Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-16
ENTERTAINED BY INDIANS.
President Has Interesting Expert
ence in Arizona.

ALBUQUERQUE. N. NJ, October 49,
President Taft had another day of travel
through the far southwest yesterday and,
traversing the long reaches Of the terri
tory Of New Mexico, had a glimpse of
some Of the most ancient adobes in Amer
lea. leaving the train at one time to go
ito the plaza Of a pueblo to witness an
Indian dance especially arranged.
The color of the southwest tinted his
reception at all the various stops along
the way. Arriving here at s o'clock, the
President was greeted by one of the larg-
est audiences Of his territorial trip OF the
last three days and aroused intense en-
thusiasm by repetition of the declara-
statehood for the two remaining terri
tories of the United States.
The President spoke from a platform
near the railroad station and was later
entertained at banquet at the Alvarado
Hotel by the Commercial Club. Follow
ing the banquet the President stopped
half an hour at the Montezuma bali, an
annual function rivaling q fete of Mardi
Gras.
Unique Indian Greeting.
1t was at LagunA, township made up
entirely Of Indians. that the President was
met by a local committee of Indians and
where he had one of the most unique en-
tertainments Of his trip. AZ he sat in a
little canopied stand in the plaza inclosed
with adobe huts and walls the President
was showered with presents. There were
blankets of gaudy color, Indian beads and
other offerings which the red men had
fashioned In his honor.
There was hardly squaw in the
pueblo that did not have a bright-eyed,
chubby faced little papoose either in her
arms or swung on her back. More little
Indian boys and girls were arranged in
q long row to welcome the President, and
each one carried an American flag.
From the plaza, crowded by q curious
| throng Of Indians, the President went to
| the church. an adobe building. In little
| speech. spoken slowly and with emphasis
spoke English at all might understand,
the President assured the Indians of the
good will of the government and urged
them to be good farmers and good ar
| tisans.
Speech on Statehood.
| In his ADDRESS to the people of New
Mexico the President said:
You are looking forward to statehood
| as II 1t were heaven. Well, I venture to
| think that there will be a considerable
| difference between heaven and that state
after you become one; that you will have
q great many responsibilities that you
don't have now and a good many difficult
ties the weight and burden Of which you
don't how appreciate. There are quite a
I number of preliminary steps that you
have to take.
You have to draft constitution. and
that is going to affect the character of
your state for years to come. and want
that you shall have time and elaboration
to make a good constitution and not har-
ness yourselves up with q lot Of restric-
lions that will really interfere with the
growth of your state.
Don't put into your constitution pro-
vision as to the length of the linen sheets
to be put In hotel 1t may be that they
ought to be limited. 1t may be that they
ought to be made Of q certain size. I
sympathixe with that feeling myself. But
| the constitution Is not the proper place
| to put II. You want to trust your legisla-
ture and you ought to follow the model
Of the constitution Of some Of the older
| states which have also modelled after the
Constitution Of the United States"