man may feel in declaring his belief.
 Of course that declaration was seized upon by the violently patriotic insurgents. the men who are the con- servators of the morality and good faith of this country. And of course they proceeded at once to declare that MT. Taft has repudiated the doc irine Of government of the people for the people and by the people"
 In passing let it be remarked that if Abraham Lincoln had ever re- motely suspected the demagogy that would be perpetrated in the name and words it is doubtful if he ever would have uttered them.
 And one part of Mr. Taft's assertion is absolutely true as can be easily demonstrated There are thousands of people in this country who do not believe that all the people are cap able of self government and who are afraid to express their opinion. They are afraid because the expression of that opinion would mean the loss of popularity. That opinion is held by | a very large section Of insurgents and | conservatives in common.
 To illustrate: Mir. Jonathan Bourne, ! senator from oregon, was recom- | mended for his present position hy a | minority vote of the people Of his | state Two-thirds of the people of i Oregon didn't want MT. Bourne in i the senate and they said so at the 1 polls From the nsurgent stand | point this hardly looks like gov crnmcnt by the people" but SO far I Mir. Bourne has given no hint of his intention to resign on that account. |
 The other day the democratic ma iority in the house Of representatives | refused to reduce their mileage fees | from 20 cents to 10 cents a mile. | There is no doubt that eight out of | ten of the people. if given the chance 1 to express their views, would demand | the reduction, but they are not given | the chance to make that demand. Is that government by the consent of ] tho governed?
 or course We all believe in gov crnment Of the people. for the people | and by the people. Down in Hamil- i ton. Georgia. they believe in it so strongly that a night or two ago 100 of the citizens of that town took | four people from the county jail, | hanged them to trees. and fired 300 bullets through their bodies. These | people had never been given a chance | to plead guilty or not guilty. They | had never been confronted by Jury. | They had had no trial-a thing the constitution of the United States guarantees to every accused person.
 They evidently believe in the con sent of the governed in Pennsylvania. | They believe in it so strongly that | some time ago the population of q | town turned out en masse and burned |