The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-31
TAFT HAS FAITH
President Tells Republican Ed
itOrS the Party VIII Win.
He Says Wait Until the Fog
Clears Away.
OHIO DECLARED SAFE FOR HIM
Invites the Opposition to Get
Down to the Facts.
Calls Attention to the Record of
His Administration.
OHIO DECLARED SAFE FOR HIM

Columbus, O., Jan. 31.=President
Taft in an address to more than fifty
Republican editors of Ohio today de-
clared that he believes the party will
win in November, but said much of the
! brunt of the fight will rest on the
editors. The president confessed that
he had forgotten much about Ohio
politics, but said he depended on the
editors to bring a victory in the fall.
He said in part:
''The party has had during the last
two or three years a hard time but it
is not the first time in it's history it
has had to go over rough places. 1t is
not the first time in history when it
has been unjustly attacked; when it
has been misunderstood by the voters
and its own members, and it is not
the first time in its history when, I
verify believe, this coming campaign
Is to show that it had the power in
itself to overcome obstacles and to
win victory again and show that it is
the real agency in the United States
upon which real progress can be based.
The truth is that we have not had
the whole story told and we have not
been out in such a way that the issue
can be distinctly made and the facts
bearing on that issue brought out.
There has been q great deal of fog,
but think when We get stripped for
the fight and get down to the arena
ties drawn up on each side, We shall
be able to show warrant for our
continuance in power that a common
sense and discriminating people cannot
ignore.
Upon your energy and faith in Re
publican principles and your belief
that the party has a large future of
usefulness before it, rests the question
whether we are to be successful in the
coming campaign"
After addressing the editors Mr..
Taft spoke to the delegates of Ohio's
fourth constitutional convention now
in session here. He declined to make
suggestions constitution building,
but told the delegates he would later
show how he regarded their efforts
when the people vote to ratify or re-
ject their work. At / O'Clock the
president left Columbus for Akron,
where he closes this three days visit
to Ohio with speech tonight. He
will then return to Washington.
Pleased With His Visit.
Columbus, O., Jan. 31.-PIeased
with his reception in his home state,
President Taft ends his three days
trip to Ohio tonight at Akron, where
merce.
According to Republican National
Committeeman A. 1. Vorys of Ohio,
the president will go back to Washing
ton with assurances from majority
of Republican leaders that the state
delegation to the Republican national
convention at Chicago will be for him.
The presidents program for his last
day in Ohio was not strenuous and was
such as to give his sore throat a
chance to heal before he gets back to
the capital.
His list of engagements in Column
bus included a meeting of Republican
editors and a visit to the Ohio cOnSti-
tutional convention. He is due to
leave for Akron this afternoon and
after his speech there tonight will
ctc RI Wash rfOn 9hOl1f naidniOhf-
Reviewing the achievements of his
administration, before the Colum bus
Glee club here, President Taft drew
the line sharply between the old line
Republicans and the progressives of
his party, and said that the time was
at hand when the .denunciation Of the
progressives must cease and when the
nation will demand facts.
He had not the slightest doubt, he
said, that the Republican party would
win out in the November elections.
Growing Impatient.
The president indicated that he had
grown impatient with the attacks that
have been made upon the Republican
party and upon his administration in
the last few years He said that the
old line Republicans were progressive;
progressive enough to adopt all the
legislation that progress demanded,
but said he was not the sort OF man
to promise to make a heaven on
aarth' or to reform the world in a
day. He said that in his mind there
were three reasons why the party
should be returned to power next No
vember One was that it had done
reasonably and fairly well'' in its adj
rninistration Of the government in the
last few years and deserved the con-
tinued confidence of the country; the
second was that it was progressing
and would put in operation all the
necessary legislation that is progress
sive;'' and the third was that the par
ty was mot chasing chimeras and
not unsettling the foundations of gov
ernment merely to indulge in the
fancies of hope"
The presidents political speech came
as a surprise to many of his auditors,
who listened respectfully when he be-
gan, reviewing in narrative fashion,
his knowledge of William Mckinley.
From the former president, however.
he switched suddenly into a discussion
of present Cay politics and the diners
cheered him wildly when he said:
Expects Victory in November.
Il believe that the Republican party
is going to be successful in November,
1912. and I believe it thoroughly and
sincerely and without any mental res
ervations whatever and I believe that
because I have real faith in the in
telligence and discrimination Of the
American people. I believe that they
know what good service is. I believe
that they have intelligence and discrim-
ination enough to enable the party or
through political speakers in the cam
paign of education that is coming, to
convince that the service of the last
four years has been such that they can
trust it for the next four years
"a campaign IS four months long. 1t