Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-10-13
PRESIDENT TAFT'S TOUR
Enthusiastic Thousands Greet Him
y On His Western Trip.

-;r On Ills WeSGeIu LIP.
After making one Of the longest
jumps of his trip and travelling for
twenty-five hours through Oregon and
the northern half Of California. Pres
ident Taft arrived at Sacramento,
CAL, Monday night at 7:1O O'Clock.
The President was entertained at din
ner, was taken for an automobile ride
through the city and made an address
in the State Capitol grounds.
He selected for the principal
feature Of his speech theS conserva-
tion Of natural resources, in which he
declared anew that, before many Of
the Roosevelt policies Of conservation
can be carried into effect, confrma-
tory and enabling legislation must be
secured and he pledged himself to use
all his power to induce Congress to
pass the laws necessary.
AS he was crossing from thete Oak
land to San Francisco the army
transport Thomas was setting sail for
the Philippines and by the: Presi-
dents request the revenue cutter
Golden Gate, on which he was pas
senger, was drawn up alongside the
big vessel, the sides of which were
lines with soldiers and the families Of
officers.
On the bridge Of the transport. the
Philippine constabulary band was
drawn up and was playing, "Hail to
the Chicf' as the President shouted
across the water to khaki-clad sol
diers: @dJ
"Good-bye, boys; 1, Yish you a
pleasant voyage" ~
Answering cheers came back to the
President.
"Does it make you feel homesick,
MIR. President7" asked a member of
the President party.
Indeed, it does" replied Mr..
Taft, "and I would give anything if
were going with them.''
One of the most pathetic incidents
Of the Presidents trip marked his
stay in Berkley. He passed in re-
view of the pupils of an institution
for the deaf, dumb and blind. The
tribute Of flags waved with unseeing
eyes, of silent mods of the dumb, and
cheers from the blind deeply impress
ed the President.
An all-day stage ride over thirty
four miles of mountain road brought
President Taft Thursday night to this
little sierra retreat, eight miles from
the entrance to the Mariposa grove Of
big trees, whittier the Chief Executive
started at sunrise Friday.
News that mountain lions were in
Testing the park held out hope of ad-
venture for time, but not even the
tracks of one were seen on the road.
The President declared that Thursday
was one of the most enjoyable days
of his life. 1t was the first glimpse Of
the Yosemite and the impressive sur
roundings, the bracing mountain air,
the freedom from speech-making all
contributed to the pleasure of the first
day of roughing it in the Sierras.
His constant coadh companion was
John Muir, the noted naturalist and
explorer. "a q ~ :
He aiighted from the stage during q
portion of the trip and walked a mile
or more up the mountain road. 1t
gave him splendid appetite for the
picnic luncheon of fried chicken, pota-
foes, fruit and jelly served in the
Grouse creek pine forest.
The President arrived at Glacier
Point Friday evening. The drive from
Wawona, where he spent the. forenoon
visiting the Mariposa big tree groves,
was over twenty miles of mountain
road and the President was ready for
bed Immediately after dinner. He
arose before dawn and started for the
sequoia trees in dense fog, which
quickly cleared, however. He was
deeply impressed with the immense
trees, especially in the upper groves.
He was photographed at the base of
the "Grizzly Grant," the biggest and
oldest tree in the world; and he was
snapped in the stage as it passed
through the trunk Of the Wawona,
one of the largest Of the forest mon
archs.
The Presidents speech at Fresno,
Ca, Sunday was in reality another
Sunday sermon, the third he has
preached since his trip began.
His text, quoted from memory, was
"He Who Conquereth Himself is
Greater Than He Who Taketh a
City," and from it the President drew
the lesson that popular government
must always be a failure unless it is
based upon sound common sense and
the self-restraint that goes to make
the good loser. He drew an anology
between the American people in this
respect and those people who in their
attempts at self-government follow
an election with a revolution. NJ
On his way here President Taft at
tended morning service at the Presby-
terian church at Merced.
A feature of the Presidents visit
to Fresno was the presentation of
good will from the japanese residents.