The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-07
TAFT DID NOT DANCE.
But He Attended the Yelled Prophets
Ball at st. Louis.

st. Louis, Oct. with a IL hour
demonstration of cordially. political
enthusiasm and intense interest, this
city furnished an appropriate climax to
the western campaign trip of w. H.
Taft, which ended here. The candi-
date spoke to an immense audience in
the nearly finished Coliseum. from
which as many were turned away as
got H.
The local afternoon papers stated
fully $4,000 strangers came to the city
just to say: Hello BILL" to the Ohioan.
Certain it was that wherever he went
or stayed Judge Taft was the center of
immense crowds. The line of march
from the station to the Planters hotel
was through two crowds which block
ed either side of the sidewalk and the
street. A local reception committee of
400, in white caps and badges, headed
by a detail of mounted police and
band, preceded the carriage of the
candidate. He was compelled to stand
with his hat in hand the entire dis
lance of more than mile. acknowledge
ing the salutations of the admirers
The plans for an orderly reception to
the public at the Planters hotel were
upset by the crush of men and women
who swept aside the guards at the
door and pushed their way into the lob
by and up the big stairs. Taft was to
have stood at the head of the stairs
and receive in single file those who
wished to shake his hand. but as soon
as he stepped into the corridor he was
beset by the throng and despite his
weight and the efforts of his personal
assistants, he was swept down the cor
ridor a hundred feet. 1t was seen at
once that nothing could be done with
the crowd and a passageway was
cleared for the candidate to get away.
On reaching the first landing he turn
ed and said with a smile, las ! re-
member mythology there was a gentle
man named Briareus who had hum
bred hands. I wish l had them all for
my friends, the people of st. Louis"
The speech he delivered to his audi
ence at the Coliseum was comprehen-
sive, but the position of the candidate
on the question of trust regulation was
made the important feature.
Il wish 1 had voice like steam
whistle" remarked Judge Taft to his
audience.
1--WE don't have to hear you. Bill; it's
good enough to see you.' came an en-
thusiastic voice from the gallery.
that's a kind of friend like to have"
How about labor unions?" he was
asked.
II have done more for union labor
than Mr.. Gompers," was the quick re-
tort and then Mr.. Taft explained that
the decisions he had rendered as
Judge on the bench and which were
now being misrepresented as placing
him against unionism. were really be-
ing used at present in the courts by
union labor as the basis of their rights.
Another interruption was a query
about campaign contributions. The re-
ply was that so far as he knew, no
contributions had yet been made that
would have the slightest tendency to
embarrass anyone
After the three speeches had been
made Mr. Taft was escorted to the
hotel from where he reviewed the
vrotesoue parade Of the Yelled Prophet,
whose carnival has the city firmly in
it's grasp.
Mr.. Taft visited the ball of the Yelled
Prophet for a few minutes, but old not
participate in the festivities. ~ $50