The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-15
Banquet Is Given In Boston As Preliminary to Start
 On Western Tip
TAFT INDORSES PLAN
 FOR A CENTRAL BANK
Praises Are Sounded of Nelson W. Al. drich and All Attempts at Sec tional Strife Are Emphat-
 icaIIy Repudiated.

Boston, September 14-President Taft's first public utterance since Congress ad- Journed was made in this city tonight before 2oo0 men representing the combined business interests of Boston The occasion was a banquet given in Mechanics Hall, the largest auditorium In Boston, by the Boston chamber of commerce, recently formed by merger of the Boston mer- chants association and the board of trade with the chamber. and 1t marked the be- ginning of the Presidents 1S,00o-n1ile trip through the country.
 The features of the Presidents address were his indorsement of the proposition to establish a central bank in connection praise of Senator Nelson W. Aldrioh of Rhode Island, head of the national mone- tary commission, and his repudiation of any attempt to start sectional strife in the country such as that which he at- tributed to Governor Johnson in "caII- ing upon the west to organize against ths east
 Among the guests tonight were cabinet members. diplomats. congressman, clergy men and distinguished business lead CTS
 The President was most heartily greet ed and at a reception preceding the ban- quet many shook hands with the execu- tive.
 Beginning of Functions.
 The occasion was the beginning also Of chain of social events in which tle leading cities of the United States will engage In friendly rivalry to excell in hospitality extended to the nations head.
 The standard established by Boston was calculated to be consistent with the cele- pration of a project of great moment to Boston and New England, namely the J merging of Boston's three leading com meciai bodies into one organization and at the same time constituted fitting en- Vironment for the delivery of President Iafts first public address since the ad 1ournment of Congress.
 The invited guests included:
 Gen. Carlos Garcia Velez, Cuban min. lster: Senor Don Espisanio Portela. Ar- sentina minister; Secretary of the Navy George Von L. Veyems; Secretary of Com Iherce and Labor Charles Nagel. Justice oiVer w. Holmes of the United States Oiie court, GoY. Eben s. Draper; Rear Admiral William Swift command. ant Charlestown navy yard; Most Rev. William Fl. OConnell. Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston, Bishop Willard F. Mallaleu of the Methodist Episconai church and William Nelson CromweIl counsel for the Panama canal commits sion.
 Tn the absence of President James l. Storrow or the chamber the duty of pre- s,olng g was accepted by Vice President Bernard J. Rothwell
 At the Banquet.
 The banquet hour was 7:3O with A recep tlon to President Taft preceding. but as early as o'clock impatient persons were at the ooors waiting for chances to en- ter, for the galleries were reserved for spectators
 The President had apartments only a few blocks from the banquet hall at Whcn committee representing the cham per or commerce waited upon him and at the appointed time. under escort of tbo National Lancers. the body guard of the governor or the commonwealth accom- panied him to the Mechanics building.
 The streets about the hall entrance were thronged when the cavalcade drew up. Loud cheers signalled to those inside tho building that the President had arrived and almost immediately the reception WA. in progress
 Vice President Rothwel opened the aiter-6lnher speeches and was followed by Gov. .Eben s. Draper who said
 Whatever anyone may feel In regerd :. the tarin bili whether he believed in ono theory or another I am sure that ho agrees that the President did patriotic. efficient and very able service in tha last days of that very memorable session or Congress just closed We consfder ourselves greatly honored to have tho President live in Massachusetts for even so short time and when that Presi- dent Is William Howard Taft we are doubly pleased. May his journey. which begins here tonight. be entirely successful and beneficial to him and the people ana carry next summer. as soon as the carey Of state will permit, may he and hie family return to Massachusetts. where they will get warm welcome from all the people,"
 President Taft made the closing address.
 Taft's Address.
 MT. Taft began by congratulating Bos- ton on union iv one organization of all her business my
 Tt insures centration of influence that must makq good" he commented. MT. Taft said/ was grateful for tho hospitable red lion which he had re- ceived on thy orth shore of Massachu- setts during/ 8 vacation and then had this to say his western trip:
 ''I am onf eve of beginning a jour ney of 13.g miles in length, which will enable me see tens and hundreds of thousandf my fellow citizens and en- able then hope, to see me Occasionally l hear the query. Why should I start on such a trip. and what particular good does 1t do to anybody?'
 Tt will certainly give me very much more accurate impression as to the views of the people in the sections which visit. It will bring close to my needs, so far national legislation and executive action are concerned and I believe it will make me a wiser man and a better public officer. ought to be able to explain to the people some of the diffi- entities of government and some of the problems for solution from the standpoint of the executive and the legislator ss dis tinguished from that of the honest. but