Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-02
AGAIN TAKE THE TRIP
Members of Taft Party to the
Philippines Assemble.
MEET IN ANNUAL REUNION
Visit in Fancy the Scenes During
Journey of 1905.
PRESIDENT.ELECT A SPEAKER
Says Gathering Will Be to Next
Executive What Rough Riders
Are to Roosevelt.
PRESIDENT.ELECT A SPEAKER

Inc In1ilpplne dinner laSt night III
honor of Judge and Mrs. Taft was ar
ranged by Miss Mabel Boardman and
Representative Mckinley Of Illinois. and
was the most pretentious of the enjoyable
gatherings this party INDUCES In every
year. There were present seven United
States senators and twenty-four mem
bers Of the House OF Representatives, in
addition to a number of otherwise dis
tinguished personages who sailed to the
orient with Mr. Taft in 1905. The trip
attained most of its fame because of the
marriages which resulted from 1t.
Representative Nicholas Longworth and
Miss Alice Roosevelt became betrothed;
Representative Bourke Cochran met Miss
Ide, daughter Of Judge Ide of the Philip
pine commission, who is now Mrs. Cock
ran. and Representative Swager Sherley
Of kentucky met Miss Mignon Critton of
Staten Island, to whom he became en-
gagged.
Senator Scott POSTMASTER.
The dinner took place in the banquet
hall Of the Willard Hotel. which was rich
In decorations and floral setting. Sena-
tor Nathan B. Scott Of West Virginia.
one of the voyagers, was POSTMASTER, and
of conviviality which exists among the
members of the party, and were particu-
larly tuned to express the feeling Of
honor which all shared because of the
elevation of the head of the expedition.
When Mr.. Taft rose to respond to the
first toast of the evening, proposed by
Senator Scott, he stood before a huge
illuminated. canvas on which a gorgeous
tropical sunrise was painting the noun
tainS and foliage and sea In myriad col
4 lit. COL hi fr-ravz
ical jungle. and before him at the table
the richly gowned members of the party.
The President-elect was In a particularly
happy mood as he recalled the various
places of visit and the lasting memory
that had been left. His conclusion was
not only a most cordial assurance that
the members of the party should al
ways ind q welcome at the White House
during his occupancy; but an expressed
desire that the Philippine party might be
to the incoming administration what the
! Rough Rider organization had been to
the last
President-Elect Enjoys Reunion.
Il always enjoy these reunions of those
whose good fortune it was to take the
Philippine trip he began. But the en-
joyment is always mixed with the regret
that those whom we entertain as our
guests on these occasions were not on the
trip, and the further regret that we can
not take another such trip. Circum-
stances will never fit themselves for its
repetition, any more than four or five
honeymoons which resulted from the trip
be had over again.
'I have often wondered what 1t was
that made our party such uniform
success from the beginning. l never
wanted to get to Honolulu after we en-
barked on the Manchuria; certain it was
that our party received an impetus In
h. f@,.1tr hot
was shown to all of us by the Emperor
of Japan, that lasted until We reached
home.
All Love Each Other.
II think there was not an exception
in the love we all had for each other
when we came home-every one loving
every one else and also loving a particu-
lar person. But as 1 say, the trip will
never come again. 1t is sweet memory
and we have got to enjoy it in memory.
Now, I am sure that every one of us
has had an occasion to rejoice often that
he or she was member Of the party.
Speaking for myself, 1t seems to ME that
every day and every week I have had oc-
casion to so rejoice. The party has broken
down political party lines, but it has not
broken down, am glad to say, domestic
lines. But when there is Philippine leg
| 1SldtlOn on, II you Will eAdHlIc TIE NolcS
in the Senate and House you can trace
the influence Of the Philippine party. 1t
has mingled republicans and democrats
together in a way that no one can I'M
derstand except those who are members
of the party.
Tonight 1 feel overcome by the good
will, the generosity and by the welcome
that you have given Mrs. Taft and me-
have a sense of being undeserving.
Counts on Sympathy.
II am about to take up burden that
I am not going to resign from, but It is
one that doubtless will grow heavy at
times and lighter at times. But what
ever the burden, / want the good men and
women-the good fellows. both masculine
and feminine-of the party to know that
I am confident that whoever else may
be a severe critic, shall have the SYM
pathy of those who sailed out from San
Francisco on the steamer with me in 1905
Il hope we may continue to have these
reunions. We did have one at the White
House when we went there to see that
two of our number were properly mar
ried, and / hope that the White House
may be a frequent place Of meeting in
the future. 1 do not expect to be it's
mistress, and I have not consulted its
mistress. but I want you to come there
where the landlord is so generous and
where the tenant will be glad during
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