The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-01
In His Address at Yale the President Takes Leaders
 To Task
CAMPAIGN PROMISES ARE
 NOT BEING FULFILLED
Yale University Has Great Day and Visit of Taft Adds Greatly to h. terest in the Commence
 ment Exercises.

New Haven. Conn. June 3o.-Presi- dent Taft paused in the course of an after dinner speech to 1900 graduates of Yale. gathered at the annual alumni feast today, to issue a serious note of warning to Congress and to the leaders of the republican party. The President declared that if the party which placed him in power and so long had con trolled the government failed to live up to its promises and the expectations of the people 1t would be relegated to the position of a minority opposition.
 MT. Taft had been speaking humor- ously of recollections of his own col- lege days which made his sudden change to the serious tone of the above utterance on national affairs all the more impressive. The President spoke extemporaneously and his utterances as to the duty of the party of which he is nominally the head seemed the result of sudden impulse. rather than of studied intent
 MT. Taft made no effort to explain his remarks. The Yale men caught his meaning and the significance of the remarks coming at this time of the tar if rebate, however. and they stood up on their feet and cheered for several minutes. He had been speaking of Secretary of War Dickinson, a demo- crat, upon whom Yale today conferred an honorary degree. He taunted the democracy with the best of good hu- nor, as to its present day condition and this led him into the declaration as to his own party.
 Just to show" the President con- cluded amid laughter, that We have troubles of our own'
 Dickinson Euloeized.
 After paying tribute to others upon whom the university today conferred honorary degrees. the President came down to Secretary Dickinson and said:
 You went south of the Mason and Dixon line to get a Secretary of War to give a degree to. Well, 1t is we'll that you did because he is going to build the Panama canal and other un- iversites will follow where you got in early. One of the difficulties that has confronted Brother Dickinson, out in Chicago. where he has a temporary residence was a discussion as to what 
 whether really he ought to be counted a democrat if he allowed himself to go into a republican cabinet. Well, when you come to discuss what is a democrat these days you are presented with very much the same difficulty that I have before me now in giving certain rules for the construction of the pure food law, as to what whisky is They say there is straight whisky and there Is rectified whisky. and then there Is imitation whisky. Now, | speak with a good deal of hesitation in saying whether my friend Dickinson is a straight democrat or a 'rectihed' democrat. l would not dare to say in his presence that he was an imita- tion' democrat
 '"rhe truth is. and speaking seriously. consider myself most fortunate that I was able to obtain for that important place in my cabinet man who represent ed the highest ideals of the south, who knew no section in his patriotism, and whose coming Into the cabinet was sig nihcant of the friendliness of a large ele- ment in that southern section that 1t is in my heart to bring close to the north.
 Difficulties Ahead.
 Now, my dear friends, in suggesting differences among democrats, l am far from ignoring some difflculties that there
 
 Mir Charles Francis Adams gave what may call a perfectly good Adams reason for the election of the democratic candi- date over the republican candidate He said that one of the essentials of a suc- cessful free government was an able, pa triotic and efficient opposition. and that as the democratic party had utterly failed fin reaching that ideal he was in favor of putting the republican party in that place. Now. l venture to say that while that may not be the reason which shall move the American people, 1t Is true that if the republican party does not live up to It's promises and what the people expect of 1t 1t will be relegated to position like that of the minority opposition And therefore l may say, by way of caveat. that we have troubles of our own.'
 Busy Day for Taft.
 The President had a busy and interest ing day as the honored guest of the Yale commencement exercises. In cap and gown he walked in the dignifled process sion of graduates, fellows and professors to the commencement exercises. He at tended a meeting of the Yale corporation spoke at the midday dinner of the alumni dinner. presided over a meeting held for the purpose of arranging for memorial of Yale men who died on both sides in the civil war. stood for nearly two hours VI ment reception and rushed tonight from meeting of Skull and Bones to board his private car, which was attached to the night train for Washington. The Presi- dent will reach the capital at 9:45 a. m. tomorrow
 Skull and Bones."
 The Skull and Bones is a secret ociety founded by the Presidents father when he was student at Yale. All the Tafts have belonged to 1t. and it's proceedings are shrouded with all the adolescent mys- tery which characterizes the college fra ternities. The President passed into the mystic shrine of Skull and Bones temple all alone tonight. Not even Captain Butt, his military aide. who In his brilliant full dress uniform lent touch of color to the academic procession, was allowed to pass the portals, and all of the secret service guards had to Teen WHrch outside. To- days commencement was noticsah many ways. PIes,4ea.. aft made an- nouncement of gifts to the university