Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-13
TAFT WHlRLED
ACROSS STATE
VISITS ORANGE GROVES AT
RIVERSIDE
BOOSTERS TRAIN IN WAKE OF
PRESIDENTS PARTY
Towns on Route Give Enthusiastic
Welcome and Godspeed to
Chief Executive of
Nation
Continued from pars onel

Is CdllGu Ii lClNO'
The. car was run at a conservative
speed throughout the trip to Sawtelle,
slowing down at one or two points
where crowds of persons had assem-
bled Mr.. Taft was very obliging,
appearing when called on, and saying
good morning with great affability. AT
Beverly the car was brought almost
to a stop to afford the persons con-
gregated there to present him with a
great bouquet of flowers. This same
program was repeated later on the
return trip at Hollywood and at YER
mont avenue, when the car re-entered
the Los Angeles city limits.
Stops at SawteIe
AT Sawtelle while the car was be
ing switched to the spur leading to the
home, there was a full stop and the
crowds Of veterans and town-folK
foclked about in such press 1t was
impossible, for a few minutes, to move
it forward.
1t was during this brief stop that
the only handshaking was done. A
grizzled veteran pushed his way
through in spite Of his fellows elbows
and the strong arms Of a dozen secret
service men and reached Outstanding
on tip toes.
my name is Taft" the veteran
proceeded. II enlisted from New York
and way back your family and mine
was the same"
Taft leaned down from his car and
the grip he gave the old man Will prob
ablv be the talk of the home for many
days.
"Taft eh? Your names Taft? Well,
I'm mighty glad to see you My-my
names Taft, tool"
The crowd cheered to the echo. A
few more persistent old soldiers pushed
through and grasped the great hand
extended to them from the window
then the obstruction was removed ana
E1 Viento pulled out.
Veterans in Waiting
One of the most inspiring and beau
tiful sights of the whole day came
when the president and his party step
ped from the car at the private depot
of the home. Under spreading ever
green's on the broad lawns were hun
dreds of blue-clad veterans, standing
their straightest and with the
old military bearing come back for the
time. In the lead marched the home
band, playing stirring airs. The pres
ident, with his escort, and former Gov
ernor Markham, moved down the grav-
eled walks behind the band, then came
Major La Grange, ranking officer OF
the home.
Following came the army. men sta
toned at the home, then the COM
mitteemen from the chamber Of COM
merce and q rear guard of veterans.
Marching slowly through the long lines
of the blue-uniformed men the party
was led to the Markham building,
through the library and to the front
porch, over which a platform had been
built. Here former Governor H. H.
Markham, president of the board of
managers, silenclng the soldiers who
cheered Justify, introduced the guest
of the day:
When the long cheers were hushed,
President Taft, standing on the edge
Of the platform and looking out into
the faces of almost 5000 people, of
whom $500 were veterans, began his
address. He said in part:
Friends and Fellow Citizens: 1 wish
1 could say fellow soldiers, but can
not. But as commander in chief of the
army and navy, as Governor Markham
says that I am, and in that way only,
command your loyalty and support.
But I do not say that by way of COM
pulsion because I know have 1t, any
how.
"I never stand before an audience
like this in which are men who are
suffering for what they have done for
the country that 1 do not fell a thrill
that goes down my spinal marrow, and
I search for words to express my graf
itude that I have been permitted to
look on a company like this, and think
that all over the country there are men
In institutions like this for whom a
grateful country is providing rest and
comfort.
"I congratulate you that 1t Is your
fate to live out your declining years
in this garden spot of the United
States.
"I do not believe the hospital roll
here is nearly so large as it is in in
stitutions of this kind that I have been
permitted to visit in the east.
"The only difficulty is that you VIII
live too long for your own comfort, and
I can prove this by-every citizen of Los
Angeles and Southern California.
"But, jesting aside, my dear fellow
citizens, this is a bath of patriotism;
it is an inspiring opportunity to come
before an audience like this and think
Of what you represent.
1--WE are, none of us, in favor OF war;
we are, none of us, in favor of suffer-
ing; we are, none of us, in favor of any
of the obstacles of living that we have
to overcome but we must recognize
that when the war did come with it's
four years of dreadful strife and its
awful loss of life, that in it was the op-
portunity for the United States to show
the world the mettle of which our citi-
zens were made and the sacritices they
were willing to make in order that the
government might live.
1.-THE war could not have been
avoided.
''I know it is suggested by some that
It could, but a cancer had begun on
the body polite that could only be cured
by a surgical operation. But we have
now reached the time when we are able
to recognize the attitude of those with
whom we fought.
1--WE are now able to give to them
credit for their courage in fighting for
ther principles and the right, as they
understood it.
1--WE feel proud of the brave men of
the north that they had an enemy
worthy of their steel and in the his
tory of the world, and in the heroism
that was displayed by both sides, we
can now feel a common interest.
"I am advised that will have to cut
my talk short. I am under orders. If
YOU think that the commander-in-
chief of the army and navy is not un-
der orders you are mistaken. l have
been following orders ever since l left
Washington; but 1t is not bad idea.
1t convinces one that he is not the
whole show.
"I wish for you all prosperity, all
the health and all the comfort that
are possible for you, and when l say
that I wish you may have as much as
your deserts I could not put it in a
more superlative degree. Goodbye,
and God bless you"
AS he was leaving the home to re-
board his car, the president expressed
a wish to see former Senator John