Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16
and American PROTESTANT


pounds of iovial flesh failed to inter.
fere with natural enjoyment of travel,
for his journeys to run down his coun-
try'S troubles carried him literally
around the world At Toxic he Gained
the waters troubled by CALIFORNIA; pro-
scripton of japanese from the public
schools and from owning land. At Ma
Mia he assisted in opening the first
Filipino legislative assembly. In China,
by negotiations with the government,
he got rid of the boycott then in effect
against American goods. All of which
inspired tribute in verse, widely copied
and quoted, by a newspaper para
grapher:
Pattern for all beneath the sun,
TO Taft award the palm and bunl
Ihey told him what they wanted done
He done i'll"
Even as the people loved Taft. so did
Roosevelt. Whenever Roosevelt mem
toned Taft's name it was with an ex-
preston of pleasure on his own coun-
tenance-a pleasure that was more than
a mere smile of affection. Roosevelt
mad high regard for .Taft's Judgment
and serenity. In cabinet meetings or
at gatherings of friends, to say, isn't
that so, WHIP" or Don't you think so,
WHIP" was RooSevelt's way of getting
what he regarded as the most convince
ing buttressing of his own opinions-an
attitude never modified by the fact that
at evening gatherings In the White
House study the question would some
times wake Taft from nap. Nor was
Roosevelt ever disturbed when occasion
ally in the midst of one of his eager
d1squisitions to a group about Irish
sagas or the celebration of zebras there
came from the easy chair In which
Taft rested an audible sign of pre-
occupation with restoration from the
days more serious labors. Roosevelt
would only beam the more, like a
mother pleased to see a child at peace.
One felt that that gargantuan frame
because of the labor 1t performed, was
entitled to take rest where it could.
TO contemplate the giant relaxed was
pleasure that gave one the feeling
that everything must be all right.
Restrained Each Other.
The very ease that Taft had in
RooSevelt's presence, his immunity from
infection by the latter'S eager energy,
helped to increase RooSevelt,s estimate
of the soundneSS and sure-footedness
of his judgment. Far from resenting
Taft's placid, good-humored immunity
to some. of Roosevelt's more reconcile
enthuSlaSmS Roosevelt valued him the
more for it. Instinctively Roosevelt
seemed to sense that Taft's imperturba-
bility was needed and valuable cor
receive to his own impetuosity Taft
privately thought of himself as hold
ing on to RooSevelt'S coattailS to pre-
vent him from going too fast, but pub
licly always said that whatever Roose-
welt did was heavens law. Conversely,
Roosevelt publicly accepted rats bene-
diction as proof that he was right, but
privately told friends that sometimes
he had to restrain Taft from letting his
loyalty carry him too far--from being in
the furtherance of Roosevelts policies
more Roosevelt than Roosevelt himself
Roosevelt loved him and admired him
avagantly-admired him to q degree
mat almost reached kind OF generous
envy
You know" Roosevelt once said to
Archie Butt, II think Taft has the most
lovable personality have ever come in
contact with. 1 almost envy q man
possessing a personality like Taft's.
People are preposSessed by it. One loves
him at first sight. He has nothing to
overcome when he meets people. I
realize that have always got to over
come little something before I get to
the heart of people," And Roosevelt
with a characteristic screwing up of
his features that always preceded some
thing humorous, added: mo one could
accuse me Of having charming per-
sonality."
Taft on the Lid.
In scores of such private converse
lions and public sentiments Roosevelt
expressed his pleasure about Taft with
his habitual "corking" and bully" Not
only his affection but the regard he had
for Taft's ability and his gratitude for
Taft'S services. Leaving Washington for
long trip to Rough Rider reunion
at San Antonio. Tex. and then swing
around the circle, Roosevelt told the
newspaper correspondents: "Oh, things
will be all right: I have left Taft sitting
on the Ida passage which, consider
ing Taft's weight, was one of the most
fruitful OF the many opportunities that
RooSeveltS pungent phrases presented
to cartooniStS.
Once in letter to Henry Cabot
Lodge Roosevelt recited his current
troubleS-riots in Chicago, discrimina-
tion against the Japanese in California,
the hard job of making peace between
Japan and Russia. trouble with England
over Newfoundland fisheries, the dim
Guilty OF getting q railroad rate bill
through CongreSS-but concluded, as If
with sigh that implied confidence to
race all his troubles: Taft has been
the greatest comfort to me-" In an
other letter to Lodge, Roosevelt told of
picking successor to John Hay as
SSASSoA Va 0OdOC, anu VI HeSlLaIlQR De-
tween Elihu Root and Taft-"for Taft.
as you know, Is very close to me-" De-
cldlng upon Root because thus he
would have both Root and Taft around
him), he said: Taft is a big fellow.
ne urged me to bring Root into the
In public and formal testimonials
Roosevelt combed the dictionary for
sur courage" capacity"
lnf1exible uprightneSs," "diSinterested-
ness, wide acquaintance with ali gov
ernmental problems and identification
OF himself with the urgent needs of the
social and governmental work of the
Gay, Iaft stands pre-eminent." In
an article in the Outlook Roosevelt
quoted friend as saying and on his
own account Endorsed the statement
tnaG there was only one man in the
United states who combined all the
President with all those which would
make a first-class Chief Justice, "and
tnat man is William H. Taft"
Wanted Chief Justiceship.
Taft became both. the only man in
american history who did. Taft's own
preference. his lifelong ambition from
Supreme bench. His brothers and some
others close to him persuaded him to
forego that ambition in favor OF A
chance at the presidency. Then Roose-
welt made him President. While Taft
was President and not very happy in
It. vacancy occurred in the post of
Chief Justice. and Taft filled 1t, saying
TO bystander as he signed Chief Jus
tice Whites commission almost with
tears in his eyes:
That was the ONCE I always wanted.
and now Ill never have it."
More than 10 years later White died
and Harding appointed Taft.