Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-09
Mr.. TAFT HONORS
JEFFERSON DAVIS
President Is Given Joyous Wei.
come at the Birthplace of
ar Secretary of War
-,. Dickinson.

| COLUMBUS, Miss. Nov. 2.-President
Taft received a joyous welcome here to-
DAY when he came to visit the birthplace
! o.. Secretary of War Dickinson and
! brought Secretary Dickinson with him.
The president arrived on a special train
! at 11:4O a. m. Mr.. Taft held reception
at the old home of Gen. Stephen d. Lee,
of the Confederate forces, as the guest
of the son of the house, Blewett H. Lee.
Later he made an address from stand
1 erected on Main street and before leav-
| ing at 2:3O p. m. for birmingham, attend
ed his first barbecue of the trip at the
Mississippi Industrial Girls school
The president took occasion here TO pay
high tribute to Secretary Dickinson. IN
fact, ever since he has entered Mississlp-
pi,. Mr.. Taft has had the secretary with
him and he has lost no opportunity 10
give evidence of his, high regard Tor the
secretary OF war. President Tart De
clared today that he had been deeply i'm
/ pressed with the reception he has receiv.
ed here in the heart of the south, and in
air his speeches, he has expressed his
appreciation of the character and spirit
| of his welcome.
COMPLIMENTS DICKINSON.
In the course of his midnight speech at
jackson last night, the president SAID OIL
Secretary Dickinson:
, NOW I-haye got Mac Dickinson In the
cabinet. He did not, come because ne
wanted to-. He came, because ne Kne"
why / wanted him, / wanted MIN pc
cause wanted to give an earnest eX-
arnple to the south to the truth OF my
| declaration that / was anxious to bring
YOU closer to the government at Wash
| ington, and / also took him because
wanted one of the ablest men OF the
country who does things, and l wante1
that Panama canal built, and / knew II
| he took hold of it 1t wenld CO.
zone OF your great heroes of Mississip
pi is Jefferson Davis, and I am glad tnat
| the administration at washington mas
wiped out the evidence OF that extreme
nartisan bitterness of Cabin John Bridge
and that his name is restored there. as
| secretary Of war and am glad De-
| cause I know and can testify from my
| experience In the, south, that the same
| low that they experienced at that act on
the part of the administration is--the
ioy of common country and loyalty 10
a common flag al :. oo,,,rr
GRATIFIED BY sWELCOME.
"And now, my friends, must go; the
! train has long been delayed. canito ~,
however. pass from these walls without
| testifvine TO the gratitude 1 feel to-
ward all of Mississippi for this most cor
| dial welcome. 1 am glad to believe hrst
! that Won would cordially receive the
president of the United States unaer
! anv circumstances, but i am also gao
/ tn believe your reception is IN some de-
| gree warmer because you believe that l
! value that reception most highly as an
| evidence that we are coming closer anu
| closer together, and that we are one
J country, homogeneous throughout. Win
I the same ideals, the same aspirations
! IL at fOn fn, make us
J ALI better and to raise the standard OF
our citizenship Beyond anything that
J heretofore has Been seem" 10
MADE OTHER SPEECHES. b.
On his way. to Columbus today, the
oresiaent. made brief car END speeches
.st' KoseiuslSo, ,Ackerman, starkville and
/ west Point At each place he was
|. greeted by an enthusiastic throng, the
negroes being drawn upon one side OF
I the track and the white people on the
! dtber. At Kiosciusko the president gave
| further utterance TO his desire to bring
| the people of the south closer to the 9TH
! er states of the union. and announced
that It was not through any purpose OF
making them Republicans, either. he
! said:
This is >the frs6 time I have had the
( onnortunity of being in the state OF
, Mississippi and + have enjoyed every
: -ts.t "a 4. = 90 49, fr-f-.e..- ,.-
''T have been glad to be here because
think this state, as nearly as any,
J represents the opinion and types OF the
south and T am anxious to come as
closely in contact with the southern peo-
pie and explain to them as sincerely and
= sympathetically as L can my desire TO
/ unite them and bring them closer to all
the other states.
! NI,oN Of f0lrg M
| at Natchez, at Jackson last night and
now, 1 have that cordial reception that
makes me think they are willing to
come more than half way In the encour-
agement of that sentiment.
! "It is not that we want to make you
Republicans or that we want to be-
.come Democrats, we alt have our views
and our tastes in that regard, bat 1t
is that we shall bring you and that you
shall I come to believe that you are as
near to the heart OF the central govern
ment as now administered; as any otner
people in the union"
AT WEST POINT, MISS.
WEST POINT, Miss, Nov. 2.-The' train
bearing President Taft and party arriv-
ed here at II 05 o'clock today en- route
to Columbus. The president remained here
only few minutes and departed 10 min
utes behind his schedule time. He en-
Ijoyed refreshing sleep during the night
and this morning said he never felt, bet
ter In his life. He will arrive at Columbus
at II 80 o'clock for stay of three hours.
He will leave Columbus on the regular
Southern railway train at $3.50 p. m. for
Birmingham, and is scheduled to arrive In
the latter city at 7:45 p. m.
An immense crowd greeted the president
at West Point. School children, Confed-
crate veterans and state militia made up
large part of the assemblage. President
Taft, in an unusually happy vein, spoke
! from the rear of the Mayfower. He said
he was gratifed to see the large num-
Der of ladies present
''I am glad 1 came to Mississippi" said
the president, where hospitality is not
exceeded by any section of this great
country" e e
President Taft dwelt upon the returning
good fellowship Of all sections of the ma