Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-15
TAFT IS MUCH BETTER
Secretary AIarmingIy III While
Reviewing Troops
RECEIVERS IN FEW HOURS
He Had an Acute Attack of Indiges-
ton.
SOME VERY HARD TRAVELLING
Too Many Banquets and Too Much
Hard Work Cause Of His
Indisposition.
RECEIVERS IN FEW HOURS
SOME VERY HARD TRAVELLING

Indisposition.
| Secretary Taft, who became sud-
denly i'll at Fort Smelling yesterday,
is much better today. When DR..
Sneve called on the Secretary Of
War this morning Mr.. Taft told him
that last night was the first in three
| weeks in which he had had a good
nights rest. Secretary Taft will
leave tonight for Sioux Falls and
other northwestern points.
Taft became suddenly Ill at Fort Smelling
yesterday afternoon, while witnessing the
review Of troops, and Fell over in faint.
Medical aid was at once summoned, and
| the Secretary was brought to this city to
| the home Of ]. c. Hill on Virginia avenue
Ptomaine poisoning was suspected, as he
! was very sick at his stomach The lunch
| con at the Country Club was abandoned.
Senators. Clapp Of Minnesota and Kilt
redge of South Dakota were near the
Secretary when he collapsed, and they
supported him to carriage, which con-
veyed him from the fort to the residence
Of ]. c. Hill. one Of the members Of the
reception committee. DR.. Sneve was
| called and described the ailment as acute
| Indigestion.
Secretary Taft. after arriving at Fort
Smelling, mounted horse and witnessed
| the review. Later he attended a recep-
, ton at the quarters of Major and Mrs
| Beall, where he stood in the receiving
line. 1t was when going through the
reservation in an automobile on the way
| to the Town and Country Club that Sec
| rotary Taft showed signs of Illness. His
eyes took on a peculiar expression and
| his lips became blue and he complained
Of severe distress in his stomach.
Says He Ate Too Much.
The Secretary, after an hours sleep, at
| tended the banquet in his honor at the
| Auditorium Hotel. He shared q dollar din
| ner with 1900 diners, whom he had kept
| waiting from o'clock until 7:45 in order
to recover from the sickness that attacked
him during the afternoon.
When the Secretary reached the banquet
| hall, looking somewhat pale, but smiling as
he strobe down the long line Of 1900 ban
queters under the gaze of 1900 other per-
| sons seated in the boxes and balconies the
diners and spectators rose and cheered
| Justify. The banquet, except for the visit
to Fort Smelling, was the only function
which the Secretary attended.
Secretary Taft could not begin his dinner
| speech for some moments, because of pro-
longed cheering by the vast audience. While
standing it was plainly evident from his
manner that he felt weak. Perspiration
stood on his face, but his voice strong,
so that he was heard in all parts of the
great Auditorium. He said
1T has come to be my portion to receive
the hospitality from great many people;
from those in the Philippines, many hun
dreds of miles away; from Panama, Cuba,
Porto Rico, and to have run the risk of
several winters in Washington, but it has
remained for me to surrender to the Twin
Cities of the north.
Out Against Doctors Advice.
seriously, the condition in which 1 find
myself tonight Is my own fault, and l can
refer to Archbishop Ireland here for the
truth of the saying that you may braise
fool in a mortar among wheat with pestle
and his foolishness will not depart from
him. l don't know whether that is the St.
James or the Douay version, but the sub
stance is correct. The fact is that caught
cold and added to my indisposition by eat
ing too heartily of the cheer provided for
me at various places during my present
trip, and 1 am confronted with weak
ness that l ought not to confess. l ought
not to be here now, but a desire to come
and witness this wonderful greeting over
came the advice of Doctors
The Secretary then reviewed the history
of the Panama canal from the expedition
sent out by Charles 400 years ago down
to the present day. He also told of the
work done and doing by the United States,
saying that at the present rate of working
we ought to complete the canal In four
years. but that if we completed the work
IN seven years would do well.
After few words OF excuse 70: cutting
his address short, Secretary Taft SAID
goodbye Before the cheering had sub
sided he was out of the door and in an au-
tomobile on his way to the home of J. {.
Hill.
The Strenuous Life.
Secretary Taft left Washington last Sat-
urday night for a trip of slightly more than
two weeks through the west His purpose
was officially to inspect a number of mill
tary posts and also to deliver addresses,
tons.
class of the University of Wisconsin, Mon
day morning. From there he went to MIL
waukee, where he was given a banquet by
the Merchants and Manufacturers AsSoci-
alton. He next visited the military arsenal
at Rock Island ILL.,, and was deliberately
lions of Davenport Rock Island and Moline.
He then came to st. Paul and Minneapolis.
His further itinerary was announced to
include several of the military posts and
larger cities in Kansas and Nebraska, re-
turning to Washington June ~.