Page:Famous Living Americans, with Portraits.djvu/483

 460 FAMOUS LIVING AMERICANS <<I am strongly in favor of bringing about a condition of se- curing international peace in which armies and navies may either be dispensed with or be maintained at a minimum edse and cost ; but I am not in favor of putting my country at a dis- advantage by assuming a condition that does not now ex- ist. . I am an optimist, but I am not a dreamer, or an in- sane enthusiast on the subject of international peace." As the time came for the selection of presidential candidates in 1912 considerable opposition manifested itself to the renom- ination of President Taft. After a stormy session of the con- vention the President was given the usual second nomination. The breach in the party was widened by this action and the Bepublicans entered the campaign without any hope of being successful. They met a crushing defeat at the polls in No- vember. Not in any way soured by the disaster that had overtaken him and his party, President Taft smiled in his adversity, ut- tering no complaint, apparently glad to lay down the burdens of the office he did not covet in the first place, but the duties of which he had conscientiously performed as he saw thenu In evidence of the patriotism and unselfish character of the man, it is well to state that a prominent New England senator went to the Chicago convention in 1912 carrying in his pocket a letter from President Taft in which the senator was author- ized to withdraw from the consideration of the convention the name of the President at any time it might seem well so to do. President Taft was willing to put the welfare of his party and of his country above personal advantage and vindication. No one can accuse Mr. Taft of insincerity or of political cowardice. He believes with a great American of old that it is a greater honor to be right than to be President — or pop- ular. His belief on this question is stated rather clearly in one of his Yale lectures when he was discussing the initiative and referendum. He said : service is the man who acts on his own judgment as to what is best for his country and for the people, even though this be contrary to the temporary popular notion or passion. The
 * The man from whom the people really secure the best