The sun., 1908-07-24
TAFT VISITS THE PRESIDENT
AND THE PRESIDENT LIKES
HIS SPEECH.

Only Few Changes In 1t Suggested Mt n
Six Hour Conference In Which secfe-
tary Root Took Part-Taft Returns TO
City-Hls Eyes Tired From Overwork.
OYSTER BAY. July 2s.-William H. Taft.
bringing with him his speech Of acceptance.
arrived here a little before O'Clock this
afternoon. He went directly to Sycamore
| Hill. where the President and Secretary Root
| were awaiting him. Secretary Root is to
| remain over night at the Presidents house.
where he will be joined tomorrow by As
sistant Secretary OF State Robert Bacon.
Mr.. Taft's speech was entirely satisfao-
| tory to President Roosevelt. Mr.. Roose-
velt and Mr.. Root had only a few changes
to suggest and Mr.. Taft figured that it
would take him only half an hour after
reaching New York to have the speech in
shape to give out to the press associations.
Mr.. Taft said that owing to his labors on
the speech his eyes were troubling him and
that he had not felt able to read President
Roosevelt's speech delivered at Newport
yesterday.
Mr.. Taft remained at Sycamore Hill until
o o'clock, when he again climbed on board
the Government automobile and started
back to New York. He did not stop at The
executive Office in the village. and Secretary
Loeb. who left the Hill little before Mr..
Taft. said that no announcement would be
made here Of the matters under discussion
between MIR. Taft and the President.
Mr.. Taft arrived back at the Hotel Man
haitian in this city at II o'clock last night.
His trip in from Oyster Bay In the automo-
bile was without incident. William Nelson
Cromwell. one Of Mr.. Taft's closest advisers,
was waiting for him when he returned to
the hotel, and they started to work at once
making the changes In the speech that had
been agreed upon at Sagamore Hill. That
the changes were not very extensive was
evident from the fact that within half an
hour after Mr.. Taft's arrival at the hotel
he had the speech ready for distribution in
confidence to the press associations.
II is likely that Mr.. Roosevelt had copy
Of the speech before Mr.. Taft got to Oyster
Bay. 1t was understood at Hot Springs
that Mr. Taft sent copy Of the speech to
the President last Sunday night. Mr. Taft's
decision TO visit Oyster Bay became known
the next day. which would just about be
time enough for Mr.. Roosevelt to have
received the copy. Any apprehension that
the President had objected to the speech
was dissipated last night. however. when
Mr.. Taft got back and handed out the
speech after only few minutes conference
with Mr.. Cromwell.
Mr.. Taft had left his secretary, Fred
Carpenter, in New York with q copy Of the
speech when he went through in the morn
ing to Oyster Bay. Mr.. Carpenter had
hurried with the speech to a printer ana
had stood guard over it all day while it
was being put In type. Herbert Parsons
also had an eye out in New York on the
printing end Of the game.
Mr.. Taft acknowledged last night that
he had tried in vain to boil the speech down
TO the figure which he had set at first, The
speech will ran over 10000 words.
Mr.. Taft will take breakfast this morning
at the Hotel Plaza with his brother, Henry
W. Taft He will meet one or two friends
at the Rotel Manhattan in the course of
the day. and will leave for Cincinnati to
learn Of his nomination at $50 o'clock in
the afternoon over the New York Central
York was practically without incident |
good sized crowd gathered at Covington.
Va, where his sleeping car lay for an hour |
and half, but Mr.. Taft refused to come |
out. That was close on to midnight The !
crowd was SO insistent however. that Con-
gressman Slemp OF Virginia finally appeared |
on the car platform and told the crowd that |
Mr.. Taft was tired and had gone to bed.
At West Philadelphia dozen or more |
railroad laborers spotted Mr.. Taft at the |
car window and called for him to come
out. He waved his hat but that didn't
satisfy the men.
IF it was Teddy shouted one, -he would
have been out long ago"
After that Mr. Taft opened his window
and shook hands all around.
At Jersey City Mr.. Taft was greeted with
cheers by the ferry hands
-1here goes the next President Of the
United States said one.
Are you prophet" asked Mr.. Taft
While crossing the bridge on the New
York side one OF the ferry hands waved his
cap and shouted. Hello. Bill!'
Mr.. Taft responded cordially:
Hello. boys!-
When Mr.. Taft reached the New York
end Of the West Twenty-third street ferry
he was met by one Of the Government auto
mobiles and James Sloan, ,Jr., the Presidents
personal guard. Other automobiles were
ready for the newspaper men who had ac-
the candidate from Hot Springs
With Sergt. Casey OF the traffic squad as
convoy. Mr.. Taft was driven rapidly across
the city to the Thirty-fourth street ferry
to Long Island City.
When the Government auto sped across
Broadway at Twenty-third street. break
Tag all traffic regulations. four policemen
on duty at the crossing made a dash for
the car. Evidently they did not Tecognis se
Sergt. Casey. for the first cop to reach the
auto, which was halted at the Jar side OF
the crossing. thrust his head through the
curtains and was about to say something
hot and hasty when he was transflxed by
the Taft smile.
4Oh.' said the policeman. quite softly.
It's all right. Judge; let her GO
On board the ferryboat Mr.. Taft climbed
iown from the machine at request from
he photog raphers and was at once sur
rounded by the crowd on the boat, many
% xvh1u, atood In ha rain ~, tho o.z. |