The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-04
ADVANCES ON GEORGIA.
President Taft Winds Up His Visit In
Alabama.

Birmingham Ala, Nov. 4.-Presi-
dent Taft brought his twenty hours
stay in Birmingham to close at 4:10
7. m. and left for Macon, Ga. He
Ala. and Columbus, Ca
In his Birmingham address, deliver
&c at Capitol park, the president again
expressed his good will toward the
man in the crowd called out:
GOD bless you; we all love you.
A broad grin came over the presi-
dents face as he turned and replied:
THAT reminds me of the old quota
ton, Tt may. be all right to dissemble
your love. but why did you kick me
down stairs
But 1 have no fault to find on that
score" added the president. 'The fact
that you had SO little to do with put
ting me where I am makes me appre-
ciate the warmth and sincerity of your
reception all the more
Turning from these pleasantries, the
president urged for support in carry
| ing out the Roosevelt policies to bring
about better conditions of honesty and
integrity in business and public affairs,
without regard to party lines.
The president referred only once
during the course of his speech to the
proposition to amend the state consti-
tuition by providing in it for an in
definite continuance of state wide pro-
hibition. He promptly was asked how
Lac SlOOo OI LIlS 4QeSliOil
tI am not an Alabaman," he replied.
amid laughter, "and am somewhat in
| the position of Brother Fox, who when
he was called upon to decide a case
between a lion and some other fero-
c;ous beast protested that he had bad
| cold and had entirely lost his sense of
smell"
Avenue of Blue and Gray.
| One of the prettiest incidents of the
day occurred as the president was leav-
| ing the luncheon. The way from the
club house door to the waiting automo-
bile was lined on the one side by vet
| Grams of the Confederate army and on
| the other by men of the Grand Army
| of the Republic AS he passed down
| the avenue formed by the grizzled old
soldiers. Mr.. Taft stopped to shake
| hands alternately with each one.
| As he shook hands with one of the
Confederates the old fellow. said:
MIR. President, you have Captured the
secessionists, the Kuklux and the
| Cranky Democrats, all of them.''
well, that's whole lot" smilingly
replied the president.
In one of his speeches here the presi-
dent sought to defend golf from the
| charge that it is a rich mans game.
| The president also told of the pleasure
| his trip has given him. He said:
| Defends Golf.
| "The game of golf 1 am not only fond
| of myself, but am serious in thinking
| that its. general spread through the
| country is a real benefit and means
| long life to men between SO and 70. Now
| I speak with some fervor on the game
of golf, because during the last pres1-
| Dental election l was not without
| caution as to the effect of too great en-
| thusiasm shown on my part in refer
| ence to the game.
| 1T was supposed at that time, and it
| was heralded in the newspapers as be-
| ing a game indicating aristocratic
| leaning and association with wealth
| that was supposed to injure one in the
standing of the plain people as Lincoln
| called them. But / am hopeful now
| that the virtues of golf as trainer OF
| character and as a Ieveller instead OF
| an exalter of people will be so well I'M
| derstood that in any future political
campaign golf will figure rather as a
reason for electing candidate who is
! addicted to it, than to defeat him.
Your chairman has said that I must
have been weary on this journey. Well
II am bound to admit that there were
1 times when / was, but on the whole ]
| have enjoyed every minute of it, and
| cause 1 like people. I think that rapid
| as my trip has been, nevertheless, !
have had. with the desire to learn, an
! opportunity that few people have en-
| joyed in taking what may be called a
birds eye view of the whole situation. "
! The president declared that Birming-
| ham and all the south surely would
! benefit greatly from the Panama canal
and promised that the American navy
1 would pass through the canal on the
\ first of Januar- 1915.