Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-20
TAFT FINDS SOUTH
OVER GENEROUS
BANQUET AT ATLANTA MOST AM
BILIOUS OF ITS KIND EVER
ATTEMPTED.
RESIDENT-ELECT POINTS OUT
ADVANTAGE OF STRONG MI
NORITY PARTY.


elect Taft was in the cordial and hos
pitable embrace of Georgia all day
yesterday. Recognizing the climax OF
the varied and continuous demonstra-
lions in the brilliant and imposing
scene presented at the banquet here
last night he exclaimed with evidences
of great feeling:
81 had hopes to win the south, but
the south has won me-
The banquet was the most ambi
tious event of it's kind the city has
ever undertaken.
Atlantas welcome to Mr. Taft began
in the railroad yards, where all the
locomotives tied opened their whistles
and ceased only when he had retired
for the night. Thousands were at the
station, thousands followed him
through the streets as he was drawn
by four horses to the capitol. Cover
nor Smith and committee of 70 gave
him formal reception, after which
the governor presented him to the
crowd and Mr.. Taft once more voiced
his reciprocity of cordiality and good
feeling at his reception. He was es-
corted by a squad of mounted police to
the Piedmont hotel, where he was ten
dered a reception by the chamber OF
commerce, the Ohio society and Yale
alumni.
On his trip here he made speeches
at Thomson Charlottesville, Green's
boro, Madison, Social Circle and De-
catur.
In his banquet speech last night
Mr. Taft spoke of the tolerance of po-
litical opinion now prevailing in the
south
The president-elect summarized the
causes which had worked and were
effecting this change-the Spanish
war; the attitude of President McKin-
ley, his lovable character and the
principles he stood for in his cam
paigns; the succession of Roosevelt
with his Georgia mother; and finally
the wonderful business development
Of the south. He pointed out the adj
vantage to the nation of having a
strong minority party, and the advan-
tage that would accrue to the south
in the existence OF strong minority
party in the southern states-an in
telligent minority which may become a
successful majority in the punishment
of abuses that are likely to grow out
of long continued and undisputed con-
troll by one party. He spoke of the
non-partisan character of the greet
ings he had received during the day
and of the absence of partisanship at
last nights meeting.
Now" he said, '.if this indirectly
makes, not for partisan advantage,
but for continuance of the movement
in favor of independence of speech
and action and political tolerance, its
result is one that. all citizens, of what
ever political party, must rejoice to
have brought about"
AS to the next administration and
its relations toward the south ne said
its work will "be the work of crea-
ton, of construction
The south is as much interested in
the revision of the tariff as the north,
and, he said, there would be IAN hon
est and genuine revision such as has
been promised by the party in power
He gave assurance to the southern
people that mo interest IN the south,
whether it share that interest with the
north or whether it had peculiar inter
est of its own, will be neglected in
the conduct of the government in so
far as that conduct shall be under the
control of its chief executive"