The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-18
At a Banquet Given by the
N. Y. Lotus Club.
IE LAUGHS AT HIS DEFEAT
Endorses One Six-Year Term
for Future Presidents
And a Liberal Provision for
Them on Retirement.

left New York a few minutes after
o'clock this morning attend the
meeting of the Yale corporation in
New Haven. He expected to make
only a brief stay in New Haven and to
leave there at 2 o'clock this afternoon
| This schedule would bring him to New
from the Grand Central to the Penn
sylvania station, where he will take a
train that reaches Washington about
IL o'clock tonight.
poration, who were guests with the
president at the dinner of the LotoS
club here Saturday night, accompanied
him o New Haven.
President Taft sang his swan
song" as chief executive of the ma
ton while here. AS the guest of the
the toast, 1.-The President in a speech
which many of his hearers considered
the most remarkable he has ever
ade. He shifted from grave to gay
said, four years in the White House
had taught him, to discussion OF
problemc which face the nation. He
laughed at the outcome of the cleo
ton; smiled when he spoke of some
of the plans of President-elect Wilson
and touched with gentle sarcasm
viii J. Bryan.
In his serious moments the presI-
dent earnestly advocated the admission
to the halls of congress of members
o" presidents cabinet; declared that
n six-year term in the presidency was
enough for any man; advocated
strongly the placing in the civil service
of practically every officer in the gov
ernment service, and limited broadly
that congress should provide for ex-
presidents so that they need not lower
the dignity of the position they have
held when they enter into private life.
His chief regret, the president said,
was L at he had been unable to influ-
ence the United States senate to ratify
~ arbitration treaties with France
and Great Britain. In spite of that
It he asked his audience to believe
at he would leave office with the
deepest gratitude to the American peo-
J'e the honor they had given him
and with the belief that enough prog
ress hs been accomplished in his ad-
nj ration to warrant him in feeling
that he had done real good for his
country.
His humorous references to the
burdens of the White House, to his
successor and to Bryan brought forth
round after round of applause. The
president closed his speech with a
toast to his successor: Health and
success to the able, distinguished and
patriotic gentleman who is to be-
d he raised his glass while his hear
Sc to their feet-"the next presi-
dent Of the United States"
His Speech in Part.
p .sident Taft said in part:
Il saw in the name of your club the
possibility that you were organized
" uIuISu an opportunity IOT a swan
song to those about to disappear. L
concluded that it was well to cast an
anchor to the windward and accept as
uch real coincidence as 1 could gath
er in such hospitable presence as
this and, therefore, my friends, 1 ac-
cepted your invitation and am here.
You have given me the toast of
The President It is said that the Of
flee of president is the most powerful
in the world, because under the con-
it's o o:cupant really can exer-
else more discretion than an emperor
o. king exercises in any of the govern
ments of modern Europe. L am not
to question this as a matter
OF reasoning from the actual power
given the president in the constitution
al division of governmental functions.
but am bound to say that the con-
ciou-ness of such power is rarely, if
ever, present in the mind of the ordi-
nary individual acting as president
tecause what chiefly stares him in the
face in carrying out any plan of his is
the limitation of the power and not
it's extent.
''Of course, there are happy fndi-
Viduals who are able to entirely ig-
more these limitations both in mind
and practice and as to them the re-
suit may be different. But to one
whose training and profession is sub
ordinate to law, the intoxication of
power rapidly sobers off in the knowl-
edge of its restrictions and under the
prompt reminder of an ever present
ana not always cOnS1derate press as
wei as by the kindly suggestions that
not infrequently come from that hall
of congress where impeachments are
initiated and that smaller chamber in
which they are tried.
I'm these days of progress, reform.
upIlft and improvement a man does
not show himself abreast of the age
unless he has some changes to suggest.
1t is the recommended change that
marks MS being up to date. 1t may
be a change only for the sake of
change, but it is responsible to a pub
lie demand, and, therefore, let's pro-
pose it. 1t is contrary to my own love
for the dear old constitution to sug-
gest alteration in it's terms lest ii be
regarded as a reflection upon. or a
criticism of that which has been put
to the sacred use for 125 years of
liberty regulated by law,
and the guarantee of the rights of
the minority and the individual under
the rules of the majority. But yield
ing to the modern habit and Just to
show that though 1 am a conserva-
tive, am not a reactionary, I venture
the suggestion that il would aid the
of the executive and center
his energy and attention and that of
his subordinates in the latter part of
his administration upon what is q
purely disinterested public service, II
he were made ineligible after serving
one term of six years either to a sue
ceeding or nOn-consecutive term.
-Four Years Too Short
at am a little specific in this mat
ter because it seems necessary to be
so in order to be understood. / don't
how imam bifiOuS y1oodast