The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-04-02
STRUGGLING FOR A
LIVELIHOOD"

When William Howard Taft de-
trained at the Union Depot in Mime
apolis, on the occasion of his visit
there to deliver series of lectures
at the state university, when inter-
viewed by the reporters, smiled the
"Taft smile" and stated to them that
he was "out Of politics" and was bus
lily engaged in Struggling for a
livelihood"
The one great failure of Mr.. Taft's
career lies in the fact that he he was
never compelled to struggle. While
not wealthy, as we register wealth in
these days, nor the child of wealthy
parents, he was one of those FORUM
ate, or. unfortunate ones, that never
had to struggle for a livelihood"
His parents were able to send him
through college and send him out in
the world well equipped for a profess
sional career. In an incredibly short
time he was placed in public position
and while the emoluments of his first
positions were not large, they were
large enough SO that he was spared
the grind that the average young man
is compelled to pass through before
he finds himself established, and was
freed from that ordeal known as
Struggling for livelihood"
Almost from the time he first hung
out his law single down to the time
he stepped out Of the White House
he was a public salary drawer and
while the salary was not large meas
ured by some incomes, it was mighty
regular, and he was freed from all
the cares and worries of that great
array of working humanity, who in
the truest sense of the word are
struggling for a livelihood"
His present position, almost an hon
airy one, together with returns from
savings and investments of former
years, brings his annual income to
more than $4,000 a year which he.
can augment to almost any figure
he desires delivering lectures of the
character he delivered in Minneapolis.
Probably he can not command $4,000
for single lecture, as Roosevelt did
in Brazil or the S700 per that Bryan
receives for his efforts, but the sti-
pend is by no means small.
We wonder if the great army of the
worlds workers who put in many
hours each day for tenth CT what he
receives would think that they were
struggling for livelihood" if they
were to receive an income of over
$4,000 per annum and worked only
when they felt like it. 1t is not
strange that the ex-President smiled
the "Taft Smile" when he announced
that he was struggling for a hvli-
hood"
There is no question but Ma tr.
Taft is honest, conscientious ard gap
able and yet his closest friends will
concede that he lacks something
He has never been able to get in touch
with the people; he has never been
able to touch with master hand those
human heart chords that respond to
the touch. The reason for this is
because never being compelled to
struggle for a livelihood he knows
little or nothing of the wants, hopes
and aspirations of the masses that
are so situated.
Had Mr.. Taft been compelled in his
early years to have struggled for
livelihood" and acquired this knowl-
edge first hand, he would have made
one of the greatest successes in Amer
lean politics, as it is, he will have to
90 down into history as failure, q
magnificent failure, it is true, but
nevertheless failure.