Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-04-30
SECRETARY TAFT.
Given Enthusiastic Reception at The
 Eltnn Saturdav Evening.

About 200 guests were present at the annual dinner of the Connecticut Civil Service association held in The
 Elton Saturday evening, those pres ent having the pleasure of listening to Secretary Taft, who received a
 most enthusiastic reception.
 It was about 7:15 when the speak pr of the evening entered the hall
 and the guests who were seated arose and gave three cheers for him whom many regard as the next republican candidate for the presidency.
 Manager Judd had prepared an ap- lpetizing spread for the diners and for "a couple of hours they did justice to 1t. It was about 9:15 when Presi- dent Henry w. Farnham of Hartford made the opening address, touch ling upon the work of the association and mentioning the fact that the na- tional association was to honor Con-
 necticut by it's presence in New Ha- s sden next November. He was follow i'd by W. H. Corbin of Hartford, who Twas toastmaster of the evening, talk Fling the place of Charles Clarke, edi- tor of the Hartford Courant, who was unable to be present. MT Corbin lproved an excellent toastmaster and had the audience in 1ovial manner iall evening. He had an unlimited amount of funny stories, many Of those present being the victims of his lpuns. The recent election in Hart ford was touched on by MT Corbfn, |who stated that Hartford had Set the lexample for other cities to follow in tregard to clean elections. He brought Ithe Hartford delegation to their feet lwhen he mentioned Mayor Henney las being composed of gubernatorial timber and one of the finest mayors Ethat ever occupied mayoralty chair. iHe paid glowing tribute to the next speaker, who was Mayor Thoms iof this city. The latter made brief address in which he stated how Taft fhad done him good turn while at ,Yale Thoms had to write Latin .1composition which he knew little 4about. But his ta1k was made easy tby the finding of salutatory or fformer graduate. the name William Trait, Class of IT," appearing at the bottom. Secretary Taft later in the levening stated that although his fname was signed to the paper, 1t Twas written for him by Professor
 Tommie" Thatcher.
 As Mir Taft was introduced, the @uests arose and shook the hall, so Tremendous was the ovation. The tspeaker started in to have a little tfun at the expense of Colonel Os- Eborne of New Haven, Mir Chapin of Ithis city and Mir Clarke of Hartford. file stated that every time he came Unto the state he was sure of at least kone editorial from each of the papers kof which these men are the editors. He then gave brief but most inter- testing address on the merit system and in a most emphatic manner de- nounced the graft system in national, istate and municipal governments. He asserted that if the latter could be made free from the spells system, the other branches would eventually be made clean. He considers the munic- ipal machine more powerful than all others and referred in scathfng terms to Tammany in New York, the repub- lican machine in Ohio and the ma chimes in Chicago, Philadelphia and Cincinnati. He pointed out the AThilippines as an example Of what the merit system can do ana stated that without the system of examin- ation the government would even tually go to ruin. The practice Of contributing money to carry on cam paigns also came in for its denuncia- ton. The speaker ended by saving {! that although his home is in Ohio. he feels pretty comfortable when among his Connecticut friends and hoped that this state will soon adopt the merit system as Massachusetts and New York on either side of us have already done.
 Rev Charles Dinsmore was the H. jnal speaker of the evening. Three more cheers were given before the affair was over and if Mir Taft is a candidate for the presidency. judging from the manner in which those cheers were given he will pull big vote in this state.
 A reception at which Secretary ITaft was present was given after the banquet by members of the Home club in their rooms on the fifth floor of The Elton.