The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-26
SEEING THE PRESIDENT.
A First District Editors Experiences
and Impressions While In
Des Moines.

and Impressions Wn,le IN
Des Moines.
| Editor w. g. Whetstine in Columbus
Junction Safeguard: An editor never
| likes to write about his own affairs,
because he hardly ever has affairs
that are of interest, but when copy is
scarce and there is not even a dog
| fight in town to write about, what
are we to do for copy? If you will
excuse ME will tell something about
my trip to Des Moines to attend the
reception to be given to President
one of the ninety and ninety nine
vice presidents who helped to enter
tain the President, although I admit
that the duties imposed upon me were
not arduous, the real heavy work fall
ing upon some of the less important
fellows like LATE Young, Senator
Cummins, Harvey Ingham, and those
fellows, VINO are fond of entertaining
Presidents. In fact being vice presi-
dent was about the easiest snap of
the whole business. We had re-
served seat in the reviewing stand
right back of the President and all we
had to do was to listen to his speech
and watch the beautiful parade. We
didn't even have to carry water, or
hold music, or anything like that
After all it was great pleasure and
feel indebted to the Des Moines Com
mercial club for their courtesy in max
ing me one of the v. p's.
The ovation given Taft was dandy,
but am getting ahead of my story.
/ met lot of politicians at the
Slavery hote. Sunday evening. Con-
gresham Kennedy of this district
was there and he introduced me to
lot of fellows l had not met, num-
state. / was glad to meet DR.. Moor
head, editor of The Gate City, who
was surprised to find that this writer
is less tnan eight feet tall and slim
as bean pole. He had us sized UP
that way because Alex Miller of the
Washington Democrat dubs me the
Tall Editor of the Cedar" Besides
being postmaster of Keokuk he gets
out a page of bright editorials every
day. We can see how he gets enough
to eat but for the life of us we can't
see how he gets time to sleep Ken
nedy was one of the most popular men
at Des Moines. The splendid service
that he has given to the First district
is know n throughout the state among
men who are familiar with the duties
of congressman, and he is recog-
nized as one Of the states most val
liable servants. And Charley is fell
low who makes friends, anyway, be-
cause he is as common as an old shoe
and he is friend to everyone. He
attended the breakfast party given
Taft, at the Cummins home | did not
go over to the breakfast party. In
fact the vice presidents were not in
vited just suspicion that Mrs. Cum
Minis didn't have room at the table
for the ninety and ninety-nine v. p.'s,
but we do not know. We will forgive
them this time If it couldn't be help
ed.
Congressman J. A. T. Hull intro
, duced the President and after short
preliminary talk he began his speech
on the antitrust laws and railroad
control. He complimented Hepburn,
, the defeated Iowa congressman for
/ his interstate commerce law. The
"Progressives" had been assured that
a M fn ri
, question and they were able to sit in
, their chairs without any noticeable at
: tack of nervousness. He excused him.
r self from referring to the tariff by
. saying that he expressed his views in
: previous speech, meaning Of course
Y at Winona, Mimi, where he called
the insurgent Republicans who voted
with the Democrats, traitors. 1t has
+ ruffled the distinguished gentlemen
I from Iowa who were elected by Re
. publicans and traded their support tc
t the Democrats for promises and future
r support 1t was like clubbing a hor
:. nets nest but we are pleased to know
n that Taft has the courage to tell then
right out without mincing words wha'
he thinks about such political conduct
l. 1t tickles me to think that Taft has
g the courage of Roosevelt and the judg
e ment that a wise President SHOULD
r possess. He will be more populai
u with lie people at the close of hi
d first term than any President sine,
g Lincoln.
II A lot of "Progressives" are tryins
rs
s cold reception in Des MoInes. w
5. admit that lot Of well known mel
e in Iowa didn't warm up to Taft I
g more than four hundred degrees abov