Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-27
President Taft Given Cordial
Reception at Memphis.
THOUSANDS AT THE WHARF
Flotilla Greeted by Whistles and
Changing Bells.
MAYORS OFFICIAL WELCOME
Governor of Tennessee Later Ex-
tends Courtesies in the Name
of the State.

| MEMPHIS. Tenn. October c7-Thou-
sands of throatS called a loyal and true
southern greeting to President William
II. Taft on his arrival at the wharf here
today. Hundreds of whistles and changing
bells all over the city took up the refrain
and in no city visited by the President in
his history-making trip across the con-
| tinent has he been given a more enthus-
| astic reception.
| President Taft and his party were de-
| layed on the river during the night, owing
| TO the extremely low stage of the water
| and the numerous sand bars, and did not
reach Memphis until nearly IL O'Clock.
Thousands at Wharf.
All Memphis and thousands of visitors
| thronged the wharf and bluffs long before
| the. imposing f1otilla made it's appearance
! on the broad eXpanse of the Mississippi
| above Hopefield Bend. and waited with
| eager expectancy the arrival of the dis
| tinguished guests who were to be enter
| tanned for four hours in Memphis.
When the f1otila appeared with the
steamer Oleander, bearing the President
and his personal retinue. 800 yards in
advance of the long column hanked on
either side by the tiny torpedo boats,
| the populace shouted greeting, which
| echoed and re-echoed across the river
/ to lose itself in the sister state of Ar
| kansas.
Mayors Welcoming Address.
! Mayor James II. Malone, in welcom-
| ing the President. said:
We remember with much pleasure
that while you were a United States
phis and here dispensed justice with so
even a hand as to win the confidence
and good will of all whose fortune it
was to appear in your court"
| Mayor Malone said the attitude of
President Taft toward the southern
states preSaged nothing but good for
the south during the Taft admnistra-
| ton.
When Mayor Malone turned to the ques-
ton of river Improvement and four
ten feet through the valley" staneh
adherents of deep waterways from the
lakes to the gulf gathered near and in
terrupted the speaker with cheers.
Presidents Brief Reply.
| President Taft's reply was brief and
! TO the point. He had on previous oc-
casions declared himself upon the water
ways proposition, and today he reiterated
his opinions.
President and the other members of his
party entered automobiles and a parade
| was commenced through the streets of the
| city.
| The President and his personal escort
| left the main body Of the automobile
procession of the party to go to the
| Young Mems Christian Associations new
! building. the dedication of which had
| been postponed for the President to per-
| form.
President Taft spoke Of the great work
accomplished throughout the country by
the association and conplimented the To-
! cal organiza ton upon it's energy in erect
! ing such splendid building
States Greeting.
| After the dedication the President was
driven to the auditorium. where he was
welcomed on behalf Of the state of Ten
nessee by Gov. NJ. r. Patterson and
where he made the principal address of
| the day.
| Gov Patterson spoke in part as follows:
The administration Of President Taft
| began at a time which was most auspi-
| cous for himself and his country The
unrest which followed the war with Spain
| had abated-the delicate problems which
| confronted the government were either
| solved or in process of settlement-there
was peace in our distant possessions, the
! concord of our people was never more
manifest. the solidarity OF the Union
! itself was never firIner fixed.
| The south has no right to expect more,
| there is no reason why she should re-
| ceve less than any other portion of the
! country.
| We believe that any President, aside
| from the welcome he receives from his
| countrymen, would be glad to know the
wants and aspirations of the people. and
We believe this is especially true of Presi-
dent Taft. who on his present tour of the
| country must realize with even broader
and deeper vision than he possessed be-
for the complexities Of American life
and the magnitude of the land over which
he has been called to rule
Speaks of Waterways.
Gov. Patterson then discussed deep
waterways. predicting that the proposed
channel from the lake to the gulf lis
the promise of trade which will one
| day cover every ocean with American
| bottoms
Although his voice Is still somewhat
weak ard hoarse, the President consum-
ed the time allotted to him for his adj
! dress.
Immediately after he had concluded he
was hurried back to the wharf. thousands
| cheering him and his party at every turn.
| At noon the Oleander steamed out into
midriver, followed in regular order by the
| other vessels in the fleet
The presidential salute was fired by a
battery stationed on the crowning point OF
| historic old Jackson Mound Park, said
to be the spot where fernando de soto
| first stood and looked out over the big
| river.
| The first stop by the President after
| leaving this city will be at Helena Ark,
where the fleet is due at 8 o'clock this
! evening.