The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-23
TO LEAVE AUGUSTA
pnEsIDENT-ELECT TAFT OFF Tt
 CHARLESTON TO-DAY.
PAiInnder c. Knox and Frask H. Httch- cock Heve Been Summoned te Meet the President-Eicct
 st Charlessen.

.
 Augusta. Ga. Jan. .22.--Philander C. Knox and Frank H. Hitchcock. MT. Tafts Secretary of State and Posfmas- ter General have been requested by. him to come to Charleston. for con- ference Sundays
 I Mr. Taft has continued to gather fn- formation regarding prospective cabi- net material. and while he cares to give no details as to what is to be dis- cussed, 1t is probable that the Treas uryship will receive attention as well as other matters. MT. Hitchcock had expected to see MT. Taft in Charles. ton, but 1t was not known until an- nonnced by MT. Taft tonight, that Mr. Knox had been asked to come and that . similar request had also gone to the National Chairman.
 Mir. Taft willSterminate his stay in Augusta tomorrow morning, when he leaves at s o'clock for Charleston. That he had thoroughly enjoyed himself In Augusta was Mir. Tafts enthusiastic statement tonight. While he had not, he said, done all the work that perhaps he should have done. he had. by daily exercise on the golf links. developed a splendid physical condition. and never felt more fit in his life for any undertaking.
 AS the result of long conference today between MT. Taft and R. R. Rogers. law officer of the Panama Ca- nal, Mr. Taft said she had been put Tn possession in advance of information regarding all sorts of, questions which were likely to come ito his attention when he reaches the Isthmus. 1ncf- dentally. Mir. Taft said he approved the bill which had been prepared by the Congressmen who had recently return ed from the IstEimus. This measure Is calculated to place in statute form the present mach inery of the Government in the zone. It reduced the number Of judges there, which also meets the approval of Mir. Taft. A
 The trip to Charleston tomorrow will
 be made on q special train on the
 made at Magnolia Crossing. Q few miles from that city, at 1 o'clock.
 which will allow kr Taft opportunity 1 for A. golf game with Mayor Rhett. Dr. Charles w. Kollock and E. ". !.
 Dufant. He will be quartered in the
 Charleston Kotel, where he will sar-
 rive at 6 o'clock. and be the guest of honor at an elaborate banquet later in the evening. Mr. Taft ,is to be the sole speaker at the banquet.
 On Sunday. Mr. Taft will attend ser vices at the Unitarian Church. and take luncheon at the home of MT. and Mrs. Edward Parsons, at the "Oalkes." about ten miles from the city. the dis- tarce being covered in automobiles. Native South, Carolina tea will be served Mir. Taft later in the day. at the home of pr. c. U. Shepard at Summerville, suburb of Charleston. pr. Shepard is the owner of "Pine- hurst" the pioneer tea farm of the country.
 MT. Taft will go aboard the North Carolina. with Mrs. Taff and tue seven engineers, who are to accompany him to Panama early Monday morning.
 Another chapter has been added 10 the '.'possum" lore which is accumu- lating about the Presinent-elect. The story as told by MT. Taft Is that last night when taking dinner with Mir. and Mrs Landon Matthews. large covered silver platter was set before him, upon which he looked with con- siderable interest, as visions of roast altered across his mind. The cover was suddenly lifted. and. looking with reproach directly into the eye of the PresidenI-elect, was a very much alive billy 'possum'' neatly tied to the platter The animals teeth were ex- hibited and''an ugly snari was on his tongue, but 1t was the reproachfult look which left the lasting impression of MT. Taft's mind. ss
 Mir, Taft tonight was presented with a souvenir of his prowess at golf In the form of a silver, gold-lined cup. He was the handicap tournament yesterday, and said he was once win ner of aA box of golf balls at a sour nament at Murray Bay, Canada, some years ago.
 w. W. Mitchell of Atlanta, general agent of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road in Georgia, discussed Southern politics with MT. Taft today.