The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-02

CTS" organization had been to the last. | "I always enjoy these reunions or | those whose good fortune It was 10 | take the Philippine trip, ne began. | But the enjoyment is is always mixed with the regret that those whom we entertain as our guests on these occa- sions were not on the trip, and the l further regret that we cannot take an | other such trip. Circumstances will never fit themselves for its repetition any more than four or five honeymoons
 which resulted from the trip can be mad over again.
 T have often wondered what 1t was that made our party such uniform success from the beginning. l never wanted. to get to Honolulu after we embarked on the Manchuria; certain 1t was that our party received an impetus in good fellowship from the hospital | ity that was shown to all of us by the Emperor of Japan that lasted until
 we reached home.
 A Loving Party. T think there vas not an excep- tion in the love we all had for each other when we came home-every one loving every one else and also loving a particular person. But as I say, the trip will never come again. It is a sweet memory and we have got to en- joy it in memory. Now l am sure tn at every one of us has had an occa- sion to rejoice often that he or she was a member of the party. Speaking for myself, it seems to me that every day and every week l have had oc- casion to rejoice. The party has broken down party lines, but 1t has not broken down. I am glad to say, do- nestle lines But when there is Phil ippine legislation on, If you will eX- anime the votes in the Senate and House. you can trace the influence or the Philippine party. It has mingled Republicans and Democrats together in a way that no one can understand except those who are members of the party.
 "Tonight feel overcome by the good will and generosity and the welcome you have given Mrs. Taft and myself. I have a sense of being undeserving (cries of mo- Well, that's the way I feel anyhow.
 q am about to take up burden that I am not going to resign from. but 1t Lis one that doubtless will grow heavy at times and lighter at times. But whatever the burden. I want the good men and women-the good fellows, both male and female-of the party to know that I am confident that who- ever else may be severe critic, I shall have the sympathy of those who sailed out from San Francisco on the
 
 steamer with me in 1905
 II hope we may continue to have these reunions. We did have one at the White House when We went there to see that two of our number were properly married. and l hope that the White House may be frequent place of meeting in the future. I do not expect to be It's mistress, and I have not consulted its mistess. but l want you to come there where the landlord is so generous and where the tenant of which will be glad during the next term to welcome you all and each at any time. This party might bear the same relation to the coming adminis- tration as the Rough Riders do to the outgoing administration. I should be delighted to take them into the same degree of confidence as I have the class of Yale '79. I hope my heart Is big enough and I hope the patronage of the office is sufficiently wide to in clude them both"
 Mir. Taft said good night amid a hearty round of applause. The speech making continued until late. as nearly every member of the Congressional braflches gave his testimony of de- lightful memories on the Journeyings of the party.