The Washington times., 1909-05-21
Welcome on Visit Plainly
Shows His Popularity in
the South.
KINDLY ATTITUDE
WINS MANY FRIENDS
Speech Allays All Fears That
Washington Government Is
for North Only.

The President arrived IN washington
at 1910 o'clock this morning over tne
Southern railway from his trip 70
Petersburg, Va, and Charlotte n. {.
His car was attached last night TO the
regular train leaving Charlotte at I;SC
o'clock, and he came into Washington
on time to the minute.
At Union Station he was met by the
White House automobile. After taking
enough time TO speak to Mrs. Taft and
ind out that she Is much improved, ne
went to the meeting Of the Cabinet IN
the Executive Offices.
Mir. Taft expressed himself as much
pleased with the reception given him IN
Petersburg and Charlotte. In spite OF
the heavy rain ia the latter city, his
day there was a great success, and the
cordiality of his welcome and the en-
thusiasm aroused by his speeches were
more than sufficient to reward him fully
for having taken the trip.
In Charlotte last night. as in Peters
burg the day before, all the people were
load IN their expressions Of apprecia-
ton OF his friendly attitude toward the
South. His explanation Of his appoint
ment of Connor to the bench in North
Carolina was particularly pleasing.
Except for a slight hOarseness, he was
in me trim when he reached Washing
ton.
Talks If South.
In his speech at the Charlotte audi
tcrium the President reiterated and
amplihed his declarations in regard
10 making political fighting ground
out Of the solid South. lie spoke
for an hour. most of the time with deep
esrnestness
The 1900 people gave him a warm re-
ception, and were not stingy i'm applaud
ing what he had 10 say about things po-
Iifical- They seemed 10 relish most Of
all lis statement that De would en-
deaVCr TO 90 what he could 10 wipe out
the feeling hat the Executive Govern
uenL ia Washington was an alien TO
the South. and he would carry out this
poucy oy appointing 70 public Office only
that man. be he Republican or Demo-
cl lat5 who could command the Presi-
dent highest confidence and commend
himself 10 the community IN which he
lived he said:.
Sorrows of Land.
You in the Southland had the trou-
bIes, the suffering, the sad losses burned
INTO your hearts with much more en-
phasis than We IL the Northland, be-
cause here was the center Of the war,
and it IS entirely natural that in the
fcrty years which have succeeded the
war. there should continue a bitterness
Of feeling tnat time, and long time,
could only erase; but when we look
back think we must congratulate our
selves that the feeling has so largely
disappeared, and that We are now a
more united country than ever since a
decade before the war
''It is true that political divisions have
continued in such a way as sometimes
70 seem TO perpetuate the lines which
were made al the time Of the war, but
even those lines are rapidly disappear
ing: and 1t is the duty of all OF Us
with respect 10 political partisanship 10
wipe out those lines as far as we can.
and 10 see so far as we may that in
each State the tolerance Of opinion
shah continue until there shall be re-
spectacle parties on both sides of the
line, because q IS essential 10 have a
anything that ] can co in my Admin
istration TO make that feeling Jf union
more close, I shall do IL.
Strength To Party.
''I am anxious, OF course. speaking
from a partisan standpoint and leaving
my official position for a moment, that
the Republican party OF North Carolina
should be strengthened. merely TO have
q good fight every election, ana OF
course in so far as I may legitimately
do so, I should be glad 20 build up the
Republican party Now, 7 understand
that some OF my Republican friends
think that I have lost sight Of the Re
publican party IN putting into office in
North Carolina a gentleman now upon
the supreme bench OF the State, a law
yer OF the highest emInence and learn
ing and integrity, but a Democrat.
elect. not before the election-to the