The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-10-29
OPEN DOOR FOR TAFT
ST. LOUIS BID PRESIDENT ENTER;
HEARTY WELCOME.
Governors of States and Other Off
clal Dignitaries Join With the
People in the Glad Hand Move
ment; Beginning of the Long Trip
Down Mississippi River; Destina-
tion New Orleans.

st. Louis, Oct. 25.-Goyernors and
other high officials of score of states
thousands of lesser lights of official
dom and hundreds of thousands of the
common people of Illinois, Missouri.
Iowa and other states were guests of
st. Louis and joined with the citizens
OF the city in giving a hearty welcome
to the great guest, William Howard
Taft.
Not since Colonel Roosevelt arrived
here on his trip down the Father of
Waters has such a concourse assembled
to pay honor to any man or set of
men. The name of Taft was today
on the tip of every tongue and craven
in the hearts of his countrymen of
the Mississippi and Mossuri valleys.
From early morn excursion train after
excursion train has crawled into the
Union station and deposited their hu-
man freight. The river is filled with
craft of every variety and presents
the most animated appearance ever
witnessed in years. The torpedo boat
flotilla, which will escort the presi-
dent down the river is centre of
interest
East St. Louis Also.
East st. Louis, the Illinois city
across the river, will have a share i'm
the program of the day. The new
$35O,OOO federal building will be dedi-
Gated in the presence of President
Taft Vice President Sherman, Speaker
Cannon and the entire Illinois delega-
ton in congress.
President Taft arrived early this
morning and was given an enthusiastic
greeting. After breakfast he proceed
ed to the Coliseum, where he delivered
one of the principal speeches of his
tour, touching on the subject of
waterways and other topics of interest
to the people of the Mississippi valley.
Later at the Hotel jefferson he was
the guest of the Lakes-to the Gulf
Deep Waterways association at a ban
quet. His engagement at East ST..
Louis follows
Trip Down the Father of Waters.
Late this afternoon in the midst of
chrieking of whistles and general
jubilation, the presidential party will
board the steamboats, which are to
convey them to New Orleans. His
trip down the river will doubtless be
the greatest demonstration in the his
tory of the Father of Waters The ex-
pense of the presidents fleet will
probably exceed $4,000, according to
estimates of officials of the Lakes-to
the-Gulf Deep Waterways association.
Four torpedo boats of the United
States Navy will lead the water pa
geant.
In addition to the naval craft, near
ly score of river steamers will ac-
company President Taft, the governors,
congressman and deep waterways
delegates to New Orleans. The fleet
will be joined at Memphis and Helena
by other steamers.
What Schedule Provides.
The schedule provides for an unin-
terrupted trip for the expedition dur
ing the night of October 81 and the
greater part of October %, on the
stretch of 265 miles between Helena,
Ark, and Vicksburg, Miss. The fleet
will leave Helena at p. M, October
p, and will reach vicksburg at 3
p. M, October %.
During this stage of the trip it is
planned that the governors shall give
a dinner on board the steamer ST. Paul
to President Taft, and that the mem
bers of congress shall entertain the
presidents party on board the steamer
Quincy at luncheon.