The Cairo bulletin., 1909-10-27
PRESIDENT HAD pOSSuM LUNCH.
EoN AFTER LEAVING CAIRO
WAS PUT ABOARD
HERE.
GIVEN BANQUET ON
ST. PAUL LAST NIGHT
Was Guest cf the Governors-Boats
Proceeding Down the Mississip-
pi Under Ideal Weather
Conditions - Some
CHANCES Made.

Hickman, Ky, Oct. 2G.-After "a
hours on the mississippi, with a mile
or so on the Ohio thrown in, Taft ar.
rived here shortly after o'clock this
afternoon, and made an address from
stand erected on the levee. This
being Tafts only stop In Kentucky,
people from all parts of the state
greeted him
Tonight the excursion fleet of a
dozen or more packets, in which the
president is leading, to the waterway
convention at New Orleans, is pro.
ceeding down the river under bril-
liant moon. The weather is delight
fully cool. The season for the voyage
Is thoroughly fitting.
The president is finding the river
trip restful and enjoyable. Aboard
the Oleander he is surrounded only
by few members of his own party
and is a guest of Governor Tillman
of the navy in charge of the Light
house district from Cairo to New Or.
leans.
Tillman has been on the Mississippi
for years knows its possibilities, diff.
ficultes and yagares as we'll The
president is hopeful that some plan be
devised by which at least ten feet Of
water can be secured all season to the
gulf He said today, however, that the
many caving banks evidences how the
channel is constantly undergoing rad
ieal changes, and how the past piece
meal work of Improvement has gone
practically for naught
In three brief speeches delivered
with husky voice today at Cape Cir
ardeau, Cairo and here, Taft reitera
ted his position in favor of deep wa
terways where it can be demonstra-
ted that the plans for the improve.
ment are feasible, necessary and can
be carried to completion without too
great expenditure.
AT Cairo the president was follow
ed by Speaker Cannon, who declared
that he approved Taft's declaration in
nearly every particular, and wished
he could approve them in all He
still balks, however, at the presidents
propositions to issue bonds for the
work of Improvement once it is de-
cided upon. He declared the work
should be carried on only as rapidly
as ii can be paid for out of the cur
rent funds. The president was to-
are making the trip on the steamer
ST. Paul which follows the Oleander.
The St Paul came alongside the
Oleander while Taft and others were
conducted aboard The same proceed.
ing was gone through today shortly
after leaving Cairo, where the presi,
dent was presented with an opossum,
all ready to be served at luncheon.
While the possum was being transfer,
red the band on the ST. Paul played
Carve dat 'Possum,"
Leaving Cairo today Hitchcock and
Nagle, who came from st. Louis
aboard the Erastus Wells, joined teh
president on the Oleander They were
also guests of the governors at a din
ner tonight Dickinson will reioin
the president at Memphis tomorrow
Taft made speech at Cape Girar-
deau, Mo-, this morning just as the
sun was showing above the horizon.
II was the earliest speech of the pres.
ident's trip and he enjoyed the novel.
ty, also that of being escorted by
man larger than himself, Eugene Re.
genhaIdt, chairman of the reception
committee, who is the presidents SUI
perior in height and almost his equal
in breadth.
When the presidents boat passed
near the settlement the banks were
lined with people who shouted greet