The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-19
HOW HE COULD HAVE DONE.

/ We notice correspondent who
| quotes SAYING "Was not Taft the
most disappointing President we have
had in The executive chair since Presi-
| dent Hayesi' and asks IN reply.
"What is il that Mr.. Taft might have
was Taft so disappointing2 In what
way might he have improved ON the
things that he has done?' That CORE.
spondeut further states: al have not
yet found any one who could answer
these questions. although ! have asked
every person whom have heard find
ing fault with Mr., Taft That CORE
spondent has a level head on his shout
dcrs. The fact is that there was no
reason whatever 10 find fault with
President Taft. He was first-class
President. and. probably, as Colonel
Roosevelt said in 1905, better qualified
TO enter the Presidential office than
any man who bad ever been elected
thereto.
But when it is asked where Taft
failed, it is not difficult to provide the
answer. President Taft succeeded n
man W no was extremely fond Of gallery
play and noise and hurrahs and Of
beating tom.t toms. Whenever anything
was done by President Roosevelt he
took care that the country should know
of it and give him all possible credit
for everything that was commendablc
or satisfactory. No opportunity for
,clf-adyortisinr was lost. no chance TO
raise a burrah was neglected. There
was no act that could possibly evoke
public approval that was not exploited,
explained, and the people called upon
10 see and admire.
But when President Taft came into
office all that sort Of thing stopped,
and the people. not seeing any fire
works. not hearing any brass bands
playing. not hearing the tom-tom 10
which they had been so long accus.
toned, seemed TO take it for granted
that nothing was doing; and as there
was no spectacular play, no invitations
TO the public TO come up and look at
a free circus, no invocation to tho
galleries 10 applaud, the people seemed
to take it for granted that something
was radically wrong. The Taft admin
istration did not attract public notice
or attention. That il was far more
deserving Of public attention and ap-
proval than the previous administration
he eli fnh 1,n
il utterly failed TO get that public
notice and approval because il did
not invite spectacular attention TO its
actions and doings, and was merely a
straightforward, lawful. safe, and in
every way advantageous administration
in the public interests. The tom-tom
had rest. the brass bands had oppor-
tunity to catch their breath, and the
people took the calm as sign that the
ship of state was not sailing on. They
had been accustomed TO the shivers at
frequent intervals and the announce.
ment that the ship was about upon
the rocks. but that the tremendous
activity, courage, and skill Of President
isOpSc'Nlt hdu i'SNutu II. Ou4N 10 We
another like shiver in a very short time
with like sensational rescue by the
same phenomenally gifted pilot.
All those tricks of notoriety. seeking
statecraft President Taft utterly
neglected. while Roosevelt was a past
master OF them all. and took every
occasion TO put them TO use in his
interest; and that is the difference be.
tween the two men, and that is why
the Taft administration was so dsap.
pointing in the public mind. AS TO
what President Taft might have done
that he has left undone, the answer
is easy He might have started the
noise and kept it going. If he had
done so, the public would have taken
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