Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-13

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New Orleans, Feb. 12-When Pres
ident-elect Taft awoke today he found
a delegation awaiting him to offer the
use of several golf links. 1t Is prob
game this afternoon. Today's pro-
park under the auspices of the local
negroes OF the Y. M. 9. A., an automo-
bile tour of the city at noon, followed
by luncheon at the Country club,
and a banquet this evening
Talks to CoIored Audience.
The reception to the president-elect
by the negroes of the city today was
marked by enthusiastic cordiality.
Thousands of members OF that race
assembled in the local baseball park,
filing the grand stand, bleachers and
a largee portion of the grounds.
In his speech Taft declared his de-
sire to "be president of all the people"
and told the hearers their past history
had been remarkable In showing their
capacity to develop. that their futures
depended on individual character
building which meant hard work and
thrift. To make themselves indispens-
ible to the people of the community
| In which they lived was, he declared
with emphasis the only final solution
of the problem which they faced.
Touches Crime Question.
He ridiculed the idea of transporting
the negro to any other country. AS to
dealing with crime he said If the ne
gro wanted a square deal in that re-
spect he must be willing to give a
square deal and be as earnest and
Jealous in the punishment of the crime
of Eegro as of any others.
! Taft on the Canal.
| New Orleans, Feb. 12.-President-
elect William H. Taft landed here
shortly before 3 o'clock yesterday aft.
ernoon from Panama and was most
enthusiastically received by the en-
tire city, whose guest he is to be until
Saturday morning.
Il am here on my way from great
constructive work." he said, after
paying his compliments to his audi
ence, "the greatest entered upon by
any nation during the present two
centuries, and I am more interested
in that work than any other part Of
the people of the United States, that
the work is going on as you would
have it go on. That on the 1st o1
January, 1915, at least, if not before
and I am very much interested in hav
ing it within the next four years
| that canal will be completed An6
when that time comes you will see
loading down this river your great
commerce bound through those straits
to the west coast of America, to the
west coast of South America, to th5
Orient and to Australia.
The board of engineers that accom-
panied me have examined the whole
work, and they say 1t is good; that Il
shall go on as it has gone on, that the
organization on the isthmus, the Amer
ican push and the good feeling that i.
there, commends itself to them al
men who understand great works o
that class, and convinces them tha
the canal Is now an immediate pros
pect."
Several socialist banners which
were displayed In front of a lodgins
house in the line of the Taft parade
were ordered down by the local al
thorities yesterday afternoon just be
fore the arrival of the President-elect
The demand was made on the grounc
that the inscription, "Why Should Ont
Man Hold Another Mans Job?" am
"To Abolish Poverty. Vote the Social
ist Ticket" Haunted in the face !,
Judge Taft would not conform witt
the hospitable and nonpartisan spiri
in which 1t was decreed the whole cit,
should receive him. The banner.
were taken down.