The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-10
v. \. TAFT IS THE BIG
NOISE AT OWN WAKE
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
New York, January 6.-President
Taft presided here Saturday night
at what ne styled his own political
wake. He made the funeral GRAFTON
over his political corpse, asked mod
est praise for the deeds that he did
while he lived in the White House.
recited at length the causes that
led to his demise and attacked the
enemies he held responsible for Ihis
taking Off
The president did this speaking
at the republican reorganization din
ner, given at the Waldorf-Astoria to
more than 1000 republicans from all
over the country. He smoke for NOR
than an hour His defense of his
administration was the legislative ="
suits it has produced; his reply to
personal criticisms was that he had
been more misunderstood than blame
worthy. His attacks upon his politi-
cal opponents-confined almost eX-
clusively to the progressives-was
not bitter, but sorrowful.
Sees Return to Old Order.
Despite 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 10 an understanding
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 re-
manned faithful.
Let us buckle on our armor again
for the battle for humanity that
must be fought" said the president.
Let rs invite those republicans
who left lis under an impulse that
calmer consideration shows TO have
been unwiSe, to return and stand
again with us in this critical time
Extends Bid to Democrats.
Let us invite from the ranks of
our opponents, the democrats, the
many who love the constitution, and
the blessings it has conferred, to-
unite with us in it's defense. There
must be a campaign of education
among the common people for the
benefit of the common people against
the poison of class hatred, the fam
atheism of unbalanced enthusiasm
and the sophistry of demagogic
promise"
In the course of his speech the
president made his first public ref.
erence 10 Colonel Roosevelt since
the close OF the campaign, asserting
that probably 100000 voters, nor.
mally republicans, cast their ballots
for Mr.. Wilson, lin order TO avert
the danger of Mr.. Roosevelt's cleo
ton" g.
Not Usual for Corpse to Participate.
The president said in part:
1T is not usual for the deceased
to give very full expression to his
feelings at the wake; but | remem-
Der that in one of Boucicaut's Irish
dramas the corpse was sufficiently
revived to partake of the liuuid re,
freshmeDts and became the chief parti-
cipant in the festivities. A few opening
remarks directed TO the character -
the deceased and the manner of his
taking off, may not, therefore, r.
Inappropriate.
In ard Cut With Large Maorities
what wes the political disease of
"'h'"h died? | am hopeful RI
when historians conduct their post
0Cr-Cms II NAV be found that nv
7erriSe was due to circumstances
w which ] bad no great control.
ard 70 political cataclysm which
could hardly have anticipated or
avoided; but whether this be true
or not. even friendly critics are able
to point out personal reasons whv
was that, though ] went in, also
went out. with large majorities.
Denies He's an Aristocrat.
at has been charged against me
that l am an aristocrat and that I
have no sympathy with the common
people. Now, I don't think it is
true. think | am as sympathetic
with the common people, as earn.
estly DESTROYS of their happiness, as
anxious to see that they have JUS !
tice as anyone. I believe most pro.
foundly that popular government is
the best government and am
greatly concerned that it shall con.
tlnue to be successful in giving to
the people at large the surest meas.
ure OF individual liberty on the one
hand and the greatest practical eff |
ficiency in government on the other.
1T may be that in my earnest de.
sire to make government efficient, | !!
nave not always explained that | be-
lieved that to make government eff
hc1ent is to work directly in the in
terest OF the common people.
Calls Aspirations Intangible.
My administration has come and i
gone in period of unrest and All.
tation for something intangible, which
1t is difficult definitely to describe.
We have lived during the last four
years, and are living now, in an at.
mosphere Of strenuous denunciations
OF certain evils and loud aspirations
for an ideal state in which the COM
mon people are to become happier.
the poor and the oppressed are tc
acquire property and cease suffering
and much or all of the change is tc
be accomplished through the agency
of government
The accumulation of swollen for.
tunes during the two decades pre-
ceding, and many of them by viola
ton OF the antitrust law, or the
anti-rebate law, aroused a feeling of
Just Indignation, and set the tune
to public addresses. Denunciations
OF the malefactors of wealth, and
promises of rectifying such inequali-
ties by governmental means rang
pleasantly in the ears of the people,
They made for the popularity Of
those who produced the sweet tunes (