Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-11-24

1t was an unusual pleasure the writer
was privileged to experience, recently
the opportunity Of a ife-time-to
make a journey more than twelve hun
dred miles in extent, by boat on the
grand old Father of Waters" the
historic Mississippi. The trip was from
st Louis to New Orleans, covering a
period of FIVE days, and q like number
of nights of almost continuous travel
1t was the occasion of the Lakes to-
the-Guif Deep Waterways Convention,
and doubtless assembled a greater num-
ber of high public officials of the gen.
eral government and states than has
ever met outside of Washington on any
mission. The company embraced the
President OF the Urded States, three
members of his cabinet, thirty-two gov
ernora of this great republic and more
than one hun1red and fifty national
senators ana cong ressmen, together
with several hundred delegates repre-
senting all sections OF our common
country. The excursion and the con-
vention at New Orleans were incident
to the Forthcoming attempt, long per-
sisted in, that congress shall, at an early
date, take steps looking TO the rehabi-
tation of the upper Mississippi, so long
disused for practical freight and pas
senger traffic. From the Iowa line to
the Gulf the people of the states bord-
ering on the river are mad with en-
thusiasm and determination for four
Ieen-foot channel from the lakes to the
gulf, the Improvement to be made at
government expense,
OUR BADGER CONTINGENT
The Wisconsin representatives in
this august body We're Governor David
son, Senator Stephenson, congressman
Cooper and kopp and number of APP
pointed delegates. They met in Chi
cago on Sunday morning, October "a,
and made the trip to st. Louis over the
Alton road. II was perfect, cloud
less day and afforded opportunity to
view the houndiess agricultural re-
sources of the populous state of Illinois,
traversing as we did the heart of that
great commonwealth. The capital city
and other thriving municipalities were
in our route, the many millioned ex-
penditure drainage canal, soft-coai min
ing ranges ald one vast territory OF
waving cornfislds were all spread out
before u.s. Iortentious farm houses,
SlHGk liGflA Oh GAtLlts iiANhS vi sHSNp,
droves of hogs told of the wealth and
marvellous development Of the Sucker
state, the hone of our lamented Father
Abraham.
PRESIDENT MINGLEs WITH THRoNG
From the far west arrived President
Taft and his party in st. Louis on Mon.
day morning, and the open-heartedness
OF that city made it busy day for him
and the gathering hosts who joined In
the reception and celebration. At the
mammoth new auditorium the president
was greeted by the waving of fifteen
thousand flags placed in the hands Of
every person who entered the building.
1t was an inspiring hour, an ovation tc
the country's chief executive that re.
| iiected credit on the patriotism of the
city and the respect and admiration hei
people bear for the head Of the gov.
ernment and the big, broad-minded
Taft. The president was in bad voice
from excessive speaking and exposure.
He said that Texas was such a vast
empire wi6hin itself that he had lost
his voice taere and he doubted wa9ther
he could ever overtake it. The presi-
dent spoke on the principal problems
before the country e the conservation OF
our natural resources and the Miseis-
sippi Improvement project In particular,
giving encouragement to some wei
worked-out scientific plan. He believed