The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-12
Entire Cib Is Moved to Great Enthusiasm By Visit of
 Next President
SPECIAL HONORS SHOWN
 DISTINGUISHED GUEST
Cruiser Birmingham Brings the Taft Party Up the River to New Or leans at the Rate of 30
 Miles an Hour.

New Orleans, February 11.-Presi- dent-elect William H. Taft landed hero shortly before o'clock this afternoon from Panama. and was most enthuslas- ticaIly received by the entire city whose guest he is to be until Satur- day morning.
 MT Taft made a brief speech this aft ernoon in which he heartily approved the present lock type of canal across the Isthmus of Panama. He reviewed a parade of enthusiastic citizens miles in length, and tonight attended one of the carnival season balls, that of the Elves of Oberon. MT. Taft will tomor- row address the negro Y. M, C. A., spend several hours in automobiling and at night be the guest of honor at an elab- crate banquet at which nearly 300 prominent citizens will pay s25 plate to participate. Saturday morning the President-elect will go to Cincinnati. from where, on Monday. he will leave for Washington. returning again to Cincinnati Wednesday,
 Hears of Knox's Trouble.
 Mr. Taft received the first news of the constitutional question which has been raised against the appointment of MT. Knox to a cabinet position by wireless yesterday, when he was ap prised not only by message, but by dispatch giving the views of Senator Knox. That he was somewhat dis turbed over the situation last night was admitted, but early today he received the news of the disposition of Congress ta making the pay of the Secretary of State what it was before the recent | Increase, and he was inclined to take | this as a happy solution of the diff l ficulties. Pending conference on the matter which will take place between Mir. Taft and Senator Knox in Wash ington next week. the President-elect regards it as impolitic to discuss the question for publication.
 | With the return of MT. Taft to the country, cabinet speculation became at once attractive. No information is to he given to the public, however from the one authoritative source. Mir Taft said he should adhere to his previously announced plan of keeping silent and also keeping cabinet appointments open until the very last moment to provide for the least embarrassment against possible contingencies.
 Cabinet Discussion.
 It is regarded, however as highly probable that offers of cabinet positions are to be made without great delay. MT. Taft said he expected to be placed in possession of information he de- sired and had asked to be obtained for him during his absence. The expected arrival here in the morning of Frank IT. Hitchcock. and the presence here Of J. c. Shaffer owner of the Chicago Evening Post, on whose judgment Mir. Taft said he should place weight re- garding cabinet aspirants from the vi- cinity of Chicago, made 1t apparent that cabinet activities have begun. In this connection tn ere rumor here to- day that J. M. Dickinson of Nashville. general counsel for the Illinois Central railway, was being considered for the war portfolio, but no confirmation in the way of a positive statement could be obtained.
 From what MT. Taft said today 1t Is a fair inference that he has as yet de- cided on no one for the treasury portfolio, but that as to the other places his ideas are decidedly more definite.
 Work on Inaugural Address.
 On the trip from Panama MT. Taft made the first draft of his inaugural ad- dress. This he intends to submit to cer- tain friends in Washington on his forth coming visit there next week.
 The inability of the board of civil en- gineers to complete their report of the questions regarding which their advice has been asked regarding the Panama canal made the Washington visit planned by Mir Taft necessary. The engineers will go at once to Washington to com plete their work. It may be stated that their report will be complete approval of present plans and methods on the isthmus. They will not only recommend the construction of the Gatun dam, but give it as their judgment that the dam will be perfectly safe if built to height of 115 instead of 135 feet, thus saving ex- pense in construction. Other features of their report will deal with the thickness of cement required for the walls and floors of the locks; devices for handling ships in the locks. and the approval of the s10 900 brealSwater at Colon, the construction of which will create a harbor out of the present open roadstead. Tho failure of the engineers to complete their report was said to be their desire for careful consideration regarding just the manner of stating their conclusions rather than any disagreement regarding what those conclusions are.
 Summary of Panama Trip.
 In his speech on the steps of the city hall here today Mir. Taft made what he said was his summing up of his recent trip.
 II am here on my way from a great constructive work" he said. after paying his compliments to his audience. Tho greatest entered upon by any nation dur ing the past two centuries and I am glad to say to you. who perhaps are more interested in that work than any other part of the people of the United States that the work is going on as you would have it go on. That on January l. 1915, at least if lot before-and 1 am very much interested in having it within the next four years-that canal will be completed. And when that time comes you will see loading down this river your great commerce bound through those
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