The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-11-10
TRAVELLING WITH TAFT
Especial Correspondence.l ]

| Especial Correspondence
1t is said that President Taft left
Beverly with only one speech prepared
out of the hundred or more he will
deliver on the "trip he is now making
His friends and his political enemies
alike have been watching with interest
the progress of his course. which Is
admittedly full of political significance.
The United States has had only one
president In recent years who could
trust himself without fear to extern
poraneous speaking. That was Benia-
min Harrison. the readiest otfhand
speaker who ever sat In the White
House and who could always be de-
pended upon to say the right thing ut
the right time. President Mckinley
rarely set forth on a mission as i'm
portant as that undertaken by Pres-
| dent Taft without first committing
some well chosen thoughts to writing.
Roosevelt. who was somewhat at home
in rough and tumble oratory, devoted
considerable time to preparing himself
for the ordeal of speechmaking before
| going out to educate the people on his
| policies.
Taft as a Speaker.
1t must be remembered that until
President Taft went to Washington as
a cabinet officer he had had little prac-
! tical experience us speaker before
American audiences. His crudities rs
a stump speaker were generally re-
marked when he made his first tour
| of Ohio in the last national campaign
AS the campaign progressed however
| the president improved as an extern
poraneous speaker. He was quick to
take advice from those who noticed
| his shortcomings as vote catcher, and
at the same time he was not without
| merit, his pleasing personality and the
courage with which he met and han
died dangerous campaign issues max
ing up in large measure for his lack
of actual practice.
In fact. actual astonishment was ex-
pressed by his friends at the clever
manner in which Mr. Taft handled
himself in ten minute extemporane-
Gus speech at the Chicago banquet at
which Mr.. Bryan also spoke. AS long
as Mr.. Taft spoke offhand it was the
general opinion of those who heard
him that he acquitted himself fully as
we'll as Mr. Bryan. When he con-
cluded his remarks by reading long
dissertations on how to conduct the
courts his auditors lost interest i'm
mediately. During his present trip. new
ertheless. Mr.. Taft has been almost
invariably happy in his talks, both
from local and national view.
President Visits His Sister.
After three whole days spent In the
Yosemite valley. far removed from the
turmoil of parade. handshaking and
public banquets. President Taft took
up the routine of his tour much re-
freshed. After three hours stop at
Fresno on Sunday. Oct. 10, the party
entrained for Los Angeles. which was
reached the following morning after
an all night ride. The president was
met at the station by committee of
the chamber Of commerce and escorted
to the home of his sister. Mrs. Will
liam A. Edwards. 2600 West Adams
street. where breakfast was served.
After two hours with his sister and
family the president was taken to
view san rc'ro. the great new harbor
of Los \n"elns. recently annexed to
the city. II" nls" inspected the gov
ernmept lrrnkwrrpr the outer harbor.
the inner harl"'r aud the proposed sites
for fC"iiii' ions determined uDOn by
the war lr'mrtmcni
Returning To Los Angeles. the pres
ident greeted the veterans Vt the Saw
telle Soldiers home. where an hour
was spent with the wOrnont warriors
Of the civil war.
The official reception was held at the
Arcade station and was followed hv n
parade through the business section
past the schools and through the resi-.
dence districts.
After four hours rest at his sisters |
home the president was the guest of |
honor at banquet given by the cham |
ber of commerce.
The next morning a special electric
car took the president from the home
Of Mrs. Edwards 10 Pasadena. the first
stop in a sightseeing tour. including
San Bernardino RedHeld. Cotton. Riv-
erside and GlenwOod.
In the Salt River Valley.
Turning his face homeward at last
on Oct. 13. the distinguished traveller
plunged into the territory of Arizona.
where on the following day he was
welcomed at Yuma by Governor r. +.
Sloan and score Of prominent Ari-
zonians. including most Of the higher
territorial officials. Phoenix was reach
ed about noon for stay of a couple of
hours, which was divided between
a limited reception at the capitol and
a swift automobile drive In the Salt
river valley around Phoenix. where the
greatest Of all the reclamation storage
projects now has assured an abun-