The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13

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Florence. Nov. s.-Today was a
great and glorious day for Florence.
A visit by the president OF the United
States and q convention of represen-
tative citixens of the Dee Pee. with
plans deeply rooted for a greater
commercial development. made the
occasion one to be long remembered.
The significance Of the convention Is
the enthusiasm over the construction
Of tho link of railway that connects
the coal fields Of the mountains with
the port Of Charleston and through It
with foreign lands. But In the ferver
Of the moment II Is not forgot that
there 10 work ahead. and what the
men Of the Pee Dee are laboring to-
gether TO do IL to make all the ad-
vontases Of the section of more bene-
At TO the State.
A genuine Southern welcome was
given President Taft at Florence. AL
though he arrived In the city after
nightfail. Thousands were at the sta
ton to meet him. and as the party
moved up the principal streets of the
city the chief executive was roundly
cheered.
In his speech delivered from q spe-
ctally constructed stand on the Sec
ond floor Of the school building, the
presidsnt pictured the union Of the
sections and construed the cordial
welcome he received here and at other
points In the South as an indication
Of forgetfulness of the bitter days of
the War Between the States.
President Taft was In especially
good humor. and he made stirring
little speech tonight.
He said: Ladies' and Gentlemen:
am delighted to be here tonight,
and am overcome by the cordiality
OF your welcome. 1t is. as Senator
Smith said. that In no place In South
Carolina or elsewhere have I had
more reason to congratulate myself
on the cordial reception than the one
! have received here tonight In Flor
ence. Just exactly why It Is I am
not going to analyze. but Senator
smith whispered to me that there is
something In connection with the
price OF cotton that makes your
voices bit louder. your smiles wider
and your contentment little greater.
! Understand that you are not entire
ly dependent upon cotton, and I am
glad that II is SO. because sometimes,
even within the recollection OF some
OF your youngest population. there
have been cotton slumps. and IL you
have other products upon which you
can depend. you are not subject to
that up and down movement that so
often comes In a cyclone so entirely
dependent upon one product.
Now. my friends. 1 am nearing the
end OF long Journey. 1t Is Jour-
ney that understood was only to visit
Seattle. which represents the growth
OF our Alaska dependency and our
trade upon the Pacific coast, but
when II was announced that I was
TO take that trip I found my friends
90 hospitable that II enlarged, en-
larged. until have criss-crossed the
country and travelled $4,000 miles. I
knew something about the people Of
the United States before 1 started,
but 1 know a great deal more about
them now than I did then. They
have not been dependent altogether
upon Is cents cotton. Up In the
northwestern country they think they
have something In the way of apples,
In the way Of peaches. and In the way
OF fruit. than which they say there is
none better In the world. And so Il
II. as you go into each State and en-
ter each territory. the people of each
particular place think they have. II I
may say so and use a colloquial ex-
preston which all Of you understand
In "a cinch" on their future prosperity.
All they ask Is that they shall have
an equal opportunity with the rest of
the country. and then they are sure
they will be In the lead.
"Now. my friends. We are apt to get
enthusiastic over Is cent cotton, and
the growth OF cities and States, and
all other Industrial progress. but
hope that In doing so you will not
forget the responsibilities OF our ma
tional growth. We have been prosper
Gus before. We were exceedingly pros
porous In 1907. We were very pros
porous for six or eight years before
that. but there came time when