Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-16
THREE STATES GIVE
GREETINGS TOTAFT
CANAL REMARKS OF PRESIDENT
ELECT ARE DELIVERED AT
VARIOUS POINTS WITH UN-
USUAL AGGRESSIVENESS.

BIRMINGHAM. Ala. Feb. l2-Talking
through Louisiana. Mississippi and Ala
bama. just like campaign days. the presi-
aent-eiect had today the qualification
which ne evidently enjoyed Of being hear
THY received by large and enthusiastic
crowds who ala not vote for him. He took
numerous occasions to make his apprecia-
ton plain. at the same time leaving
touch OF irony behind in the form of a
reminder that his pre-campaIgn predic-
tons had surely come true and not only
ala the south seem willing 20 accept him
as their president. but his greatest de-
sire was 10 be the president OF every
man. woman and child IN the nation
Goes After Canal Critics
There was one other burden on the Taft
mind today-a desire to show his utter
contempt for what he termed the baseless
and hurtful criticisms OF the work be-
inR done on the Panama canal.
The geniaIity OF the Tan smile may
Be seen IN this sentence which went home
70 the people OF Harrisburg. Mss;
Il am delighted 70 look into your faces;
dalixhted 70 say to you that / am your
president and you cannot help IT. and
Il ever an opportunity comes again to
show. Il will crafty me to come down
here TO Hattieburg. named after, 1
doubt not. . beautiful woman. and say
70 the people OF Hattiesburg. come up
to Washington and we viii give you, the
right hand OF fellowship. and viii show
you that you own Just as much OF the
white house and have as much right TO
can on the president and indeed on the
woman who occupies IL and runs it-as
anybody"
The canal remarks OF Mr.. Taft, were
delivered with unusual manifestations OF
aggressiveness.
VIII Build Canal
The Panama canal is going to be
built" he declared. land what I want
you TO do. and what I want every Ameri-
Fan citizen to do. is to stand by the men
who are building it CVoices: We viii do
ID Don't set fire in the rear; don't
distrust the men that are giving UP their
strength and energy and enterprise TO put
hat great work through. When you have
agents who are doing your work. you
stand behind them II you don't, you
cannot get your work done The men
who do your work are entitled to your
help and condolences and you ought not
70 allow yourselves to be led astray by
buncombe speeches on the floor OF the
house Of representatives. or by head
lines in sensational newspapers, and go
back on the men that are doing you~
work.
II don't care whether you are Demo-
crats OF Republicans. you want the work
done. and when the army engineers who
are doing this work are giving all their
time 10 the carrying out OF this work.
F0u are not men TO 60 back on them, or
10 believe every idle story that comes
from the mouth of some politician. who
3 seeking to make himself prominent, or
% give himself the advertisement OF a
little. unfouRded sensational statement.
Work Done Honestly
.-That work IL being done honestly. I
know what / am talking about II will
BE- buflt and all the wind opposition that
enmes merely from a desire to exalt and
exploit the man who makes himself re-
sponsible won't obstruct ID.
7 know what the people OF the United
States want in that regard. and in so far
as have power. as the executive Of this
country, I am going to push that work.
and ! am going to stand behind the men
who are doing it And now, gentlemen,
you have gotten me into more heat than
I expected. but thank you very much
for your welcome"
y There was a cordial leave-taking at
New Orleans this morning when the
Taft party departed. Slidell. La. turned
out the first crowd TO greet the president
elect and from that time on he was almost
constantly on the rear platform of the
train. expressing his pleasure at the
crowds and talking to the people Of their
government
Gets Many Presentations
Mrs. Taft took part in the demonstra-
-
raj tributes, bOnbOns and two live Bill
~ 'Possums'' constituted the presenta-
tons OF the day. The 'possums were al
lowed TO escaue from their wooden crate
and take 10 the woods at nightfaIl
Picayune. Poularville. Lumberton PtIr-
Wis, HattieSburg, Ellisville, Laurel. Me
ridian and Tuscaloosa were treated to
The appearance OF the president-elect.
The two big demonstrations OF the day
were at Hattiesburg and Meridian, while
at Birmingham tonight there was a ire
mendous crowd which expressed its great
enthusiasm al the short talk Mr.. Taft
was able to make in the limited time at
his disposal
Mr.. and AIRS. Taft will reach Cincin-
nati tomorrow morning and viii go direct
to the c. P. Taft residence
Speaks at Birmingham
While the echoes from the report OF
guns we're reverberating In and around
about the terminal station. the Alabama
Great Southern came to q stop at 3
s'clock tonight and William Howard Taft
stepped into view There was a most
sordial applause from the 1890 people who
ead gathered in a rain to see and hear
he distinguished citizen. Mr.. Taft bow
II to the right and left and then faced
about. repeating the bows After his in
reduction Mr.. Taft spoke for a very few
minutes.
Il am heartily delighted to be in Biz
ningham- city OF which I have otter.
neard and which I have always had a
aesire to visit am exceedingly CRATE
III over this greeting I hare found