The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-26
CHEERS AND oVERsIeHTs.


One Of the newspaper men travelling
with the Presidents train said: "I no
tice your people didn't break forth into
any uproarious cheers as Taft got off
the Rio Grande train and walked to his
auto. And l noticed the crowds all the
way to the fort were so orderly I
thought maybe they had mistaken the
affair for a funeral"
A friend Of the President, not direct
" a member Of the party, said: ct know
your people are devotedly loyal to Taft,
and would do anything IN the world by
way of honoring him. And yet there
have been some defects in the arrange
ment."
And the explanation of both probably
is found in the fact of inexperience.
Some may vince a little at that word.
But # should cause them no embar-
rassment.
In the east parades, the visit of ia
nous people, the exhibition of popular
sentiment in welcoming a guest, the
sometimes extravagant-
by the crowds lining the streets, are
matters Of common experience. They
are frequent.
And out of that same fact comes
preparation. the command of little de-
tails which make up so much of the
general success.
We Of Utah need not blush that the
silence Of our people comes from the
rarity Of like visits. We need not feel
Inundated that some details Of the
great affair connected with the Presi-
dents sojourn in Salt Lake have lacked
somewhat Of perfection.
Utah is far in advance Of many states
in many things. 1t is so far removed
from the activities Of the populous east
that it lacks-and in the course Of ma
ture will for years continue to lack-the
noisy expression of welcome along the
streets; the management of many little
things
But these are not essentials. In the
hearts Of the people about the Rio
Grande trains were thousands who glo-
ried at the arrival of the President Of
the United States; thousands who felt
the thrill of pride that their city had
been so favored as to receive a three
days visit from him; jubilant at the
idea of being one Of a community in
which he was a guest. IF they had
lived in the east side of New York, they
tinuous roar of shouting as long as the
procession remained in sight. IF they
had been of upper New York, they
would have known to the last detail
Just what to do at every turn in the
ceIebrat fon-and would have perfected
the day before the rising of the sun.
But they wouldn't have given the
President the hearty, understanding
and sincere welcome that was felt by
these Utah people when the President
came. And the difference is that
lapse Of formality in one detail Of the
day in New York or other eastern city
would have been fatal to the entire
scheme. Here trivialities of entertain
ment or details of arrangement are
passed and instantly forgotten in the
larger assurance of human love for the
man, and patriotic love of the country
of which he is the chiefest officer.
As to shouting a welcome, their pres
ence and their conduct at the park Sat
urday afternoon proved they could utter
their sentiments. And as to details of
arrangement, not a thing has happened
which casts a shadow over the happi-
ness Of any one.
The Presidents entertainment has
been very well managed, and the peo-
pie are profoundly rejoiced to have had
him here in Utah.
This, Of course, does not contemplate
the purposed labor made by some to
silence the applause, and to COmplicate
the plans of the various committees.
be taken up and discussed after the
guest Of Utah shall have departed.
For the present, one need only say the
whole affair has been enjoyable; that
the persons chiefly concerned have IN
derstood, and that they have been made
very happy. And that every loyal citl-
zen of Utah is glad this day in the con-
seriousness that all the people have. been
honored by the visit. Not an incident
Of it will ever be forgotten. And much
good VIII come of the Presidents enter
tainment for many year.
AnnIIhIMHEn