The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-25

be shown the chief magistrate, and Col
Onel Scott and his staff carried out ev-
erything with a precision that pleased
their distinguished visitor Now and
then the President spoke some word of
approval to Governor Spry, but all the
occupants of the car seemed absorbed
in seeing rather than talking.
President Takes Place.
Presently the band, playing martial
airs, started onto the parade and drill
grounds. The continuous cheering
ceased as the Presidents auto started,
and the crowd devoted its energies to
getting to some spot Of observation be-
fore the review of troops began. This
was not difficult. for with true military
alignment the President and his escort
Travelled base and altitude of a triangle,
while the spectators cut across the
hypothenuse, enabling them to arrive
before the auto, which proceeded only
as fast as the band could march.
Every now and then somebody who
had voice enough left TO cheer started
another ovation, and when the Presi-
dent stepped from the machine to re-
view the troops, there was a hOarse roar
and strained vocal cords. The scene
here was a brilliant military spectacle,
with the added Importance the ruler of
this nation gives to any affair to which
he lends his presence. President Taft
stepped out on the sward and stood by
himself. He raised his hat and gave
the signal for the evolutions to begin.
Not far away stood Secretary Balm
ger, Senator SmOOt, Captain Butts, Sc
cret Service Operative Sloan and 9TH
ers of the Presidents encourage. The
crowd made no effort to encroach, but
remained respectfully in the back
ground, with their eyes on the Presi-
dent and quite Unmindful of the glitter
ing military pOmp. They had seen that
before, but most Of them had never seen
a President before, and none of them
had seen any other President like this
one.
An Impressive Figure.
President Taft was an impressive fig
IRE as he stood there. His smile had
disappeared, and a dignity quite as en-
phatic as his good humOr had been
earlier in the day. hedged him in.
Stern, uncOmprOmising and watchful,
he eyed the soldiers with a generals
eye. Taller and bigger than the biggest
of them, he seemed to tower above
them in mind as well as body. Here
was apparent the majesty that sur
rounds a ruler, for in an empire they
would have said: He is every inch a
king" Certainly no ruler in the world,
even attireG in all his panOply of state,
would have appeared as dignified and
impressive as the huge President clad
in black frOck coat of the cut that
used to be known as prince Albert, "
frrr Iii
The evoluions began in the rear of
the field. The band led company K.
commanded by Lieutenant SilIiman. the
officer of the day. The company
marched in a rectangIe until they
passed just in front of the President.
who stood immovable as the officers sa-
Iuted on their way past him. The re-
view occupied about ten minutes. There
was no speechmaking, and except for
the actual time he was reviewing the
troops, President Taft seemed to be en-
jOying himself hugely. The review he
seemed to regard as part of his days
work.
After it was over, he turned to Gov
ernOr Spry and Senator SmOOt, who es-
corted him back to his auto. CAPTAIN
Butts and the secret service men fol-
lowed. The crowd cheered as the Pres
/
man removed his hat as the President
passed by. Then there was another
rush for some vantage point where an
other glimpse of the President might
be caught, but to most it was futile. for
his auto, travelling a snaiPs pace so as
not to run over the band, took him di-
T6ctly TO Colonel ScOtt's residence.
where President Taft's reception to the
officers and their women was scheduled
to begin.
This time the public found all an
proaches to Colonel SCOTS residence re
served for the presidential party and re-
ceptiOn guests. Soldiers marched to and
! fro with quite as much solemnitv as if
some hostile army, instead of a Dopulace
that ldOliZed their President menaced
them. Although this ended the public's
part in the reception for the day. all were
10th TO so home. The 5000 people who
jOurneyed to the fort for the occasion
hung about the grounds, Notwithstanding
it was authOritatively announced the
President would not make his reappear-