New-York tribune., 1909-10-29
FLEET LEAVES TAFT
cc4TTERED ON RIVER.
President Reaches Vicksburg
Tnrpedo Boat Agronnd.

.oht on The Oleanoer- OF the proud fleet
= .erseously decorated vessels which left
= Louis at o'clock Monday afternoon
~ TWO were In sight when the Presi-
40 landed and gave himself into the
ssuss Of an enthusiastic but sadly disaR-
--srted local committee He received a
t.rons welcome from several hundred
....sfll watchers on the waterfront.
7ss steamer Erastus Wells. originally
-. anart fer members of the Cabinet, who
= an board the Oleander. and the Illinois.
.ss-ing 2 delegation from Illinois, arrived
.o.right soon after the President had
sHded-
Tte St Paul. which started out with half
~ Governors OF the United States on
s,sri and the Quincy. which started with
srssker Cannon and q large array of SEN
.,,-s and Representatives as passengers.
vs-e among the slower vessels, and were
-owhe-e 70 be seen while the President was
q vicks0urg-
TIE Governors and Congressman landed
Ct GreenviIIe to-day and came TO Vieksburg
his afternoon by train. They boarded their
bosts again tonight for the run 10 Natchez
Tie schedule OF the river trip has gone
.r 10 pieces, and, although il is now
manned 20 have the President wait outside
vew Orleans on Saturday until most Of
he boats can join him there, the chances
ere that this scheme will have to be aban-
ssue5 II Mr. Taft is &c set foot IN the
crescent City by daylight
L is said that IN making up the schedule
n the trip the maximum speeds OF the
fsst boats and the slow boats were added
torsther. and an average struck for ALL
This was all right for the fast ones. but
b5w the slow ones were expected to keep
3, Is q mystery river men say they are
unable 70 solve.
President Taft tried 10 remain with the
esst as long as possible. On that account
he vas three hours late at Memphis and
-wo hours late at Helena.
After 2 consultation at Helena last night.
orders were issued annulling the alignment
originally made, and each steamer was
Instructed 10 look ont for itself and get
10 New Orleans as soon as possible. re-
ssr6less Of any other vessel.
Governors Noel OF Mississippi and
Sanders Of Louisiana were taken on board
he Oleander. .in order that they might be
VITA The President at his stops in those
states.
The people Of Nicksburg, one of the great
s-rorghoiLs Of the Confederacy, made eiab-
erste plans Tor entertaining the President.
~ L@-L LGl DtCl lDQkllB LDEWEFQ Win
pleasure TO drive this afternoon over
ne famous batuenelds. The city had been
elzborarely decorated in his honor, and
ell that was left Of the programme to-
night was a supper at the Elks Club.
The President made a speech in which
lie expressed his regret and chagrin that
The schedule Of the river trip had gone
So Tar avry as 10 cut his visit to Vicksburg
short
The President has not yet caught up with
four torpedo boat destroyers that were
10 act as his escort down the river. The
lr-e vessels were at ST. Louis a few days
before bis arrival. but falling water in the
river sem them scurrying over the sand
bars j1st below the Missouri metropolis in
search Of deeper water. They have heen
hgryi1e for deeper water ever since, and
The Wilkes went aground near this city
tonight
The first the people of Vieksburg knew
of The seven hours delay in the arrival
Of tLe President was when a message was
received from Greenville, Miss, shortly
after reou- This message. along with sew
eral news dispatches, was thrown over
board from the Oleander in a glass bottle
and was picked up by launch sent out
bg the telegraph company.
The President took advantage of his long
dar GA The river 10 get rid Of a lot
of dependence. keeping both OF his
assistant secretaries busy from early
morning until after dark tonight, He took
occasion TO consult tie three members of
his Cabinet on board the Oleander-the
Secretary Of War, the Postmaster Gen
eral and the Secretary Of Commerce and
Labor.
Tie President was entertained az dinner
LAST night on the steamer Quincy by the
Congress- delegation 70 the waterways con-
vsution. He and Speaker Cannon again
exp-essed their views on waterway i'm
rrsvenent The Speaker declared he would
lever vote for any improvement which did
not cali Tor a continuing contract, the
work 70 be paid for from year to yeaF.
He has declared that although bonds have
been authorized, The wcrk On the Panama
canal up 70 this time has been paid for
cut Of funds in the Treasury
President Taft believes that when
waterway Improvement has been deter
mined on after careful inquiry and in
vest cation as 10 its necessity and feast
bl..tv. bonds should be issued for the esti-
mated cost IN order that It may be com
u.a-ed at the earliest moment. Speaker
Cannon said he favored bonds when nee
esssrv in war or IN peace TO keep the
public failn, bat if Congress voted 10 sat
istr every demand for bonds for highways,
tor reclamation and irrigation projects, for
-le drainage Of swamp lands and for for
est preservation, there would soon be an
otaer debt equal 10 that caused by the
glva War
But ! am going out of Congress-sorne
lar." said the Speaker
No. uo!' shouted a number Of his col
l5asues of the House; we don't believe it."
ON, yes. ] ara he replied. and when
DO there viii be plenty left for you boys,
and there viii be lots Of business going on
II the old place"
IN Ais speech the President said:
7 sincerely believe that we, all Of US.
II gse do NOT 20 10 the bottom, viii derive
q most useful lesson from this trip. We
shall all know, when We get through the
Ir.u. exactly how Uncle joe stands with
reference 10 the business Of improving the
-..rr even il We have 10 consult a few
mere remarks from St. Paul. But ! don't
think q makes very much difference what
each individual thinks with reference TO
the tmuroVemeuJ oftthe Mississippi River.
7 mean the details Of that Improvement.
be- l-Ee thaE he fact that this expedition
lss been entered upon has set the public
-rfllu 80 uuOl this subject that Congress
I8ust take some action, and from the fact
t.at Congress must act IL seems result
F.I ue TcaCheC.
President Taft left here on the OleandeF
a- u-1s q. "a foF Natehez. IL is nine
hour ruu % that point