The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-06
SPEAKS FOR TAFT.
Secretary Fisher Tells Why He
FavOrS the President
For Reelection to the Head
of the Nation.

washington, April 6.-Secretary of
the Interior Fisher, in an interview,
today urged the denomination of Pres
ident Taft His statement, which was
issued from the Taft national head
quarters. said:
1T would be false nodesty for me
| TO ignore, or to expect others to ig-
more, the fact that the Judgment thus
expressed is the opinion of a member
scious or unconscious influences as
arise from that association; but I hope
the personal note will be excused when
i 1 say that the appointment was not
/ sought, but was offered under circum-
stances that compelled acceptance and
that imposed no political obligations
! of any kind; that no such obligations
were then or have ever been suggested
and that the personal and official assocI-
alton has at least afforded the oppor-
tunity to form an accurate opinion OF
the character and the capacity of the
president and of his ideals and meth
| DDS"
Secretary Fisher said the people of
Chicago, do not need to be toid"
| that ne is, and has been, an earnest ad-
vocate of progressive policies, in fact
enough of a progressive to have been
denounced as a radical"
No department head, said Secretary
Fisher, could ask from the chief ex-
ecutive a more intelligent apprecia-
ton, a more helpful cooperation or a
more uniform and answering support
than he had received from the president.
His Argument.
Taking up the argument in favor of
President Taft, Mr.. Fisher said that
the nation faced problems of the
greatest difficulty and that the people
are determined that the old abuses
shall no longer be endured
Whether the remedies will be wise
or unwise, constructive or destructive,
depends largely on the choice of the
next chief executive of the nation"
said Secretary Fisher. Most of all,
think it depends on the choice of the
Republican nominee.
''I believe that nominee should be
First because he believes in popu-
lar government, to be achieved
through the principles of representa-
tive democracy. by means of which
alone genuine and enduring popular
government can be secured for the
people.
Second, because he has demon
strated constructive ability at time
when constructive craftsmanship is
needed as never before since the re-
public was founded.
Third, because on the principles
which he has advocated and on the |
progress he has achieved, the Repub- |
Hcan party must stand at the election. |
The Presidents Policy.
His whole ambition has been and |
is to render disinterested and effect |
i've pubic service. His ideal of pub |
lie service is the promotion of the |
welfare of the whole people. Under |
the most adverse conditions, in spite |
of misunderstanding, misrepreSenta7 |
ton and abuse, he has dem onstrated |
courage, patience and ability and has |
made real and definite progress both |
in legislation and in administration.
He has shown that he is more in |
terested in curing evils than in de- |
nouncing them, in moving steadily and |
surely forward than in talking about
the desirability of moving forward.
These, it seems to me. are the quail
ties peculiarly needed now in the pres
idential office"
Secretary Fisher said Taft had not
contented himself with reserving coal
fields and timber lands and water
power Sites" but had followed such
Withdrawals with efforts to secure eff
fective conservation laws.
HE is a conservatiOniSt who APP
preciates that conservation will be a
useful and enduring policy only to the
extent that we make it a practical and
constructive policy said the secre-
tary.
Secretary Fisher reviewed the atti-
tude of President Taft on the tariff
to show that he had done more than
any other man" to establish a scientff-
ic revision of schedules; and he cited
his advocacy of the amendment of the
railroad laws and his enforcement OF
the antitrust laws as indicative of
his thorough administration of cor
poratiOn laws.