New-York tribune., 1909-02-20
MIR. TAFT "A "kNOCKER .
INITIATION At Il MERRY
CINCINNATI DINNER.
Escape from Speech a Compliment
Franks and Antics Through
out the EUening.


dred prominent business and professional men
of the city at the Knockers annual dinner
Cincinnatf's Knockers organization is an aux
iIiary of its Business Mems Club Its particular
business is to knock hard and effectively every
thing tending to hinder the material advance
ment of the city and to originate and promote
enterprises and undertakings for the citys wei
fare 1t is unique in that it has no known
organization and no one knows who are its mem
bers.
The President-elect was not allowed to make
a speech. which was interpreted as a delicate
compliment from his townsmen. who were. in
fact saying farewell to him 3 private citizen.
AS the guest of honor at the dinner 1t was his
first escape from oratory for twenty years. The
tension upon Mr. Taft made even lighter
than freedom from speaking, fully made up
double" represented him in the entertainment
features. occupying conspicuous place at the
raised table with Uncle Sam and Miss Co
lumbia."
The spacious rooms Of the Business Mems
Club were resplendent in draperies Of flags and
decorations of ferns and flowers. At each OF
the sixteen tables sat appropriately costumed
Knocker TO represent one Of sixteen foreign ma
TONS and during the evening a message to the
Presideut-to- be was made known from each.
Emperor Williams wireless message was an
nounced to Mr.. Taft as a kiss for each cheek
! and the hope that the Senate would not find it
necessary to reduce the Presidential salary be-
fore the new President could get in Miss Co
lurnbia got one of the kisses from the enthusi-
astic German.
An Irish cook direct from the palace Of King
Edward was England's tribute, but the cook at
! once began to make terms. That Little Charlie"
would not be boss of the White House and that
Charlie P" would not live with his brother was
assured her before she consented to remain.
MR.. TAFT's THOUGHTS READ
With hands upon Mr.. Taft's Uranium Persia's
representative told the assembled Knockers of
the thoughts passing through his brain. as fol-
/ lows:
! He is just now congratuating hirpself that
( he was made Mason at sight-and so is the
goat
He is now trying to discover some word TO
use instead of de-e-lighted.
He wishes he could find a caddy who
/ wouldn't laugh when he makes a drive
/ He is now recalling the days when he played
( the Sleeping Beauty at Pixies Opera House
! and was kissed by the Prince Charming-it was
/ his first kiss-and then he acquired the habit
/ Of displaying his pearly teeth in a seraphic
! smile.
He wonders whether union cabinetnaker
ought to work over eight hours day
He wishes the Cabinet would let him write
| part of that message to Congress
He wonders whether if the Filipinos had
! been cannibaIs he would have penetrated their
/ interior
He resolves in the tariff war 10 lead the
/ charge up to the very Cannon's mouth"
! The ceremony OF declaring the guest Of honor
! a Knocker "on sight conducted in total
J darkness, with rumbles of sheet iron thunder
and fla shes Of stage lightning. and concluded the
/ festivities at the tables. The evolution of the
! Taft smile was afterward depicted through NOV
! ing pictures in the assembly hall Of the club.
through which the scenes of notification day"
were enacted.
Addressing the members Of the Cincinnati
| Chamber of Commerce on. the floor Of the Stock
Exchange to-day. Mr.. Taft discussed the i'm
/ provement of the Ohio River. to which he gave
his unqualified and hearty approval But he
cautioned that patienoa be cultivated, for the
reason that Congress. very properly. moved
slowly.
DEFICIT NOT SERIOUS.
At the present time, he said a deficit of $780,
| 100000 confronted those responsible for the
government. That, he believed, not to be
! serious situation. and as encouraging signs he
/ smoke of the stagnation in business due to
universal inclination to wait until the tariff had
| been revised before new business undertakings
/ were launched or old ones pushed ahead. The
/
been settled. Mr. Taft believed. would take care
of the deficit.
Referring to the Panama Canal, Mr.. Taft de-
cIared with postiveness that the type of canal
had been determined upon, and the minority
/ which had opposed the plan adopted might
well come in and back up the work But" he
added whether they do come in not, IL is
going to be built according to the present plans"
/ epeaking Of the good it would do to those on
the isthmus who are engaged in the work to
have the American people backing UP their eff
forts Mr. Taft said:
II know that the people Of the United States
intend TO stand back Of them. and propose. so
far as in me lies. 10 assure them that while 1
am President they will have my backing to the
last dollar necessary"
Undertaking to say 'goodby,' Mr.. Taft found
himself opposed by generally expressed mega
tive. "Oh. well. let it be so long them he
calculated, with a hearty laugh.
Charles Nagel, of st. Louis, who is under
stood to be slated for Secretary of Commerce
and Labor in the Taft Cabinet had a confer
ence with Mr.. Taft to-day. but neither would
talk for publication of it's purport. AS this is
the first time the two have been together
since Cabinet making under consideration.
it has been assumed that if Mr. Nagel is to be
in the Cabinet. the matter has now been def
nitely arranged.
PHILADELPHIA Feb 19-Arrangements have been
completed for entertaining PresIdent-elect Taft who
will deliver the oration at the University Day exer-
cses al the University of Pennsylvania on Wash
ington's Birthday. Mr. Taft will arrive in PhiIa-
dephia on Sunday. and will be the guest while In
the city of DR.. S. Weir Mitchell at his home IN
Walnut street.
conferred upon the following candidates by c g
Harrison. provost of the university; John Lambert