New Britain herald., 1930-03-10
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT
 When it became known that ex- President Taft was weakening and that his physical condition was such as to cause his physicians to give up hope that the distinguished patient would survive, the nation sorrowfully read the bulletins from the bedside and took mental note of the waning smile and the change from inherent ioviaity 10 that final resignation to- ward the inevitable that comes to all.
 The former President gained in popularity as the years passed, his delightful personality imprcssing it. self upon all classes Of society. Con sidering that Mir. Taft was the worst defeated candidate for President in the history of the nation, carrying only two states following the cam paign in which the Progressive party of Mir. Roosevelt split the Republi can party, his resurgence into great popular admiration was a note. worthy personal achievement.
 Even when President. MT. Taft was able to turn from failure with a smile and an evidence of that per sonality which so well came to the fore during his later days. One of hi. pet policies while President was reciprocity with Canada, which his excellent leadership induced Con- sress 10 recognize. This done, it seemed certainty, yet at a nation. al referendum in Canada which soon followed the Taft reciprocity pro- gram was defeated by an over vhelming vote. This unexpected set back did not seriously upset his good humor. If the Canadians preferred no reciprocity then so might it be was in effect his logical comment.
 Passing over the career Of Mir Taft as ] professor of law at Yale where he rapidly began to add to an accommodating popular esteem as a private citizen, we turn an import ant corner in his career after the Harding landslide in 1921. when Mr Taft was appointed 10 the post o Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
 MT. Taft by nature was a con servative. There were grumblirgs a the time that the ascendancy of Mir Taft upon this court would tend tC entrench the conservative attitud' of a majority of it's members True many , to decisions have beer given on issues before the cour which would have pleased the ma tion's liberalism more had the dif ference between the majority an' minority on the court been nor pronounced. But a 10 4 decision happens to be as valid as any other and it may have been that Mr Taft's vote was the deciding facto in same of these verdicts,
 Perhaps the most important de cision rendered during Mir. Taft term as Chief Justice. at least ou resulting in widespread DO, liar ap proval. was the verdicu reyocatin the Elk Hills naval reserve oil leases without which the prosecution i he Teapot Dome scandal woul have been well nigh impossible. an which led 10 the presidential execu tive order relieving the Interior De partmcnt of jurisdiction.
 By no means a small contributio 10 the courts functioning way hi speeding up of judicial considerable of cases. When Mir. Taft becam Chief Justice the courts docket va clogged. Mir. Taft began pushn consideration of the cases with tn Nigor of an efficiency engineer, unt ot late years the court was cor sistcntly abreast of the cases befor it.
 Mr Taft was not in the best ( health for decade or more. so in; his activities upon the court wei universally considered as rcmarl able. Always a man Of avoirdupo he dutifully followed the advice , physicians to reduce" procet that involved a most radical depar ure in his mode Of life For yea high blood pressure dogged h peace of mind, but the fact that l did not retire as Chief Justice unt the age of = eloquently proclaim, the advantages of living in cj cumspcCt conformity with medic advice and under the constant ca Of able physicians. Throughout the days Of profound trial Mir. I'd smiingIy resigned himself to rigorous healthful mode of Twin and his nImancncss and consistc