The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-26

John Hays Hammond. the Presidents
trusted friend and associate, said yes
terday that he believed that President
Taft would be the most popular Presi-
dent in history among the people Of the
west, and President Taft went a long
ways toward fulfilling that prediction
yesterday so far as Utah and salt Lake
are concerned. His was a speech OF a
big, whOle-souled man, who was pleased
with his surroundings and friends, and
most happy to tell the people what he
thought about them. The President was
in good voice as well as in good humor,
and many thousands grouped around
the stand just south of the band stand
were able to hear his speech.
Long before the President arrived
from the Country club the Fifteenth in
fantry the Utah signal corps of the
Utah national guard and the First bat
terry with the High School cadets were
placed along the line of the main drive
way in extended order, keeping the
driveway clear, and when the Presi-
dents party arrived the drive was lined
with spectators from one end of the
park to the other
Salute the President.
A cheer announced the Presidents
mobile procession came down the line
with an escort of mounted orderlies
from the Fifteenth infantry, the cheers
gained in volume until the High School
Cadet band was drowned out when the
stand. was reached. Hats off" was
the cry when the President entered the
stand, and everyone uncovered Is the
President acknowledged the welcome.
As the President looked out over the
crowd, he noted that a large space in
front of the stand had been reserved for
the band, and the nearest of his audi
ence was more than forty feet away. A
word to Captain Butt, and then came an
order for the band to move near the
stand at the north end, and the crowd
was brought up TO the lines which
formed the narrow enclosure for the
newspaper men directly in front of the
President.
Governor William Spry rode with the
President, accompanied by Captain
Butt. and the secret service men, and
I'm the official party .ere Senator SmOot,
Senator Sutherland, Congressman How
ell, Mayor J. S. Br8nsfOrd. John Hays
Hammond, Secretary r. A. Ballinger.
There were seats on the platform for
about seVenty-fve members of the gen
eTal citizens committee and the gov
ernor's staff. Among those on the stand
besides the official party and the gov
enOT's staff were Z. II. Callster, James
H. Anderson, Willard Weihe, J. J. Nc
Clellan, II. L. A. Gunner, Harry p.
Clark, A. II, Peabody, W. s. Mccormick
NJ. H. Walker, James Tingeyr Jesse
Jewkes, Judge G. @. Armstrong, Judge
J. Z. Prick, Judge W NJ. McCarty,
John Hardy, A L. Thomas, F. c. era
ham, former Governor John c. Cutler
II Arsrr7
Love, G. s. Burton and A. Q. Nelson.
President Taft was introduced by
Governor Spry, and after the Presidents
speech a large oil painting of the great
Augusta bridge in San Juan county by
H. l. A. Gunner. was presented to
President Taft by Senator Sutherland.
Introduction by Governor.
In introducing President Taft Gov
ernOr Spry said: Ladies and Gentle
men: i is seldom that the honor has
been given this state of receiving the
chief executive of this great republic
Today we have that honor. Our Pres
ident has been kind enough to extend to
US the privilege of meeting with him
and of talking with him and of putting
himself i'm position 10 know something
of the needs of this great state. I need
not tell him, in the presence of this vast
multitude, that he is welcome. Gap
plause.)
"Since he arrived i'm the state yester-
day morning, it has been the pleasure
of the People to listen to him. His
words of cheer and comfort and cOun-
sci and the spectacle that he has before
him this afternoon must certainly in
spiTe his heart, and cause him to know
that in Utah we have a people that is