Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-25
President Taft Defines
Stand on Waterway
Improvement
AT START OF HIS TOUR
Spends Day at st. Louis on Eve
OF 1,200 Mile Trip Down
Mississippi

St Louis. Oct 25.-President Taft
today gave eight hours to st. Louis
and one and a half to East ST. Louis
He arrived here this morning at 1927.
and prepared to leave at this after
noon on a 1,20O-mile voyage down the
Mississippi river at New Orleans.
TO Club for Breakfast.
After greeting a reception commit
tee of the Commercial club of st. Louis
at the union station, the president was
driven in an automobile to the ST.
Louis club When the president ap-
peared at the Twentieth street exit of
the union station he was greeted by
the cheers of thousands of people. At
the club 65 Commercial club members
and the presidents party had break
fast The president rested a short
time. after which he was driven to the
Coliseum. His ride through the streets
was continual ovation.
Grcets Fellow VOyaEcrs.
At the Coliseum before making his
address he greeted 200 congressman. IS
governors and a score of senators,
who arrived this morning as guests of
the Business Mems league for the trip
down the Mississippi river Seven for
eign ministers were seated on the plat
form.
Lunches With 900.
Governor Hadley introduced the
president to the great audience. I'm
mediately after delivering his speech
the president was escorted to the
Planters hotel for luncheon, where
were gathered 900 guests of the Busi-
ness Mems league The congressman. |
governors, senators and foreign minis
ters were also at luncheon
Goes to Lay Corner stone.
AT $3.50 the president escorted by
mounted police, was scheduled to |
cross the Eads bridge to East St Louis |
Here he was to meet Vice President
Sherman and Speaker Cannon, who |
had been the guests of the East st. |
Louis Commercial club at luncheon. /
Tho president planned to lay the cor
ner stone of the new United States /
government building in East St Louis /
at 4 O'Clock. and then return to st. |
Louis and embark at on the light |
house tender Oleandcr for New Or
leans.
Remembers Panama Trip.
In the speech at the St Louis club
the president referred to the trip of /
his hosts of the Commercial club to |
Panama while the president was secre-
tary of war. He said that he had al
ways felt grateful to those who went
to the isthmus for the confidence
which they had engendered in the
American people concerning work on
the canal. These investigators who
went on their own expense could not
be fooled or deceived and could have
no motive for misrepresenting the
facts.
Relieved the Tension
He declared the report of the Com
mercial club marked the beginning of
state of affairs which has left the
administration in a very comfortable
position with reference to the progress
of canal work. Up to that time the
president said. there had been sbrieks
of scandal and Incompetence, but after
wards the work had been treated as
all great government ana engineering
works should be treated with sobrietv
calmness and criticism of the plans
On basis that can be understood.
Dissolved Nightmare
He said the report of the CONNER
cial club had driven away a nightmare
that had pursued him for two wears
alter the burden of canal work had
fallen upon his shoulders.
No 'POrk Barrel" Favored.
In the address at the Coliseum
where he made the principal speech
of the day, Taft declared his stand u
favor of the issue of bonds for carry
ing out approved waterway improve
ment projects does not mean the Omen
ing OF the pork barrel' to send back
any particular memSer of congress ,r
to make any particular section of the
country prosperous during the expen-
diture of the money.
Oppose Big Bond Issue.
Taft said he opposed any such
general issue. of 100000, 900 or 81
COO, .0G0 for waterways Improvement
the money to be cut up and parcelled
out to different sections His idea *
to secure sufficient money to carry
out quickly such projects as may he
anDrovod after careful invaSt;oat;o,, ) I