The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-28
ALL STRUNG OUT.
Taft FlOtilla Scattered From
Helena to Vicksburg.
It's Every Boat for Herself From
This Time On.
AHEAD, YET BEHIND,
The Others Can't Keep Up With
the Oleander.
News From Message i'm Bottle
Thrown Overheard.

Oleander in a bottle: President Taft on
board the steamer OIeander passed here
this morning shortly after IL o'clock and
expects to reach Vicksburg ABOUT 81
O'Clock this evening, six hours behind
the schedule. The program in Vicks-
burg will undoubtedly be cut down
simply to the banquet
The waterways fleet WHICH started out
SO proudly from ST. Louis is stretched
along the river, orders having been is
sued last night in leaving Helena, Ark,
that every vessel should proceed under
her own speed and maintain any posi-
ton in the lire she was able to hold.
The Oleander. being able to outrun
any of the boats in the fleet, has forged
Ear ahead and it is probable that most
lof the steamers will make direct for
New Orleans cutting out the stops in
the hope that they may arrive at New
Orleans with the president some time
on Sunday.
President Taft took Governor Noel of
Mississippi and Governor Sanders of
Louisiana on beard the Oleander last
night before cutting away from the rest
OF the fleet in oroer to keep his engage
ments at the down river cities.
The president last night was enter
tained at dinner or board the steamer
Quincy by the senators and representa-
tives composing the congressional dele
cation to the waterways convention. He
and Speaker Cannon again expressed
tfeir views on waterway improvement.
Cannon Favors "Pay as You Co..
The speaker is not yet converted to
the presidents idea of issuing bonds to
carry approved projects to completion,
and decided last night ne would never
vote for any improvement project which
did not call for a continuing contract,
the work to be paid for from year to
year as the speaker has declared that
although bonds have been authorized,
the work on the Panama canal up to
this time has been paid for out of cur
rent funds in the treasury.
president Taft believes that when
a waterway improvement has been
determined upon after careful inquiry
and investigation as to its necessity
and its feasibility, that bonds should
be issued for the estimated cost, in
order that it may be carried through
to completion at the earliest moment.
In the past river and harbor i'm
provement has been largely controlled
by political exigencies, a big appro-
priation being made at one session of
congress and none at all at the next
session, just before election time.
Speaker Cannon said he favored |
bonds when necessary in war or in
peace to keep the public faith, but if
congress voted to satisfy every de- |
mand for bonds for highways, for re- |
the drainage of swamp lands and for |
forest preservation, there soon would /
be another debt equal to that of the |
civil war, now nearly wiped on
Will Quit Some Day.
But 1 am going out of congress |
some day." said the speaker.
mo! Mo-" shouted a number of his |
colleagues of the house, I'VE don't be- |
lieve it,
.'Oh! yes I am,'' he replied land |
when L do there will be plenty left |
for you boys and there will be lots of |
business going on at the old place.
In his speech the president said |
among other things:
81 sincerely believe that we, all of |
us, if we do not go to the bottom, will |
We shall all know when we get |
through the trip exactly how Uncle |
Joe stands with reference to this |
business of opening the river, even if |
we have to consult few more re-
marks from ST. Paul. But I don't |
think it makes very much difference |
what each individual thinks with ref |
erence to the improvement of the |
Mississippi river; I mean the details |
of that improvement. / believe the |
fact that this expedition has been en-
tered upon has set the public atten- i
ton so on this subject that congress
must take some action and from the |
fact that congress must act it seems |
Gray Eagle Breaks Down.
Little Rock, Ark, Oct. 2s.-A special |
to the Gazette from Helena. Ark says: |
Because of a breakdown in the engine |
room OF the steamer Gray Eagle, one of
the fleet of boats accompanying President |
Taft to New Orleans. and the attending |
danger of the steamer catching fire, the |
boat was run aground ten miles north |
of Helena last night to disembark its
distinguished passengers in safety. The |
breakdown followed the dropping of the |
CRATES in the fire room.
The passengers, including the gov
ernorS of several states and other prom !
inent men, boarded other boats of the |
fleet and the voyage continued, reach |
ing Helena as the presidents steamer |
Oleander was departing.
Among those on board the Gray |
Eagle were:
Governor Donaghey of Arkansas,
Governor Shallenberger of Nebra ska, |
Governor Prouty of Vermont, Senator !
Gore of Oklahoma. Senator Warner and |
members of the Missouri river delega- !,
tion-''
Taft Schedule Shattered
Helena. Ark. Oct 2s.-President |
Taft's river schedule has gone to pieces |
owing to the inability of the vessels fol-
lowing his flagship, the Oleander, to !
maintain the designated speed. The
president tried to remain with the fleet |
as far as possible and delayed his ar
rival in Memphis three hours in order |
that the boats carrying the twenty-six /
governors and the III congressman. as |
well as other vessels carrying delegates |
to the waterways convention in New
Orleans might land at the same time |
Leaving Memphis an hour and half /
late the Oleander had to press forward /
at top speed in order to reach here at |
Continued on Page Eighty