The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-05
Makes Funeral Grafton
Over His Political Corpse.
Asks Modest Praise
For His Deeds
RECITES CAUSES
WHICH LED TO HIS
RECENT 'DEMISE"
Speaks at the Republican "Reor-
ganizatiOn" Dinner Attended by
Over 1000--Declares He Has
Been More Misunderstood
Than Blameworthy

New York. January 4-President Taft
presided here tonight at what he STYLED
his own political wake" He made the
funeral Grafton over his political corpse,
asked modest praise for the deeds that he
did while he lived in the White House.
Erected at length the causes that led to
his demise" and attacked the enemies
he held responsible for his taking off.
| The President did this in speaking at
the republican Reorganization" dinner,
gi, en- at the Waldorf Astoria to more than
1000 republicans from all over the country.
He spoke for more than an hour. His de-
ferse of his administration was the ad-
ministrative results 1t has produeed his
reply to personal criticism was that he
had been more misunderstood than blame-
worthy. His attacks upon his political
| opponents-connned almost exclusively To
the progressives-was not bitter but sor-
row full.
| In spite of all the misrepresentation the
unrest, the present day desire for change,
| the President said he saw in the future a
return to the old ideas of government. the
awakening of the people to an UNDER
standing that social changes must be
made slowly and with sure steps. He
closed with an appeal TO republicans who
left the party to return and join hands
with the millions who remained faithful.
Reference to Roosevelt
| III the course of his speech the President
made his FIRST public reference 10 Colonel
Roosevelt since the close of the campaign,
asserting that probably 100000 voters,
normally republican, cast their ballots for
Mr.. Wilson, "in order to avert the danger
OF Mr.. Rooscvelts election"
The President said in part
1T Is not usual for the deceased TO give
very fun expression to his feelings at the
wake; but ] remember that In one of
Bcucicault's Irish dramas the corpse was
sufficiently revived to partake of the
liquid refreshments and became the chief
participant in the festivities. a few OPEN
ing remarks directed to the character OF
the deceased and the manner of his taking
off may not, therefore, be inappropriate.
what the political disease OF
which / died? | am hopeful that when
historians conduct their post mortems it
may be found that my demise was due to
circumstances over which / had no great
control and to a political cataclasm which
could hardly have anticipated or avoid
ed. but whether this be true or not even
friendly critics are able to point out per-
sonal reasons why it was that though
went In, / also went out. with large ma
joritles.
Sympathizes With Common People
ut has been charged against me
that / am an aristoerat, and that L
have no sympathy with the common
people. Now / don't think 1t is true.
think ] am as sympathetic with tho
rnr ue aur deS
of their happiness as anxious to see
that they have justice, as any one. /
believe most profoundly that popular
government is the best government,
and ! am greatly concerned that it
shall continue and be successful in
giving to the people at large the best
measure of individual liberty the
one hand, and the greatest practical
efficacy in government on the other.
IT may be that in my earnest desire
to make government efficient | have
not always explained that | believed
that to make government efficient 10
to work directly in the interest OF the
common people.
MY administration has come and
gone in a period of unrest and agita-
tion for something intangible which
it is difticult to definitely describe. We
have lived during the last four years
and are living now. in an atmosphere
of strenuous denunciations, of certain
evils and loud aspirations for ideal
state in which the common people are
To become happier the poor and the
oppressed are to acquire property and
cease suffering, and much or all of the
change is to be accomplished through
the agency of government
THE accumulation of swollen for
tunes during the TWO decades preced-
ing, and many of them by violation OF
the antitrust law, or the anti ebate
law, aroused feeling of just indig-
nation. and set the tune TO public adj
dresses. Denunciations OF the male
factors of wealth and promise of rec
tifying such inequalities by govern
mental means rang pleasantly in the
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