The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-15
SECRETARY TAFT
GIVEN BANQUET
Heavy Man of the Cabinet
Taken Suddenly III While
in Twin Cities.
MAKES RAPID RECOVERY
EVERYTHING LOVELY WHEN
THE PEOPLE ASSEMBLED.

ST Paul. Mimi. June 14.-It looked for
time tonight as If the banquet which
was given at the auditorium tonight IN
honor Of Secretary of War Taft would not
be graced by the presence of the secre-
tary, who was taken suddenly i'll while
reviewing the troops at Fort Smelling
shortly after noon. The banquet was bill
ed to commence at o o'clock, but IT was
not until 7:45 that the secretary reached
the banquet hall Looking somew ha t
pale, but with his face wreathed in smiles.
long line of banqueters. and the 1000 seat
ed at the tables and as many more who
occupied seats in the boxes and balconies
rose to their feet and cheered Justify. TO
the Associated Press the secretary stated
that he was feeling much better and that
mis- attack was merely a severe attack of
indigestion which has been brought on
by the continuous series of banquets
which had been rendered him since he left
Washington on his western trip.
The banquet tonight which, except for
the visit to Fort Smelling. was the only
function which the secretary was able
to attend. was given on the immense
stage of the auditorium. Plates were laid
for 2.000 banqueters, while the boxes and
galleries surrounding the stage were
thronged with handsomely gowned wOm-
en-. Palms and DOtted plants were scat
tered IN picturesque profusion about the
banquet hall while thousands of silk
American flags floated overhead
Address of Secretary.
When Secretary Taft spoke his voice
was strong and he was beard in all parts
of the great auditorium He said:
1T has come to be my portion to re-
ceive the hospitality from a great many
people; from those in the Philippines,
many hundreds of miles away; from Pan
anna, Cuba. Porto Rico, and to have, with
Senator Clapp, at my right hand, run the
risk of several winters in Washington,
but it has remained for me to surrender
/ to the Twin Cities of the north.
Seriously, the condition in which l find
| myself tonight is my own fault, and
can refer to Archbishop Ireland for the
/ truth of the saying that You may bray
/ a fool in a mortar among wheat with a
peStle and his fOolishness will depart
from him. d don't know whether that is
the St. James or the Douay version, bT:
I the substance is correct The fact is
| that | caught cold and added to my in
4 discretion by eating 700 heartily OF the
1 cheer provided for me at my various
stopping places and 1 am confronted
with a weakness that ] ought not to con-
! fess. | ought not to be here now, but FOR
/ a desire to come and witness this Won
derful greeting, and | want to make this
statement just as strong as If 1 were tC
/ make a speech for an hour. which l am
not going to do ] had hoped to invite
/ your attention to what has been accom-
/ plished in constructing the Panama ca
/ nal and to give you an idea o. what We
have been doing down there on the 18th
| mus, but | must plead my condition and
1 Simply give you an outline OF WHAT mas
been done
| Work on the Canal.
| Secretary Taft then outlined briefly the
/ plans which were made for the prosecu-
/ ton of the work. 1T is great evidence OF
/ progress to get to such a state that il
! April we eXcavated $4,000 cubic yards
\ Then in May we had a strike but that
! has been amicdbly settled and we viii
! take out a million cubic yards a month
! That would mean twelve million cubi,
/ yards year, and at that rate we ough
| to complete the canal in the four years
/ but | do not want to hold out that hop,
| to you. If we complete the canal in sever
| years we will have demonstrated in record
| time what American energy can do
J After a few words of excuse for cut-
| ting his address short, Secretary TAT
said goodbye, and then, before the cheer
| ing had subsidized. he was out Of the 600
| and into ain automobile on his way to tn,
| home of ]. c. Hill.
/ Washington, June H.-Secretary TAT
| tonight telegTaphed Mrs. Taft that he ha,
| suffered temporary attack of indiges
| ton. but that the doctor assured hin
/ that he would be all right tomorrow
/ adding that he needed little rest. Sec
! cretary Taft announced that according
/ ly he would give up his South DakOt;
| trip and wait for his Kansas enga cement
| He is to speak at Fort Leavenworth mex
| Wednesday and at Ottawa, Kas., the fol
/ lowing day.