The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-17
While All Other Presidents Have Been Subject.
ed to Fierce Fire Of Criticism He Believes His
Has Been the Harshest.
PROPOSES TOAST TO GOVERNOR WILSON
Declared Himself in Favor of One Term Of Six
Years for PSsssident In FIRST Important
Spsech Since Election.

limited Press Leased Wire Service.1 |,
NEW YORK, Nov. 16.--Declaring
himself in favor of single six year
term for the president, and the amend
ment of the constitution 80 as to give
cabinet officers seats in the senate,
President Taft made his first import /
ant speech since his defeat for re-
election, before the Lotus club to-
night, in a speech which he himself
called a swan song.
Gently railing at William Jennings
Bryan's suggestion that ex-presidents
be given debating power without vote
in congress, Taft closed with toast
to.
The health and success of the
able, patriotic and distinguished gem
tleman who is to be the next president
OF the United States
President Taft reviewed at length
the problems which the chief execu-
tive must face and urged that the ap-
pointments of local patronage" posts
be taken from him to enable him TO
give more time to putting into effect
the pledges Of the party that elected
| him.
Abiding humorouAly to the critic
iisms to which he has been subjected,
4 the president declared that he fore
saw the end OF "indiscriminate muck
raking'' and unfounded criticisms OF
public officials, which he said had
done grave injustice to many honor
able mem
Discussing the duties OF the presi-
dent, he declared that to man OF
| judicial temperament the ephemeral
| glory of the office soon passed, and
that the time has come for the recog-
milton for the good he has accomplish
Led, but was slightly assuaged by the
promise that history would right him.
Taft said that while all other presi-
dents had been subjected to a fierce
fire of criticism, he believed that he
had been more harshly treated, with
LESS reason, than any other of his
predecessors.
i The president referred, but Indirect
lly, to President-elect Wilson's an
nouncement that he intended to DuT-
sue the open door policy after his in,
auguration.
He called to his hearers attention
the fact that the president found II
necessary, after he took Office to cur
tail all official visits to a man, even
if he stepped "on somebody's foot.
In supporting his argument that cab
Iinet officers should be given seat ir
the senate to meet debate on ques
tions of state, the president said that
while parliamentary rules decreed the
! limit to the language which debateri
might use against each other, it fall
ed to limit the extent to which the de
baters might go in iaying the chic
executive. The presence OF cabine
officers, he declared, would have ;
statutory effect on this practice.
The president said in part:
q "The legend of the lotus eaters wa
4 that If they partook OF the fruit of tn
!. lotus there they forgot what had haT
:. pened in their country and were lef
). in state Of philosophic calm.
r 81 do not know what was in Ia
o mind of your invitation committs
o when / was asked to attend this bar
G quet They came to me before tn
election. AT first hesitated lest whe
a the dinner came. by the election,
81 should be shorn of interest as a guef
and be changed from an active an
verile participant In the days doing
OF the nation to merely dissolvin
view.
II knew that generally on an o
ls casion of this sort the motive of th
diners is to have guest whose S
Z; ciety should bring them more clos
ly into contact with the great presel
| and future and not be merely r
minder of what has been. But AFT,
r considering, saw IN the name
ar your club the possibility that you we
ir not merely cold. selfish seekers aft
6. pleasures OF your own, and that pc
haps you were organized to furni
consolation to those who mourl
oblivion to those who would forget,
opportunity for swan song to tho
!. about to disappear.
You have given me the toast II
!. president and take this toast I