The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-12
GLAD HAND 10 TAFT
 IN CRESCENT CITY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ID

straits to the west coast of America, to the west coast of South America, to the Orient and to Australia.
 'tThe board of engineers that accompan- jed me have examined the whole work and they say 1t Is good; that it shall go on as it has gone on; that the or ganization on the isthmus, the American push and the good feeling that is there commends itself to them as men who un- derstand great works of that class and convinces them that the canal is now an immediate prospect"
 Fast Travelling.
 MT. Taft's entry into New Orleans was picturesque and thrilling. He came up the 100 miles of the Mississippi from its mouth on the scout cruiser Brming ham at the rate of nearly 30 miles on hour, breaking all records. All the ship ping in the river had on gala dress and as far as a dozen miles below the city the big muddy stream was alive with tugs and stern wheelers having aboard crowds of shouting citizens The concert of steam whistles, brass bands and banks lined with saluting enthusiasts, added to the scene. big stern wheeler carrying the local reception committee eight miles below the city, which, with dozen tugs and other passenger steamers, lowered around the sleek cruiser, with her war paint as she slowed down and struck a seven-knot pace to keep in company. From the flying bridge MT. Taft was kept busy waving his cap and answering salutations, while Mrs Taft, on the quar- ter deck, had her share of the ovation. A big, red barge, No. 23, was brought along side in midstream at the foot of Calan street, over which the party boarded the reception committees steamer from which a landing was made.
 Parade Through Streets.
 The parade had been waiting an hour and the distinguished guest was at once placed at it's head in a carriage drawn by four horses and the line of march which covered nearly five miles was taken
 up. After his speech to gathering of
 thousands before the city hall, -dr. Taft
 reviewed the parade from the same place. He was then conveyed to the Hotel Grune- wald, at which he is to be entertained during his stay in the city.
 l Several socialist banners which were displayed in front of lodging house in
 the line of the Taft parade were ordered down by the local authorities this after noon just before the arrival of the Pres- l dent-eect. The demand was made on the 1 ground that the inscriptions, why should
  | "To abolish poverty, vote the socialist l ticket" Haunted in the face of Judge Taft, would not conform with the hospi- table and non-partisan spirit in which IL
 was decreed the whole city should receive | him. The banners were taken down. Welcome at the Ball.
 l President-elect and Mrs. Taft broke through many old traditions associated i with the mask balls of the carnival sea- | son tonight when they were the guests | of the merry monarchs of the Elves of l Oberon at the old French opera house in Bourbon street. Reverence of real na- | ture and more than imaginary awe for the kings of these balls have been brought | about by the concealment of their iden- | tity ever since the days of the Creole grandissmes, and an entirely new and | very much unlocked for precedent was es- | tabished tonight by the honor paid Pres- | ident-elect and Mrs Taft
 | No sooner had the name of the king | been established than they made their way, surrounded by courtiers, to the box | of honor and escorted the distinguished | visitors to the stage, where they were | asked to share the throne. Later Judge
 Taft danced with the queen and Mrs.