The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1909-10-29
TAFT DECLARES
FOR WATERWAY
PRESIDENT CLAIMS RIVER
A ARE K
Also Asserts That When Feasible
Proposition Is Put Before Him
He Will Be Ready For Bond
Issue For Large Streams.

A1ASi IL o4A "oo AaS
Louis Club, where he b~reakfasted. AT
ter a brief address there he was
whirled in an auto to the Coliseum
where he spoke at II o'clock. His
| physician had limited him to five min
utes because of hoarseness, but he
warmed up to his theme under the
| heartiness of his reception and spoke
40 minutes.
At 9 p. m. he lunched at the Plan
| ters Hotel. From there he went tC
East st. Louis to dedicate the new
P~ostoffice Building. When this ser
| vice was over the President returned
to st. Louis and boarded the OleandeI
to begin the most memorable cruise
down the Mississippi ever undertaken
by a President of the United States.
Big Day in East st. Louis.
Before the biggest crowd ever gath
| cred in East st. Louis, President TAFT
| Monday afternoon dedicated the new
Federal building.
The dedication of the Government
structure had brought thousands to
the city and with the President, the
Vice-President and the Speaker OF the
House of Representatives present,
East ST. Louis experienced the great
est day in her history.
Before Mr.. Taft's arrival in the city
at 4 o'clock Mayor Silas Cook, Repre-
sentative Rodenberg, Vice-President
Sherman and Speaker Cannon had
made speeches.
The day was started off with a
"Made-in-East st. Louis parade In the
| morning, in which delegations from
nearby towns took part. The parade
formed at Tenth street and Illinois
avenue and started promptly at 10
O'Clock and was reviewed by the Vice.
President. More than G,000 persons
were in the pageant, which was his
torical as we'll as industrial.
Dinner in Federal Building.
Following the parade, a dinner was
given at u o'clock at the Federal
Building, at which Speaker Cannon.
who had arrived meantime, was a
guest. Following the dinner, the
scene of activities was transferred to
the front of the Federal building,
where the crowd was entertained until
President Taft arrived. The dedica-
ton ceremonies were necessarily brief
owing to the early hour of the Presl-
dents departure with the waterway
1Otilla.
A secret service detective guarding
the President in the Federal Building,
made things hot for Senator LOrrimer
and a party of friends for a while af-
ter Taft had finished his brief East
st. Louis speech.
The detective was so concerned for
the safety of his charge that he would
not permit the Senator and the others
to follow Mr.. Taft out the front door
to take a side exit.
The President returned to st. Louis
at 40 o'clock.
New Orleans Cruise Starts.
Three short shrieks from the siren
of the Oleander signaled the departure
of President Taft from st. Louis, lead
ing the most notable fleet that ever
steamed down the Mississippi River.
AS the Oleander made a short and
graceful circle to strike the current.
she vas followed by the st. Paul, the
next boat of the feet, bearing govern
ors and newspaper men, and with the
precision of clockwork, and with the
grace of swans, the handsome boats
filed in stately array for the long trip
down the Father of Waters.
Unparalleled Array.
At no one time in the eventful his.
tory of the river has so large and dis
tinguished a body of mel been borne
on it's bosom.
After the Oleander and st. Paul, the
boats of the fleet came on in the fol-
lowing order: Quincy. bearing the
congressman; Erastus Wells, City of
Alton, Grey Eagle, G.. w. Hill, Illinois,
Florence H., Lilly, Mississippi, Cape
Girardeau and City of Saltillo.
Even early in the afternoon when
the center of interest was on the
Eads Bridge, where the East st. Louis
Reception Committee and escort were
lined up to receive the President,
thousands congregated along the lines
and early obtained positions OF want
age whence they could take part in
the farewell.
Taft. Receives Ovation.
Taft received an ovation When ne
stepped upon the stage at the Coli
scum.
The presidential hair was tousled
and his face r%ubicund, but he smiled
graciously. AS he arose and his gaze
passed over the heads of Cox. Hadley
and the congressional delegation,
there was a twinkle in his eye. He
gave even a little tug at his vest as
he extended the Taft form to it's great
est proportion.
"Uncle Joe" Cannon and "Our
Dave Francis sat side by side at
the east end of the platform. Uncle
Joe" was end man, and on Francis
other side was Secretary Nagel, then
the Mayor. The Cannon pose was
characteristic. Now and then his left
hand-~Uncle Joe" is a southpaw-
stole over the scant covering of hair
on his head, while his legs were
crossed. Instead of the perennial CT
gar, he nervously bit to pieces a
toothpick several times during the
speeches. He spoke to1Francis and
emphasized his remarks with ways OF
that left f~ore-fnger. When GOV. Had
ley referred to Roosevelt there was. q
-, 49, 4L1 Nc~--- l1rv ~ ~