Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-21
Fact Is Formally Declared
Presidential Electors
President-eIect Delivers Ad-
dress al Mass Meeting.
-
nI. Taft Compliments south-..caIIs
Attention 10 Cotton Trade.

Augusta, Ca, Jan. 20.-Richmond
county, Georgia, modestly stepped I'M
der the spotlight today and proclaimed
William H. Taft as her own-That ne
was a resident of Augusta when the
Presidential electors in the various
states declared him to be the Presi-
dent-elect; that as such he was
Georgian by birth and had lived where
he was born all of his Presidential life.
Thousands of Augustans clinched
this claim with shout Of approval,
which was echoed again and again as
Major ]. o. o. Black said many other
c complimentary things about Mr.. Taft
2; in presenting him to the big mass
meeting which had assembled around
= the same stand from which President
Mckinley spoke more than 10 years
ago.
The President elect declared to the
people whom he addressed as MY fell
low citizens of Augusta" that it was
his delight that the combination of
fate, good sense and good judgment
had brought him to live for six weeks
in Augusta.
Turning to the political phase Of his
visit in the South, Mr.. Taft was not,
he said, as excited as some others
scented to be about the effect. IF l
can convince the Southern people that
this administration is as much con-
'cerned with the welfare of the people
IF the South" he said with emphasis,
sas it is with the welfare of the people
!, of every other section, 1 have accom-
plished all that l can hope to. The
votes and political matters can take
: care of themselves"
A tribute was paid to the memory Of
. Mckinley. encouraging words We're
spoken of the sentimental and indus
! trial side Of the South. Mr.. Taft spoke
of the Oriental trade Of this country
/. and the great interest of the South in
that matter because of the colt IN
p, trade He hoped that one of the re-
suits of his administration would be
greatly to improve trade in that di-
{ rectiOn.
! The banquet scene at THE Terrace,
a hotel lust across the Savannah river,
was one of animation. More. than 200
men. the guests of the Augusta Cham
Der Of Commerce. including John d.
Rockefeller, Governor Ansel of South
/ Carolina, who was inaugurated today
| and many others of distinction were
/ there. Inc speeches. were ulIeCteu NY
the president of the Chamber of Com
merce, l.. c. Hayne Georgia was
! toasted by Judge Henry c. Hammond;
I South, Carolina by Governor ,Ansel
! the Southern states by T. w. Loyiess
/. and Augusta by Judge Joseph r. La
mar.
That Mr.. Taft has urged the Soutf
TO resume her old seat at the council
table of the nation led Judge Lamar
to discuss some of the more serious
: problems which confront the South
+, With cotton enthroned as King he
said. the South was even more inter
ested in the foreign policy of the gov
" eminent than was Pittsburg with he1
. steel. Chicago with her meat products
and the West with her grain. The
! South wanted the open door kept open
). wanted the peace of the world main
. tanned and the efficiency of the con-
! sular service extended. The import
arice of the foreign situation. Mr.. La
mar emphasized by the assertion that
cotton exports exceeded those OF corn
wheat, iron, steel petroleum and oil
and consequently brought more foreign
money to this country than all those
products combined