The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-05-25
Taft is to celebrate, I am sorry to
say"
Tells Story of Major Hemphill's ES-
DenSe

Tells Story of Major Hemphll S EX-
pense.
With twinkle in his eye, after be-
ing introduced by Governor Kitchen,
the president told a story at the ex-
pense Of Major Hemphill, which
brought a shout Of laughter from the
audience, and was enjoyed by none
more than the editor himself.
"We are here," said the president,
"to celebrate a declaration OF 1nde-
pendence, regardless Of the fact that
there aGe some unregenerate persons
in South Carolina and elsewhere
that, for various motives, have cast
doubt upon the claim" "
The president declared that the
man who came to Charlotte and was
not willing to accept the Mecklen-
burg Declaration in full reminded him
of the Tiperary Irishman who was
tried for murder after he had hit
his opponent a fatal blow with a
blackthorn. It developed at the trial
that the victim had skull as thin as
paper. Consequently the defendant
was convicted only of manslaughter.
When sentence came to be passed the
convicted man was asked If he had
anything to say.
"No, your Honor,'' he replied. ac-
cording to MI. Taft, "but your Hon.
or. 1 would like to ask wan question,
What the divil was man with a
head like that doing in Tipperary -
President Taft declared that tie
important part Of the Mecklenburg
Declaration, asviewed from the stand
point Of practical patriotism and
practical craftsmanship, was not the
general declaration as to the rights
of man, but the practical provision
for a government, which was to sue
ceed that Of Great Britain.
The Declaration. the president
said. showed wisdom, self-rel1ance'
and willingness to accept the re-
sponsibility of maintaining a govern
ment Of law and order.
Mr.. Taft turned from discussion
of Revolutionary days to more mod
ern times. He spoke of the War Be-
tween the States and said:
A United Country.
"You, in the Southland, had the
troubles, the suffering, the sad losses
burned into your hearts with much
more emphasis than We in the North
land. because here was the centre OF
the war, and it is entirely natural that
in the forty years, which have sue
ceeded the war, there should continue
a bitterness Of feeling that time and
a long time could only erase; but
when we look back I think we must
congratulate ourselves that the feel
inc has so largely disappeared, and
that we are now a more united coun-
trv than ever since a decade before
the war.
"It is true that political divisions
have continued in such a way as a.
some times to seem to perpetuate the
lines. which were made at the time OF
the war. but even those lines are rap
idly disappearing; and it IS the duty
of all of US without respect to poIltl-
cal partisanship to wipe out those
lines as far as we can, and to see.
50 far as we may, that in each State
the tolerance Of opinion shall cor
t;nue until there shall be rc0pect9 BILE
parties on both sides Of the line, be-
cause it is essential to have good
opposition to have a good govern
ment. Now, if there is anything that
T can do in my administration to
maka the feeling Of union more close,
I shall do it.
Appointment of Judge Connor.
s'I am anxious, Of course, speak
ing from a partisan standpoint and
leaving my official position for mo-
ment. that the Republican party OF
North Carolina should be strengthen
ed. merely to have a good fight every
election. and, Of course, in so far as
I may legitimately do so, I should be
glad to build up the Republican party.
Now. I understand that some OF my
Republican friends think that [ have
lost sight of the Republican party IN
putting into office in North Carolina