Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-02
TAFT IN CONFESSION
Describes His Greatest Faults
at Press Club Farewell.
DEFEAT NOT EXILE DECREE
Will Return and Talk About Others
in Office, He Says.
LEDGER ALL ON HIS SIDE
Reviews Life Work and Declares
That He Has No Occasion for
kicking or Squealing."

President Taft hurried about the Capital
city last night saying farewell to mem
bers Of various organizations of Wash
ington. The President went to the Ma
tionaI Press Club. where he delivered
what he called his confession; to fare
well reception rendered him by Potomac
Council of the knights Of Columbus. where
he took the Constitution as his subject.
and incidentally attacked the radical
methods Of the third party, and then to
the University Club. where he expressed
his pleasure at being a member Of the
club.
In what he called his confession" the
newspaper men of Washington at the
Press Club
While he admitted that he had not
told the newspaper men all his sins and
omissions in his confession. he frank
ly said that he believed his greatest
faults were procrastination. disinclina
ton to burden himself with more work
than he had to do and sincere enjoyment
of association with his fellow-men. He
added that he did not consider his defeat
and thought he might be back with the
newspaper men and have something to
say about others in Office
Receives an Ovation.
The President reached the club about
o'clock, shortly after he had finished his
last game of golf as President at the
Chevy Chase Club. He was welcomed by
President John Suffer, who expressed the
hope that in his temporary absence
from Washington the President would
often drop in on the newspaper boys.
Mr.. Suter introduced Gus Karger, close
friend of the President. whose remarks
brought on the Presidents confession .
Mr.. Karger talked about the good luck
and bad luck of Mr.. Taft. but declared
that through either or both he never
boosted and never squealed He was a
good sport" according to the speaker.
These remarks led the President to make
a speech which brought him the greatest
ovation he has had in Washinton in many
days.
The Presidents speech was as follows:
..ft is a great pleasure to come here
again. and / hope not for the last time
1t has always been pleasant each year
to come down here and see that you still
maintained your club and maintained it
with the prosperity that your constant
attendance here indicates.
MY intimate and faithful friend Gus
has said some very pleasant things. He
said that / have had good luck and bad
luck. I think one mental process that
helps man is, every once IN while, to
sit quietly and take stock-take stock of
himself and take stock with reference
to the world and with reference to how
the world has treated him. 1t is very
difficult for me. when / have done that,
not to feel very grateful for what has
happened to me.
Much Good, Little Bad.
II have read Emerson's essay on Com
pensation,' and when l look back over my
fifty-fve years of life-I think it is now
and see how everything good has come to
me. and very little bad, it seems to me
that l have got to brace myself against
what may probably come in the future
in order to even up that good luck which
has always attended me heretofore /
came into this world under the pleasant
est circumstances, under a family influ-
ence, and a father and mother to whom
| owe much, who created a sort of family
opinion that minimized the Importance Of
the accumulation of wealth and
emphasized that Of the acquisition and
maintenance of character. l count that
the happiest and the greatest good luck
that / ever had.
I'VE look about and see young men en-
joying wealth. We see them enjoying