The Tupelo journal., 1909-05-21
TAFT IS GUEST
OF CHARLOTTE
PRESIDENT ATTENDS MEcKLEN-
BuRG CELEBRATION.
HE MAKES TWO SPEECHES
Anniversary of "First Declaration Of
Independence" Is Occasion Of Three
DAYS Of Entertainment In
North Carolina.

& Independence" Is Occasion Of Three
Days Of Entertainment In
North Carolina.
Charlotte, N. president Taft, by
his presence and participation. gave
| his Endorsement to the celebration of
to the one hundred and thirty-fourth
| anniversary of the Mecklenburg
| declaration of independence, and con-
sequently the entire state is rejoicing.
The chief executive came on the last
Of the three days of celebration, and
his address was a main feature of the
carnival program.
Military maneuvers and drills, band
concerts, athletic and baseball con-
tests and numerous addresses enter
tanned the swarms OF visitors from all
parts of this and adjoining states.
The Charlotte fire companies opened
the affair Tuesday noon with an e x
hibition, and then a troop of regular
| cavalry drilled and a band concert
was given. Baseball followed, and in
the evening the Charlotte drum corps
and three bands amused the crowds.
Governors Day Program.
Wednesday was designated as gov
errors day and the main event was
the delivery of addresses by Gov.
Kitchin of North Carolina and the chief
executive of several other states, at
| the fair grounds. These were pre-
| coded by a big athletic meet and fol
lowed by a cavalry drill, military
maneuvers and band concerts, with
another ball game thrown in for good
measure.
Two events made the evening not
able. The first was a May musical
festival at the Auditorium which en-
| listed the services OF a number of
excellent soloists and a large and
we'll trained chorus. The second was
an illuminated parade given by the
Order of Red Men.
President Taft Arrives.
Just at ten o'clock Wednesday
morning the booming of a 21-gun sa-
ute by the Charlotte artillery mott
led the people that President Taft had
arrived on his special train. Nearly
Ill the inhabitants and the thousands
If visitors were at the station, and
IS Mr.. and Mrs. Taft alighted from
heir car they were greeted with a
mighty roar of applause. A special
reception committee took the distin-
yuished guests in charge and conduct
I'd them to the Selwyn hotel, where
hey were welcomed by Gov. Kitchin,
Senators Simmons and Overman and
he mayor of Charlotte.
After meeting all the committeeman
md their wives, Mr.. and Mrs. Taft,
together with Mrs. Stonemall Jack.
son, the governor and mayor and 9th.
er distinguished visitors, were escort
ed by a guard of old soldiers to a re.
Viewing stand and witnessed a
grand parade Of all the military and
civic organizations that could take
part in the celebration.
Mr.. Taft Speaks Twice.
A second installment of the music
festival in the Auditorium was graced
by the presence of the city's guests
and then all returned to the reviewing
stand, where President Taft delivered
an address. His words were listened
20 with close attention and frequently
elected loud applause.
Later in the afternoon the presiden,
made a speech to the colored people
and the students of Biddle university
From 5 to $50 in the evening Mr.
and Mrs. Taft held a public reception
in the parlors of the Selwyn hote
and shook hands with thousands O.
people.
Military drills, band concerts ant
other entertainments were provided
for the crowds all Wednesday after
noon and evening, and the great cele
bration closed in a blaze of glory.
Old Controversy Renewed.
The people of North Carolina
whose proudest boast has been tina
their ancestors were the first Amer
leans to throw off the yoke of British
rule, now rejoice in the feeling tina
President Taft has recognized tn
Justice of their claim, but the century
old controversy has broken out afresh
Many historians refuse to accord t
the pioneers Of M~ecklenburg count.
the honor that is thus accorded them
These historians allude to the stor,
as the Mecklenburg myth" and there
by arouse the anger of North Care
linans.
According to those unbiased inves
tigators who have looked most deeI
ly into the matter, the Mecklenburs
ers did hold a public meeting on Ma
81, 1775, and did adopt resolution
quite abreast of the public sentimen
of that time, but not v%enturing on tn
field of independence further tha'
to say that these resolutions were t
remain in full force till Great Britai
resigned its pr~etensions. In 1898, Q
earlier, some of the actors in the pre-
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