Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-06
TAFT COMMENDS
WORKOF YIN. G. A.
Presides at Laying of Corner
stones on Swing Around
the Circuit.
TELLS OF THE ADVANTAGES
"You Can Put in All You Choose and
Get the Value of Every Dollar"
Says Executive.

President Taft, while Swinging
around the circle" in his western trip,
has found time to dedicate and lay
cornerstones for a number of new
buildings for the Y. Nj. G.. A. At La
Crosse Wis, there was a magnificent
new building erected at a cost of $780,.
600 waiting for him to give the dedi-
catory address. He said, in the course
of his earnest speech: When I am
invited to testify to the advantages of
the Young Mems Christian association
to the community, feel that 1 should
be neglecting my duty as a man If
did not bear witness to the great work
Of this association as have seen it, in
hiding young men and making them
valuable members of the community
In Omaha, in Seattle, in Shanghai. in
Hongkong and Manila, as well as IN
many other places around the world,
hey have associations where l have
seen tits good work On the Isthmus
of Panama we are using today four
of their trained general secretaries 20
organize our associations there to help
the young men who are working in the
tropics and to protect them from the
dangers and temptations that beset
young men,
Recovery at San Francisco.
At San Francisco, President Taft
laid the cornerstone of the new $780,
600 building now in process of con-
istruction At the time of the great
earthquake the San Francisco associa-
ton was left bNmeIess and almost
penniless, but now there is one of the
finest association buildings in the
world being erected there, One re-
mark by President Taft at this corner
| stone laying is noteworthy. ut is
! about as hard to put money where it
can do some good as it was to make
that money" he said. "You can put
all you choose in the Young Mems
Christian association and get the value
OF every dollarP
Last week the president turned
! golden key in the lock of the new
I building at Memphis and opened the
doors of the place to young men, and
carried the key home with him Here
after, the building will be open night
and day for it's services to men.
Just before leaving Beverly, Mass,
on his western trip, the president,
+ without solicitation, sent his check for
500 to the committee for the associa-
ton building. fund. In his letter to
the chairman of the committee. he
said:
Making Usefulness Permanent.
81 have had occasion at a number
Of places, half way around the world, !
including the Orient, to emphasize my
nyery high opinion of the work which /
Va Young Mems Christian association /
does, not only at home. but abroad, /
and the erection Of substantial, hand |
soma, useful and valuable buildings IS |
a long step in making this usefulness
permanent. As I expect TO be a resi-
dent or Beverly next summer and 70 .
have something more than mere gen
eral interest in the progress of mat
tiers in the city. beg you to allow
me to contribute to the building by
enclosing my check
! Boston, without the aid of the presi-
dent, has just raised q fund of half a
million dollars in Is days for q new
building and equipment.
started with Gift of 100000.
On Oct. IA the campaign started
with a gift of 100000 from the presi-
dent Of the Boston association, and one
of $4,000 from the vice president Of
the association. Other gifts, large and
small, poured in, until more than $780, L
600 has been raised for what win ne II
one of the finest association buildings
in the world.
Pueblo, Colo, one of the few remain
ing large cities without an associa-
tion, started campaign for s1OOG L
Oct. IL Just 10 days later the cam
paign closed with $4,000 pledged
The gifts for new buildings for asso-
ciations during the present year will Il
to at least three million dol
lars nv the end of Decenber