Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-20
KNOCKERS MAKE
TAFT A MEMBER
PRESIDENT-ELECT INITIATED
AT SIGHT
cIcINNATIANs HAvF< FUN WITH
NOVITIATE
Thoughts of Next Head of Nation Are
Read and Much Amusement Is
Furnished by "PhrenoI-
ogst"
rBy Associated Press,I

CINCINNATI, FeD. 1J.-ETSSluellC-
elect Taft was tonight made a Knock
er at Sight His initiation furnished
| entertainment for 100 prominent busi-
ness and professional men at the
! Knockers annual dinner.
| Fhe Cincinnati Knocker association
! is an auxiliary of it's Business Mems
club. It's particular business is to
knock everything which hinders the ad
| vancement of the city and to originals
and promote enterprises and undertake
ings for the city's welfare.
| 1t is unique in that it has no known
| origin, and no one knows who are it's
| members. 1t makes members of whom
it pleases and dismisses them at viii.
| The annual dinner of the Knockers
| club has become noted for it's enter
| tainment features.
! The president-elect was not allowed
| to make a speech, which was inter
! preted as a delicate compliment from
his townsmen, who were, in fact, say
| ing farewell to him as a private citi-
zen.
The tension on Mr.. Taft was made
even lighter than freedom from speak
| ing, as a skilfully made up double"
| represented him in the entertainment
/ features, occupying a conspicuous place
! at the raised table with "Uncle Sam"
and Miss Columbia
| Taft Receives Messages
| Fifteen Knockers were dressed to rep
resent fifteen foreign nations, and a
message to the president-elect came
| from each.
Emperor Williams wireless message
was to announce to Mr.. Taft a kiss for
each cheek and the hope that the senate
would not find it necessary to reduce
the presidential salary before the new
! president could get in.
Miss Columbia got one of the kisses
from the enthusiastic German ruler
An Irish cook, direct from the palace
Of King Edward, was Englands tri-
butte. but the cook at once began to
make terms"
Little Charlie" must not be boss Of
| the White House, and that Charlie
P" will not live with his brother was
assured her before she would remain.
Any one of his fifty-seven varieties
| of wives was offered Mr.. Taft by the
| representative of the sultan, but Uncle
| Sam would have none of this, reject
! ing the offer with the assertion that
lone wife is enough to keep man
poor"
With hands upon Mr.. Taft's Uranium
| Persia's representative told the as
| sembled Knockers of the thoughts
| passing through his brain, as follows:
He is just now congratulating him
| self that he was made a Mason at
sight and so is the goat.
To Abolish "Dee-Iighted"
HE is now trying to discover some
word to use instead Of 'dee-lighted.'
"He is wondering whether the invisi-
| bic knocker who bosses this bunch can
possibly be the ubiquitous senator from
Pennsylvania.
HE wishes he could find a caddy
who would not laugh when he makes
a drive.
HE is now recalling the days when
he played the Sleeping Beauty at
| Pixies opera house and was kissed by
the Prince Charming'-,it was his first
kiss-and then he acquired the habit
of displaying his pearly teeth in a
| serap aphic smile.
HE wonders whether a union cabin
etmaker ought to work over eight
hours day.
He wishes the cabinet would let
him write part of that message to
! congress.
He wonders whether, if the Fill
| pinos had been cannibals he would
| have penetrated their interior.
| ''He resolves in the tariff war to lead
the charge up to the very Cannon's
mouth
| The ceremony of declaring the guest
of honor a Knocker at sight, was con-
Quoted in total darkness, with rumb-
lings of thunder and flashes of light
ming.
The evolution of the Taft smile was
afterward depicted through moving
pictures in the assembly hall of the
club, through which the scenes of
notification day" were re-enacted.
| Vaudeville features followed until a
late hour
During the day Mr. Taft made an
| address before the chamber of COM
merce on the floor of the stock ex-
change.
Charles Nagel Of st. Louis, who is
| understood to be slated for secretary
of commerce and labor, in the Taft
cabinet, had a conference with Mr.
Taft today, but neither would talk for
publication of it's purport.
Mr.. Taft will leave tomorrow evening
for Philadelphia.