Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1908 — HOW TAFT WAS SOUGHT BY M’KINLEY. [ARTICLE]

HOW TAFT WAS SOUGHT BY M’KINLEY.

The Manner In Which the Republican Candidate Waa Called to a Larger Sphere of Action. One afternoon Aacly in IdOO, when Judge William H. Taft was dictating a decision of the United States Court in the Federal Building in Cincinnati, a telegram was placed in his hands. , He tore off the envelope and was surprised to find a telegram from President William McKinley, reading: “I shall take it as a great favor if you will call on me some time next week." Judge Taft guessed at the meaning of the summons and guessed wrong He went to Washington and was show:; into a room at the White House, where he met the President and Secretary Long of the Navy. Later. Elihu Root, the Secretary of War, came in. Then, to use Mr. Taft’s own words:

“Mr. McKinley said that he wanted to send me to the Philippines to help in the work of establishing civil government as the army moved on. I thought of my place on the bench and hesitated. Besides, I believed and said we could get along without the Philippines. “ ‘But we have them and must take care of them,’ the President replied. “ ‘You are at the turning of the ways in your life,’ Mr. Root then observed. ‘The bench is the easy road. You can stay there and be comfortable. On the contrary, the Philippines will demand personal sacrifices and risks and much hard . work, but yon will have an opportunity of doing your country a very great service.’ I went home, and argued the matter for two weeks.” The telegram to Cincinnati opened the door of American history to William H. Taft and made him the Republican candidate for President of the United States.