The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-10-27
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI
Notable Escort Accompanies the
President to New Orleans.

Vice President Sherman, Two Cabinet
Officers and Four Representatives Of
Foreign Nations Are In the Party.
Excursion Is Running Under Au.
spices of Lakes to Gulf Deep Water
ways Associatlon-Preside Favors
Bond Issue but No "Pork."
st. Louis Oct 26.-President Taft
started his 1,2OO mile trip down the
Mississippi river to the footing of
whistles and the cheers of thousands.
Fifteen big Mississippi river steam
boats, bearing notable escort, swung
out behind the United States light.
house tender Oleander, on which the
president is quartered. Included in
the escort are the vice president of
the United States, two cabinet mem.
Oers, 20 United States senator's, four
representatives of foreign nations, the
speaker of the house of representa-.
tives, with 176 of his fellow congress.
men. and hundreds of prominent bust
ness men of the Middle West.
1t Is the greatest show that was ever
pulled of in an effort to push legisla.
ton through congress. The excur-
sion is running under the auspices of
the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Water.
ways association and is to end at the
annual convention of the association
in New Orleans.
Bond Issue For Waterways.
The promoters of the excursion ex-
pected to have general roundup this
winter of the deep waterways interests
In an effort to obtain from congress a
river and harbor bill that shall pro-
vide for bond issue large enough to
put the building Of deep waterway
from the lakes to the gulf on as sub.
stantial basis as the construction of
the Panama canal.
Mr.. Taft made it plain here again
that as a general proposition he is in
favor of having bonds issued to pay
for the deepening of the country's wa.
terways. At the same time he de-
clared with almost brutal frankness
that there was to be no pork barrel"
politics In the Improvements.
The president is scheduled to make
eight speeches on the trip down the
river, but he will have to spare his
voice If he expects to speak above a
whisper on the last lap of his trip.
His throat is in bad shape. The presi-
dents boat which is the flagship of
the fleet, is being guided by one of the
Oldest pilots on the river. The pilots
OF all the other boats have the strict
est orders. There will be no racing
as there was when President Roose-
welt went down the river, and any en-
gineer who blows his whistle more
than once will be guilty of high trea-
son.
Some idea of the size of this excur.
sion may he guessed from the stuff
that has been packed in the fleets
larders before 1t left. There were &C..
900 pounds of fresh meat, $50 dozen
chickens, l,S0O turkeys, 125 gallons of
oysters, $500 pounds of fish, $50 bush.
els of potatoes, 1920 dozen of eggs.
2.4OO pounds of butter, $4,000 cigars
and wines and liquors unestmated.
On the boats carrying the governors
from the Mississippi valley states and
the congressman were a few peculiar
looking tables with green cloth covers.
One of the st. Louis papers said they
are poker tables with inches for
chips, stands for bottles and a depres. |
sion in the center for the kitty. Wher |
one or two of the Mississippi valley
governors were asked about the dis. |
covery, they said What Is a 'kitty?"
Uncle Joe Cannon, who was assigned |
to one of the boats that had table or |
two, was shocked when somebody sug.
gested that thev might be poker ia.
bles, and the committee on transporta-
ton also was grieved at the asper.
sions.
Four Days Run Down the River.
1t will be four days run down the
river and time may hang heavy on the
hands" of some OF the statesmen.
This is Uncle Joe's first trip down
the river since he was a boy of 13 |
years. He made the trip then on
nat boat, carrying load of pork to |
New Orleans. When he got there
they sold not only the pork but the
fiat boat
Somebody wanted to know of Uncle |
Joe before he sailed what he thought
Of the fight the insurgents were max.
ing against him.
Get out your pencil and write this
down." said he, which was done as fol-
lows: "Od Paul, you will recollect. II
you refer to his journey, finally struck
an attitude and said: 4 have been i'm.
prisoned, punished with stripes, met
with robbers on land and have been
and have fought with
beasts at Ephesus, but none of all
these could discourage me- That Is
ALL"
The president and Uncle Joe met
first at breakfast at the st. Louis club
soon after the president had arrived