The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-23
PRESIDENT TAFT
 GOES WESTWARD Rocky Mountains Are Crossed And Train Speeds On BALLlNGER JOINS PARTY Controversy Between BaIlnner and Pinehot Will Be Again Discussed
 by Taft When He Reaches
 the City of Seattle.
BALLlNGER JOINS PARTY


 Taft tonight is crossing the continental divide and tomorrow morning will find himself west of the Rocky Mountains All day the President has travelled, with the panorama of the white-capped peaks of the Rockies in view, and at one time the train ran for mile or more through fields of snow. Tonight at Tennessee Pass the climb to the top of the divide carries the President to an altitude of 1O,240 feet.
 For the first time the President travelled through the Grand Canyon of the Arkan- sas, where at once place the half-mile deep canyon is so narrow that there is not room for the track and the river. and the former has to be carried over the rushing waters by means of a hanging bridge, suspended by cables embedded in the rocky walls of the chasm. The eleven mile ride through the canyon was made by moonlight, the Presidents train hay ing left here at $40 D. m., and reaching the hanging bridge two hours later.
 The President did not feel the altitude and at the end of his first week of "one night stands he is in splendid health, despite the efforts of the hospitable west and it's never-ending elaborate receptions and never-endng breakfasts, luncheons and dinners. MT. Taft's voice also is in the best of condition. There was a little huskiness for a time, but it has disap- peared.
 Visit to Walsh.
 Beginning the first of the two days of his Colorado tour, MT. Taft motored four miles out of Denver to breakfast this morning at the home of Thomas F. Walsh, and at the request of the owner. rechristened as 'Clonmel" the estate here tofore known as "Wolhurst."
 Taking train at Wolhurst with an ad- dtional train filled with Colorado people as an escort the President proceeded to Colorado Springs, where he made brief address in the public park to one of the largest crowds of the trip and then made a hurry-up automobile tour to points of scenic interest. At an eminence over looking the valley of the Garden of the Gods with the Rockies in the background and dark clouds playing tag with Pike's Peak, MT Taft expressed his admiration of the view with unrestrained enthu- siasm
 From Colorado Springs the party came on to Pueblo, where the President left the train at the Mineral Palace park and was driven at the head of a long pro- cession of automobiles to the state fair grounds to face another exuberant throng and to make a brief extemporaneous speech in appreciation of the reception that Colorado has extended to him.
 BalIinger Joins Party.
 Secretary of the Interior Ballinger joined the Taft party at Denver and will go through to Seattle with the President. He will assist MT. Taft tomorrow after noon in his inspection of the Gunnison tunnel at Montrose, Col, the greatest ir- rigation project the government has ever undertaken.
 Mir Taft announced today that he will not make his speech upon the subject of the conservation of natural resources the topic of supreme interest in the coun- try through which he will pass during the next two weeks-until he reaches Spokane on September 2S.
 It was at Spokane that the controversy between Mr. Ballinger and Chief Forester Pinchot arose, and MT. Taft regards 1t as probably the best place to discuss the issue In the brief references made in his speeches so far MT. Taft has de- >clared that reclamation work must go on but that it must be done in con formity with the law and that no project will be undertaken until the money for the work is on hand.
 It was learned today at the same time President Taft wrote his letter to Secre- tary Ballinger sustaining him in all that he has done as head of the interior de- partment, he also wrote letter to MT. Pinchot. Further than to say that he has had frequent correspondence with MT. Pinchot, and that they have always been the warmest of friends, MT. Taft will not further comment upon the matter.
 Party of sheriffs.
 The presidential tour took on its first picturesque coloring of the west today when 32 sheriffs of Colorado counties, in their costumes of the plains, joined the party in a special car to act as guard of honor to the President during his stay in the state. In khaki trousers, blue fan mel shirts, peaked hats. cartridge belts and pistol handles protruding from hol- sters, they surrounded the President at every stop. Advance arrangements had been made for mounts for the sheriffs and they found bunch of bronchos wait ing them at each city visited.
 In his speech at Colorado Springs this afternoon the President said:
 I've are entering upon an era of pros perity that I hope will be exceptional even in the history of our prosperity, but in doing So we must be careful not to forget the obligation there is upon usi to