The diamond drill., 1909-10-30
TAFT is SAILING
THE MISSISSIPPI
Great Waterway Parade from St
Louis TO New Orleans.
WHITE HOUSE ON BOARD SHIP

Legislative Hall SO Mock Sessions
Of Congress Can BE HeId-DaiIy
Newspaper To BE Printed En- Route
Taft Addresses Governors and
censressmen In ST. Louis.
The great waterway parade down
the Mississippi river from st. Louis
TO New Orleans is on. The Oleander.
the government lighthouse tender. on
which President Taft Is travelling. was
made a floating White House.
To avoid any possible friction w. +.
Kavanaugh. president OF the lakes 20
the Gulf Deep Waterway association.
placed the steamer ST. Paul, carrying
the governors. In the place OF honor
next 10 the Oleander from 81. Louis
20 Helena. Ark. where the Quincy car
rying the senators and congressman,
will take the st. Paul's place In the
column.
On the congressional boat legisla.
tive hall was installed. SO Speaker Can.
non can hold mock sessions OF con.
gress.
Among the surprises arranged for
the waterway delegates on the trip was
a daily paper printed on one of the
newspaper boats. A fast launch will
be used by the reporters in gathering
the news from the different boats.
Day Spent In Two Cities.
Prior 10 embarltlng for the trip down
the river President Taft spent the day
In St Louis and East ST. Louis.
At the Coliseum. In ST. Louis, before
making his address, Taft greeted 2oo
congressman. thirty-three governors
and score OF United States sena-
tors, who had just arrived as guests
OF the Business Mems league for the
trip down the Mississippi river. Seven
foreign ministers were seated on the
platform.
Governor Hadley introduced Presl.
dent Taft 20 an audience which filed
the Coliseum. Immediately after dc
escorted 20 hotel. where after n brief
rest he was the guest OF honor at a
luncheon given by the business Mems
league
Nine hundred guests OF the league
were seated at tables when the chief
executive arrived. He was escorted -
his seat by James II. Smith. presiden.
of the league. No set speeches were
made. The congressman. governors,
senators and foreign ministers were at
the luncheon.
Refers 20 Club Trip TO Panama.
In speech az the ST. Louis club
President Taft referred TO the trip of
his hosts, the Commercial club. 20 the
Isthmus OF Panama while the presi.
dent was secretary OF war. He referred
20 the fact that in previous visit 10
Ct Louis he had suggested this trip OF
inspection, and he said that he had NJ.
ways felt grateful 20 the club and 10
the other organizations from various
cities taat went to the isthmus for the
conti rce which they had enEendered
In the American people concerning tho
work az the isthmus.
The country felt positive, said tho
president, that the commercial bodies
that inspected the canal work al their
own expense could not have been fooled
or decsived and they would have
no motive for mitrepresenting tho
facts. lie declared that the report oi
the Commercial club marked the be.
ginning OF a state OF Affairs which has
left the administration in comforts
bile position with reference 20 the prog
resa OF the canal work.
Up TO that time. tho president, said
there had been shrieks of scandal and
Incompetence. but aftorward the work
bad been treated an all great govern
ment and engineering works should bs
treated--with sobriety. calmness and
criticism OF plans on q basis that car
be understood.
He said that the report OF the com
rnercisi clubs had driven away the
nightmare that had pursued him fol
two years after the burden Of the cana
work had fallen upon his shoulders.
Opposed ts Pork Barrel"
President Taft declared IN his ad
drsss At the Coliseum that his stand n
hvsr Of the Issue OF bonds for carry
ing out approved waterway improve
rnsnt prsjscts does not moan the open
Ing Of pork barrel" TO send bsci
any particular member OF congress o,
20 make any particular section OF the
country prosperous during the expendi
tnre Of the money.
Taft said he opposed any general boRt
Issue OF 500. o.o0o. 900 or 81 900. 900 .oo'
for waterways Improvement, the mon
~ TO be cut up and parceled out .,
diKerent sections He favors q. bone
issue for each Improvement 20 secur,
sufficient money TO carry out quicki,
the project after careful Investigation
proves its worth 20 the entire country
AZ all points alone the river wher
the president made stops, notabi
Cairo, III. and Memphis. Team. ne wa
given an enthusiastic welcome.
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