Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-30
Speaks of Cordial Relations Between
Former Secretary and Union.
REMARKS MADE BY MR.. TAFT
Evidence Men Are Convinced of His
Desire to Do Square Thing.
STARTS BACK TO HOT SPRINGS
During the Day He COnfers with
Arthur 1. Norys, state Chairman
Williams and Secretary
Elmer Dover.

CINCINNATI July 29.-winiam II. Tart,
accompanied by Mrs. Taft, left Cincinnati
at $40 o'clock tonight for Hot Springs
Va, where they will remain until the
opening of the campaign the first week of
September At that time MIR. Taft will
return to this city, where 1t is the present
intention to remain until election day. The
day following notification day was one OF
comparative quiet. He had an extended
conference with Arthur l. Vorys, his chief
of staff touching many minor matters in
connection with the Ohio situation. He
also State Chairman Williams and
Elmer Dover secretary of the national
committee. He was made member of
the International Brotherhood OF Steam
Shovel and Dredgemcn and late In the aft
ernoon went in an automobile to the homo
of his father-in-law, Mr.. Heron, where
Mrs. Taft spent the entire day. Mr. Taft
said he felt no III effects OF his speech
making eNertions yesterday. but will go
back to the mountains with some relish for
motnh of comparative quiet and golf.
In accepting membership in the Shovel
ers' organization Mr.. Taft had this to say
regarding labor:
Tart Talks on Labor.
'I am very glad to have at your hands
this expression Of confidence in my efforts
to do justice while | was in office. The
work upon which many of your members
and l were engaged in one capacity or
another, endeavoring TO facilitate the
greatest constructive work OF modern
times, adds a great deal of interest to
me in the compliment you pay me today.
l am especially gratifed because you
evince liberal and impartial view In thus
rendering me this compliment, beacuse in
the administration of work on the sthmus,
did not always decide in favor of your
contentious. But when l decided contrary
to the claim which was made by you, I
| tried to give reasons which | think by
| your action today were convincing of my
desire to reach just conclusion.
president Mckinley had the honor to be
an honorary member of the Bricklayers'
union President Roosevelt has the honor
to be an honorary member OF the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen. with such
examples as that, and with the preoedents
in my own life in becoming an honorary
member of a useful organization, 1 cannot
see the slightest objection to my accept
ing this compliment at your hands, which
l appreciate highly and which l shall
always cherish evidences that there are
some men whom l have convinced through
my official work of my desire to do the
square thing for everybody"
T. ]. Dolan, president of the organization.
who inducted Mr.. Taft into membership. in
! speaking OF the manner In which Judge
| Taft had treated the organization in refer
ence to the canal work, said:
I'VE have always been treated by you
in an eminently fair and just manner"
Shot Fired at Taft Boat.
! 1t became known publicly today that the
steamer Island Queen which last night
conveyed Judge Taft ard distinguished
party, including the notification committee,
up the Ohio river, was fired upon by an
| unknown man on a shanty boat moored on
the Ohio side of the river. opposite Dayton,
| Ky. Several shots from the spent charge
hit, but did not seriously inrurs Mrs.
Charles b. Russell of this city, who was
standing with her husband near the rail
on the deck directly below where Mr.. Taft
was at the time standing. An investigation
of the affair is being made by the steam
| boat company.
How shooting Took Place.
The Island Queen had steamed slowly
around the bend at Dayton, KY. and was
near the middle Of the river when persons
leaning on the larboard rail saw a man
emerge from the cabin of a shanty boat
moored on the Ohio bank and fire a shot
gun He was in his shirt sleeves and wore
| a straw hat
Mrs Russell gave a scream and declared
! that she had been shot. She was carried
| into the cabin, where II was found she was
not seriously injured. One Of the shot had
penetrated the skin over her left eye and
another had struck her on the chin.
The distance from the shore was so great
that the charge of shot had almost spent
! N4yha . ba
of the pellets pierced her dress. man
standing by Mrs. Russelrs chair was also
hit by one Of the shot, but he was not hurt.
The officers OF the boat stated that they
would make an investigation in order to
| learn the Identity Of the miscreant who
fired the gun.
c. b. Russell said today:
Il was standing at my wfe's side but
! none Of the shot struck me. It was lucky
we were not closer to the Ohio shore. 1
saw the man plainly, and at first thought
I him merely an enthusiastic celebrator. 1
do not like to believe that the shot was fired
with malicious intent and 1t may have been
only CHARGE that the spent charge struck
just below where Judge TAFT was sitting"
Hitchcock in Washington.
! WASHINGTON, July 29-Frank II. Hitch
cock, chairman OF the republican national
committee, and James T. Williams his
secretary, arrived here this afternoon from
Cincinnati, Mr. Hitchcock stated that he
would not be ready to announce the ap-
! pointment Of vice chairman OF the advisory
committee Of the national committee for
| about a week. He will leave Thursday
right for New York, where on Friday he
will take Up the work OF preparing tho
headquarters Of the national committee in
that city for active business