Evening star., 1909-08-29
Holds Reception at Home of
John Hays Hammond.
REFUSES TO MAKE SPEECH
Meets Several Hundred Residents of
the City.
THEN MOTORS TO BASS ROCKS
Makes Eighteen Holes on the
Myopia Course in 90, Which Was
Better Than He Expected.

BEVERLY, Mass, August aS.-The
quaint little north shore city of Glouces-
ter had the honor today of entertain
ing President Taft at his first public
appearance since the beginning of his
vacation The President has declined
practically every invitation that has
come to him since his arrival at Bever-
ly, and word of his going to Gloucester
today had been kept secret for week
or more. Gloucester knew of his com.
ing, but the townsfolk simply winked at
each other knowingly and smiled inward
ly at the chagrin which Beverly would
suffer when it became public that the
President had held a public reception in
Gloucester without having accepted any
| the town In which his cottage is situ-
ated.
Mr.. Taft's visit to Gloucester was In
compensation for his inability to attend
the pageant of the Canterbury pilgrims
held there just prior to the adjournment
of Congress. The pageant was widely
advertised as in honor of the President,
| and Mr.. Taft was deeply disappointed
| that a crucial period in the tariff fight
prevented his attendance.
Today the members of the pageant
| committee and many other prominent cit
izens of Gloucester were invited to the
| home OF John Hays Hammond to meet the
President. Mr.. Taft. with Capt. Butt. his
military aid, motored over to Gloucester
after spending the morning on the links
Of the Myopia Club.
Good Score on Myopia Course.
President Taft had the distinction of
making the eighteen holes of the difficult
Myopia golf course in 9s The links are
the hardest the President has ever played
| over and he had not hoped to get his
| medal score below the 100 mark. The
green's committee of the club considered
this achievement of sufficient moment to
ask for the Presidents card to be placed
among the clubs souvenirs. Mr.. Taft
graciously complied with the request and
the card took its place among the tro-
phies won by club members. The Presi-
dent made the low score playing against
George R. Sheldon. treasurer of the re-
publican national committee, whom he de-
| feated by several UP, the exact scores not
being announced.
1t was said there was no political sig
nifcance in the visit of Mr.. Sheldon.
Reception at Gloucester.
The Presidents arrival in Gloucester
was signaled by salute of twenty-one
| guns by the naval dispatch boat Dolphin.
anchored in the harbor. Mr.. Taft. Capt
Butt, the Secretary of the Navy and
Mrs. Meyer and half a dozen others were
the guests Of Mr.. and Mrs. Hammond
In the pretty Hammond summer homo
on Lookout Hill.
The members of the pageant committee
were entertained at an al fresco luncheon
served on the elm shaded lawns
At o'clock the reception began. Sew
eral hundred residents of Gloucester, in
Guiding the mayor and other city officials,
greeted each cordially. Some of the
Gloucester folk had hoped the President
would make at least brief address, but
he had declined that part Of the invita-
tion and confined himself to the rather
| informal reception.
to the President on the day of the pag-
cant, and it was sent to him at Wash
| ington when it was learned he would be
unable to be present This was regretted
| today, for the committee would have
| liked to make the Presidents day in
Gloucester the more notable by formal
presentation of the medal with an &C.
knowledgement by the chief executive.
Mr. Hammond will leave for Arizona
Monday, and today's luncheon rendered
by him to his summer neighbors OF the
| fishing port was in the nature OF q fare
well party for the season.
After a reception at Gloucester this
afternoon the President motored to Bass
Rocks to call on a number of close friends
from Cincinnati who are spending the
summer there.
Returning again to Beverly during the
later afternoon the President and Mrs.
Taft had a long ride up the Shore road.