The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-03
CHIEF RULER BF NATION
GUEST OF BIRMINGHAM
Is Principal Attraction Il ! Fllse
DoIlar-a-PIate Feast.
Mr.. Taft E.ss streausss Nay Of rs.va1'
ana Festivities 4. Magic Cify--
Consratulatss Citiss.s ~
Alab.n. ON R-sosress -
Great stats.


ny WILL +. sHEzHAN.
Birmingham. Nov. 2.-ytspecial.)->
President william Howard raft, nike
Mrs. Fexzwig in the Christmas Carol
came in tonight zone vast substantisI
smile. !"
He sailed up to the TTssliman Hotel
few minutes befors, = O'clock. es-
eorted by convoy W automobiles with
his silk hat on ana the electric lights
playing upon the entulgent smile which
has made the President famous.
They had the common people roped 4
on to the sidewalks where they step-
ped on each others corns and aug
their elbows into each others short
ribs until the squadron OF automobiles
hove into sight. bearing its rich cargo
of prominent citizens and silk hats.
When the Taft smile and the TAFT
silk hat were recognized the great
crowd, weary Of jostiing each otaer.
broke into q long yell. the band played
Dixie" the militia officers yelled out
'1horduh hums."' the secret service Of
ficers shouted back two or three bound.
ers who got in the way, and II tina
President was not satisaed with hia
Alabama welcome. he IL hard to please
OF a certainty. the crowd was big
enough. the yeils were loud enough.
and the enthusiasm was warm enough
to satisfy q man mora paIesmatic than
the President.
A Denatured Banquef.
They are giving him banqiet too
night ct the Hiilman. a denatured ban-
Quet. q wineless feast Some kind
friend took tilesPrssideut on ana told
him about the ruler hill the Cars
michael bin and the rest OF Il. nor
that II made any difference to fhe
President for his attitude toward tina
absence Of wine ID that of the polite
old ants-beiium negro: mo deprzvitys
sub; no depravity at ali -
The President. in the days that are
gone. used to take little wine tor
his stomach's sake and for hts often
infirmities. but during his time in tho
presidential once he has decided, for
the example OF the, thing. not to tcucn
wine OF any kind. In his large party.
however. there arc several distin-
suished gentlemen who don't care a
thrip about their example. After to-
nignt's denatured feast. It Is under-
stood that they would vote against
the amendment II they lived In Ala
bama.
The banquet hall at the Hotel Hill-
man was q thing of beauty. even
though the scenes which once knew
the red cherries ana aromatic cock
tails know them no more.
Must Put Up sI5.
TO be at the banquet. a man must
first be a prominent citizen and ha
must pay SIS for his plate and his
glass OF water. Several citizens who
had the SIS did not get Invitations.
and several citizens who got invita-
lions declined TO separate themselves
from SIS for one serving OF victuais.s
A business man said thoughtfuliy,
can remember when 1 have drank
up SIS worth Of wine In one night.
but don't remember any time that
was able to eat SIS worth OF food
at one sitting"
Some Of these men when they farse
came to Birmingham got two months
board for SIS. yet the banquet hall
was filled and that by as representa-
tive class OF citizens as the Presi-
dent has spoken to since he left
Washington. II was as flne banquet,
without any qualifications. as has
been served IN birmingham since the
days they passed hash and hot coffee
over the pine counters. when the city
was being started nearly forty years
ago.
The President was welcomed at the
Terminal station. Mayor Frank p.
o'Brien. with Governor Conner at his
right hand, did the "weicome-to-our-
fatr-city' act, and did It neatly. too.
One wondered IL the aggressive and
energetic young Irishman named
o'Brien who came TO Montgomery in
1859. ever imagined that the day would
come when he would stand inside Of a
million dollar passenger station. Dress
ed in a frock coat and. as a Mayor oe
the chief city of the State. welcome
the President of the United States to
the city which he governs.
What's the use of writing or read.
ing romance when things like this ara
happening every day?
Guarding Chief Citizen.
They are taking great pains with
the President and well they may.
Among the tens of thousands who
cheer him warmly. as he rides Though
the street. there may be one black
hearted assassin with the Will and
the power to plunge the entire nation
in mourning.
Troops. police. detectives and secret
service officers strike hands and work,
one with the other. that there may be
no such tragedy. The people are kept
back on the sidewalks. The streets
are roped of from curb to curb A
trooper or policeman stands every
six feet and scans the crowd. A
dozen mounted policemen head the
presidential party They are followed
by an automobile loaded down with
- ga anomnk sn~@~G : -.