The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-05-24
GRATITUDE" MEANS
MALIGNANT ATTACK
UPON ROOSEVELT
Taft's Tirade Not New to Men
Who Know Him.

Ysars-Has Now Openly Stamped
Himself as a Reaetionary.
washington, April. - Stung to the
quick by his belated recognition OF the
long patent fact that the voters OF the
Republican party had repudiated his
candidacy for denomination and are
overwhelmingly in favor Of the nomi-
nation Of Colonel Roosevelt as their
candidate for the presidency this year.
MI. Taft has at last thrown aside all
restraint and carried out the threat
which he has been muttering to his in
Inmates for some weeks to speak out
in public his real thoughts about the
man who made him president
In Mr.. Taft's TRADE against Mr..
Roosevelt at Springfield. Mass. there
is nothing essentially new to those who
have been on anything more than re-
lations Of casual intimacy with the
president for some time. 1t is fact
known to not a few Of those closely
connected with the campaign Of 1908
that even at that time the Taft fam.
ny was displaying that peculiarly ma
lignant temper toward Mr.. Roosevelt
which 30 often takes the place of graft
tude in the hearts of those who have
benefited by a great service rendered
by a friend. 1t is a fact known to not
a few persons that at times during the
campaign Of 1908 the talk about Mr..
Roosevelt among members Of the Taft
family was such as to cause the great
est uneasiness to the managers Of Mr..
Taft's campaign for the presidency,
lest it should become public and work
serious damage to the campaign. Those
familiar with the true feeling toward
Mr.. Roosevelt in the Taft family have
been surprised that Mr.. Taft has con.
cealed for so long his real attitude to-
ward his benefactor.
From the time last fall when the
strong sentiment of the country in IA
for Of Colonel Roosevelt began to man
fest itself Enthusiastically. there has
been much talk from Taft sources
about Colonel Roosevelt's ingratitude
to Mr.. Taft. 1t has been assumed by
Ny. Tafts partisans that. because Colo
mel Roosevelt was instrumental in
bringing about Mr.. Taft's nomination
and election to the presidency. he was
therefore bound Mt all times. under all
circumstances and ut all costs, tc sup
port Mr.. Taft's administration and Mr.
Taft's denomination and election. That
assumption is entirely unwarranted and
has no logical justification. The fact is
that Taft, the president, is not and
never for one moment has been the
Tart Mr.. Roosevelt and his intimate as
sociates knew as secretary Of war and
whom they supported as candidate
for the presidency.
While Mr.. Taft was seeking the pres
idency he constantly sought to appear
as a stanch and true progressive. But
on that November night in 1908 when
the count Of the votes showed that he
had been elected to tile presidency. he
ceased to make any effort actually to
be progressive. For some time he
continued to wear a mask as a pro-
gressive. but in the last two years Of
his presidency he has not kept up even
that feeble effort to deceive the people
Of the country. BY his constant asso-
citation with the Aldriches, the Can
mons and the LOrimers, by his ready
submission to their influence and ad-
vice. by his active support Of the meas
ures they devised and favored: by his
cooperation with them in matters Of
patronage, and by his unbushing at
tempt to coerce the real progressives
through the brazen use Of federal pat
ronage, he has stamped himself openly
as the reactionary which he has al
ways been at heart.
A single illustration will suffice for
the demonstration Of this proposition.
In his speech at Cincinnati. in July,
1908, accepting the nomination for the
presidency. Mr.. Tan took occasion to
reiterate his Endorsement of Mr.. Roose-
welt and 10 enumerate some Of the acts
which he regarded as the distinctly
beneficial achievements of his prede-
cessor. In that speech he said:
HE (Mr. Roosevelo recommended
the passage of law, which the Re-
publican convention has since specif-
tcally approved. restricting the future
issue of stocks and bonds by Interstate
railways TO such as may be authorized
by feredal aunhOrity. He demonstrate
ed to the people by what he said. by
what he recommended to congress, and
by what he did. the sincerity Of his
efforts 10 command respect for the
law, and TO save the country from the
dangers Of a plutocratic government.
toward which We were fast tending"
in numerous speeches during the
campaign Of 1908 Mr. Taft declared
his cordial support Of Mr. Roosevelt's
proposition TO secure the enactment OF
Q law controlling the issue of securi-
ties by interstate carriers. When he
became president. he pretended to
make such law one of the paramount
measures OF his legislative program.
He caused to be prepared. with much
and publicity. u bill pur-
porting to contain provisions aimed at
such control Of the issue Of securities.
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