Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-26

heard throughout the structure. The presi-
dent found a quick response from his au-
dience when he began by. saying;
W are on the eve OF a great journey
down the Mississippi river and cursed be
he who calls II a junket. The journey as
Governor Hadley has said has reference TO
the problem Of transportation and rail-
ways and waterways. 1t is however, only
a part OF a still greater movement inau-
gurated by Theodore Roosevelt and prop
erly called by him the conservation Of
our national resources"
Cheering for Roosevelt.
The mention of Mr.. RoOsevelts name
called out prolonged cheering. The presi-
dent went into a brief discussion OF the
conservation and said the people Of the
Mississippi valley were particularly inter
ested in the improvement OF inland water
ways and the preservation Of the forests
as a means of putting an end to the floods
which we're carrying so many Of the farms
in Missouri. Iowa and other states down
the delta Of the Mississippi.
The president said the government Of the
United States had been exceedingly gener-
Gus in parting with its lands in the past
and that the time had come for the adop-
w. " a ~" RNAANe III hA[N 49, -
spoke Of the necessity for new legislation
regarding water-power sites to prevent
monopolies from gaining control. Coming
to the subject Of waterways. Mr.. Taft de-
clared that while he did not wish to crit
iclse, there was no denying the fact that
Improvement OF waterways hEd been car
rled forward in a haphazsard fashion and
that a new method should be adopted.
uAra rt-ht hr-..G nada5 the pragfdapN
Il want to clear away a supposition which
I am afraid has lodged In a good many
minds. The projects for irrigation and for
the Improvement Of waterways In the fu-
ture arc not to be for the purpose Of dis
%tributing pork to every part of the coun-
try
Not Aid for COnEressmen.
Every measure is to be adopted on the
ground that It viii be useful to the Whole
country. They are not to, be adopted for
sending certain congressman back to
Washington or for making certain parts
of the country profitable during the ex-
penditure of the money.
we should take up every comprehensive
project on its merits and determine whether
the country where the project Is to be
carried out has 30 far developed as to
JhSNhg ~ GHO HlOhb expenditure Oh money
and II 1t will be useful when done. When
we decide in favor OF. 9 project, 1 believe
in issuing bonds to carry it to completion
as rapidly as possible. 1t has been pro-
posed that we issue bonds for $500, OoO. 900
or $1,000. 900, 900 and cut 1t up and parcel the
money out in this ana that section of the
country. 1 am opposed 70 any such propo-
sition, because It not only smells OF the
pork barrel but would be a pork bar
REL"
Speaker Cannon C the house of repre-
sentatives. who some time ago declared
that he was opposed TO any issue of bonds
to improve the waterways, sat just beside
the president while he was speaking.
Busy Day for Chief.
At the coliseum, before making his ad-
dress, he greeted 200 congressman, thirty
three governors sand g. score of United
States senator's who arrived this morning
as guests of the Business. Mems league for
the trip down. the Mississippi river. Seven
foreign ministers sYeFe, seated on the plat
form. .-sIsF ad- s-g.ug snt. .
Governor HRdley introduced President
Taft to an apdlepce which filled the
coliseum. Immediately after delivering his
speech, the president was escorted to. the
Planters hotel for, luncheon. Nine hun
bred Of the business mems league of st.
Louis were seated at the tables on the
second floor Of the Planters hotel when
the chief executive arrived. He was es-
corted to his seat. by James e. Smith,
president Of the league. No set speeches
were made. The congressman, governors,
senator's and foreign ministers we're at
the luncheon.
At $3.50 O'Clock. President Taft. escorted
by mounted police, was scheduled to be
taken across Eads bridge to East st.
Louis. Here he was to meet Vice President
Sherman and Speaker Cannon, who had
been guests Of the East st. Louis Com
mercial club at a luncheon. The president
planned to lay the cornerstone of the
new United States government building in
East ST. Louis at 4 o'clock, then return
to ST. Louis and embark at 5 o'clock on
the light house tender. oleander, for New
Orleans.
Trip to Isthmus Beneficial.
In a speech at the St Louis club, Presi-
dent Taft referred to the trip OF his hosts.
the Commercial club, to the Isthmus OF
Panama while the president was secretary
of war. He referred to the fact that in a
previous visit to st. Louis he had sug-
gested this trip Of Inspection and he said
thai he had alway felt grateful to the
club and to the other organizations from
various cities that went to the isthmus
for the confidence which they had en-
gendered In the American people concern
ing the work at the tsthmus.
The country felt positive, said the presi-
lent. that the commercial bodies that in"
spected the canal work at their ex-
pense, could not be fooled or deceived or
would have no motive for mlsrepresenting
the facts. He declared that the report Of
the commercial clubs marked the beginning
Of a state Of affairs which has left the
administration in a very comfortable posi-
ton with reference. to the progress Of the
canal work.
Up to that time, the president said, there
had been shrieks Of scandal and incom-
p~etence, but after the work had been
treated as all great government and en-
cheering works should be treated-with
sobriety, calmness and criticism Of plans
on a basis that could be understood. He
said that the report OF the commercial
clubs had driven away the nightmare that
had pursued him for two years after the
burden of the canal work had fallen upon
his shoulders,