Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-27
LAST IS AT HICKMAN. ky.
Executive Greeted by Gl,at Crowd
from Blue Grass State.
HE RE-sTATEs HIS POSITION

Oenu 1Aes
HICKMAN, KY, oct. 26.-After twenty
-four hours on the Mississippi river, with
u mile or so on the Ohio thrown in Presl.
dent Taft arrived here shortly after 4
O'Clock and made an address from a stand
erected on the levee This being Mr.. Taft's
only stop in Kentucky on his present trip
people came from all parts Of the state to
greet him.
Tonight the excursion fleet of a dozen or
more packets which the president is lead
ing TO the Lakes-to-the-Gulf Deep Water
ways convention at New Orleans is pro-
ceeding down the big river
President Taft is finding the river trip a
bit resting and enjoyable. On the light
| house tender Oleander he is surrounded
q ohly by few members of his own party
and is the guest OF Commander E. II. Till
man, U. S. N, in charge of the lighthouse
district from Cairo to New Orleans Com
mander Tillman knows the Mississippi
rivers possibilities, it's difficulties, it's dis.
appointments and it's vagarles.
The president is hopeful that some plan
can be devised by which at least ten feet
of water can be secured at all seasons to
the gulf He saw today, however, many
caving banks evidences of how the channel
constantly is undergoing radical changes,
and how the plece-meal work of improve
ment in the past practically has gone for
naught
Three Speeches During Day.
IL the three brief speeches he delivered
with husky voice today at Cape Girardeau,
MO, Cairo, ILL.,, and here Mr.. Taft re.
iteratcd his po0ltion in favor of deep water
WI ha cd hat
the plans for improvement are feasible,
are necessary and can be carried to COM
pletion without too great expenditure OF
money.
At Cairo the president was followed by
Speaker Cannon, who declared that he APP
proved President Tafts declarations in
nearly every particular, and wished he
could approve them In ALL He still balks,
however, at the presidents propositions to
issue bonds to carry out the work of inn
proveulent once It has been decided upon.
He declared the work should be carried
only rapidly 1t can be paid for
out of current funds in the treasury.
The president tonight was the guest of
the governors who a.e making the trip
down the river on the steamer st. Paul.
which Immediately follows the oleander,
He had been invited to dinner last night
but was so fatigied and wornout from the
effort of speaking several times in St.
Louis that he begged to be excused until
this evening.
'POssum for Dinner.
The st. Paul was brought up in mid
stream alongside the presidents boat this
evening and lashed there while he and
his party were conducted on board The
same proceeding was gone through today
shortly after the fleet left Cairo, and the
president was presented with a possum,
already cooked. ready to be served at his
luncheon table. While the possum was
being transferred 20 the Oleander a band
on the St. Paul played the old negro mel
y ody, "carve Dat Possum. Carve Him to
the Heart"
Crowds Along Banks.
Although the impression has gained
ground since the Atlanta dinner of last
winter that the president was fond of
possum meat, today was only the third
time he has eaten It. Although enjoying
the novelty of the dish, Mr. Taft has ad-
mitted to his most intimate friends that
! he does no altogether banker" afer IT as
a steady article of diet,
Leaving Cairo today, Postmaster GEN
eral Hitchcock and Secretary Nagel of
the department of commerce and labor.
who had made the trip from st. Louis
Wells Joined the president on the olean-
der They also were guests of the gov
ernors at dinner tonight Secretary OF
War Dickens will rejoin the presidents
party at Memphis tomorrow
Postmaster General Hitchcock nearly
got left this morning at Cape Girardeau
He had started for the Normal school
where President Taft made a speech at
sunrise. and had about reached his des-
a.
past him in automobiles on the return
trip TO the boats When the postmaster
general reached the river banks all OF the
boats were out in the stream. His plight
was quickly discovered. however. and the
ETastus Wells put back to pick him up
The president rase before daylight to keep
his appointment at Cape Girardeau. II was
his earliest speech Of the trip and he de-
clared he rather enjoyed the novelty OF
speaking to the rising sun.
Whenever the presidents boat today
passed a point OF the river near a settle
ment the banks were lined with people
who shouted a greeting to him over the
Wpttrs The zlg-zag course taken by the
oieander in following the channel, which
leads from one side OF the river to the
other often took President Taft within
speaking distance OF those gathered on the
banks.
Two boats OF the fleet, the St. Paul and
the Erastus Wells, touched sandbars last
niEht but slid over them with but little
delay.
Passing the congressional boat which II
was stated in ST. Louis had been provided
with nine poker tables President Taft TO-
day called out to Speaker Cannon on the
hurricane deck; III you catch anybody
blufflng, Uncle Jo take the money"
short Address at Cairo.
CAIRO, H., Oct. 26.-The roaring canon
OF the Danviile battery. stationed on
barges In the Ohio river, opposite this city
gave notice today when the presidential
notnla rounded Cairo point at noon ieav.
lcontinOed on second Pasel