The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-07
TAFT ENTERS PARK
WILL SPEND THREE DAYS IN
BEAUTIFUL YOSEMITE.
Tired With strenuous Day Near San
Francisco, President Goes to
Bed Early-EnjOys
Railroad Journey.

-
Ell Portal, Cal. Oct. 6.-President Taft
is safely tucked away tonight in this
remote little settlement at the foot of
the Sierras and near the gateway OF
the Yosemite Valley, one of the gar
den spots Of the world.
Clad in khaki riding breeches. soft
shirt, khaki coat, boots and cap, Presi-
dent Taft tomorrow will start out of
FL Portal on three days trip of sigh.-
seeing. BY stage and on foot he Will
visit the giant sequoias in the Mari
posa big tree groves. will follow the
roads and trails leading into the val
ley, and will walk about the floor of
that park to admire its imposing scenic
splendor.
The visit to the big trees. said to be
the oldest and biggest of living things,
comes nrst in Mr.. Tafts Itinerary
Leaving by coach early tomorrow
morning. he and his party will be dflv-
en- to Wawona at the edge of the grows
where real monarchs of the forest grow
to an altitude of more than 800 feet
and more than 100 feet in circumfer-
ence at the base.
Friday afternoon the President Will
enter the park from one Of the higaest
points and after a trip to all the show
places of the upper levels, will begin
a descent to the floor. which is EN-
closed by almost perpendicular cliffs Of
stone more than 5000 feet In height, II
will be the Presidents hrst' trip into
the Yosemite, and he has been looking
forward to 1t for months both as q
81 ght- seeing ,experience and as afford
Ting three days OF rest from surging
crowds and speech making.
When the park officials heard that
the President was coming. they ar
ranged to have troop OF United
States cavalry act as his escort for
the day among the big trees and the
two days In the valley.
Mr.. Taft was informed of the plans
at San Francisco and he asked at once
that the escort be dispensed with.
The President was pretty tired from
his strenuous day in San Francisco
Oakland and Berkeley yesterday. .nnd
retired early tonight IN the little hotel
here.
John Muir, the noted naturalist and
geologist, who Is the recognized au-
thority on all matters of the Yosemite,
Joined the Presidents party at San
Francisco this morning and will per-
sonai!y explain the wonders OF the
park and valley to Mr.. Taft. The
Yosemite recently was coded by the
State of California to the United
states, and Is now under the same con-
troll as the Yellowstone National Park.
Mr.. Taft will be accompanied into Inc
big tree grove and into the park by
members OF his own party and Cali
fornia delegation consisting of Gov
ernor GIllett, Senator Flint. Represen-
tative Needham, Representative McKtn-
ley and Representative Englebright.
The ride into Ell Portal this after
noon furnished a foretaste of the seen
DAYS have in
store for the President. Leaving
MercAd at $3.50 p. m. after an IN
eyentful run down the famous San
JOAQUIN Valley, the Presidents train
began an eighty mile run to the ter
minus of the Yosemite Valley Railroad
at this Mace. For more than three
fourths OF the way the train wound
along the MERGED River. with Its s"-
ries OF water falls and kept contin-
ually climbing from the level or me
sea to the height here OF more 'hen
1000 feet.
Al MERGED the President was pre-
scented with another goII SUCK: ~ was
made of eucalyptus wood ana was
gold mounted. The presentation called
out a golf speech. in which the Presi-
dent suggested that the unirrigated
land of the West be turned into open
golf links for the public
Mr.. Taft said:
"I am very much touched by your
kidness in giving this to me, this me-
mento OF my visit 1t has reference
to the game OF which am very ionu
I don't know how It is with you, but
I have got beyond my baseball play
Inr DAVIS The game OF golf remains
with you from so to 20. indeed
have played with a gentleman very
near so, and he beat me. 1t is game
that leads you to walk without reailz-
ing that you are walking. When you
play game of eighteen holes ana
walk upwards OF four or five miles.
there Is only a pleasant feeling of IA
tiguA and none Of that violent exercise
that Won have in baseball or tennis.
1T am hopeful that out here you
may have land not irrigated that you
can devote to this game. There Is this
about It: When you first see the
game you will appreciate the tone or
ridieule that generally attaches to
good sized man chasing qulhine PHI
with a stick around a field. But after
Won have driven two or three blows
at that ball and found that although
II is considerably larger than quinine
pill, It is not large enough to hit. you
realize the training of character that
there is In 1t.
1T don't know any game that is so
provocative OF profanity as golf.
don't know any game that makes one
so ashamed OF your profanity. 1t is
a game fun Of moments OF self abase-
ment. with a few moments of self
exaltation. and we Americans who are
not celebrated for our modesty. may
find such a game excellent training.
Certainly, think that those gentlemen
of over so who are In need OF some
thing and do not know what IL 49, II
they will only organize golf club
and get the golf sticks and golf balls.
and chase them around 6,00O yards
every AFTERNOON. they will become a
great deal more contented with life
and a great deal better satisfied with
the condition in which the Lord has
taRt thar,