Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-22
CINCINNATI GIVES
WELCOME TO TAFT
President Visits Ohio Valley Ex-
position and Speaks of the
Waterway Improvement
DAY FREE FROM POLITICS
Nations Executive Declares That
Days of the Pork Barrel
Should Be Numbered
DAY FREE FROM POLITICS
Associated Pressl


Associated Pressl
CINCINNATI, Sept. 21.-President
Taft had a thoroughly enjoyable time
today among his "home folks" of Gin
cinnati He visited the Ohio Valley ex-
position, made an adress in Music hall
on waterways improvements, took an
automobile ride during the afternoon,
dined at the Business Mems club this
evening, and later attended perform
ance of the opera "Paoletta," composed
by a local musician and rendered
largely by local talent.
CHEERS GREET PRESIDENT
Everywhere he, went Mr.. Taft was
greeted with cheers. The immense
audience in Music hall gave the presi-
dent a remarkable demonstration when
he appeared on the platform. The
cheering was renewed with increased
vigor when Mr. Taft announced that
after his tenure had expired in Wash
tngton he proposed to return to Gin
cinnati and spend the rest of his life
in this city.
The presidents day was free from
politics. He did not comment in any
way on the New York primaries nor
would he say anything regarding Col.
Roosevelt's statement to the effect that
he had not sought the conference at
New Haven.
Mr.. Taft did not initiate the confer
ence, and he apparently is indifferent
as to whether 1t was arranged by Col.
Roosevelt or Lloyd c. Griscom, who
has been acting for Col Roosevelt in
the New York fight. Tomorrow, how
ever, President Taft is to receive a
number of Ohio state leaders.
In his speech today, regarding the
Ohio river dam in this city, the pres
ident announced so far as his admin
istration is concerned the pork bar
ref' method of making appropriations
for river and harbor work is at an end
He declared he would veto any bill in
the future that appropriated money
merely for the benefit of its local ex-
penditure.
PORK BARREL DAYS OVER
As to the pork barrel the presi-
dent said:
1.-THE days of the pork barrel should
be numbered. The country is reused
against corporate or corrupt control Of
legislative agencies, but it is doubtful
whether the constituencies are yet
able to preserve the higher obligations
on the part of themselves and their
representatives not to use their votes
in common to appropriate to the part
that which belongs to the whole.
I'm signing the last river and harbor
bill, which had many of the charac-
teristics of previous bills, l indicated
to congress that the prospect of an
other bill of that character would merit
a Veto."
President Taft in his speech said in
part:
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT
"Since I left this, my old home, more
than ten years ago, l have been able to
revisit it only a few times, and then
not for more than a day or two at a
time. I welcome my opportunity to
meet old friends and to renew old as
sociations, for here, after my official
duties are discharged at Washington, 1
expect to return and spend the rest
of my life.
In ten years great changes can come
over q community. The one that
strikes me most is the fact that l have
to recognize the most active men and
women of the community today, not by
recollecting their own faces, but by
their resemblance to their fathers and
Mothers
President Taft here referred to the
development of the city on esthetic and
material lines, and continued:
To-day you are celebrating the open
ing of another great Improvement,
which must have much to do with the
business growth of the city 1 mean
the improvement of the Ohio river
from Pittsburg to Cairo. 1t is to this
improvement that l shall direct my re-
marks this afternoon.
OHIO RIVER TRAFFIC
1.-THE Ohio river drains an area of
100000 square miles, and in that area
is population of 12,0O0000. AT the head
of the river is the greatest iron manu-
featuring center in the world, and in
its immediate vicinity is one of the
greatest coal producing territories.
Along the river from it's source to it's
mouth are the seats of various manu-
featuring industries, and the country
tributary to the river produces various
kinds of agricultural products. Not
only do the products differ between one
end of the river and the other, so as to
suggest profit in extremes, but the
river empties into the Mississippi, and
is brought into water communication
with the south, where the products are
so distinctly different from those of
the north and are so much in demand
for consumption there as to lead to the
rational expectation that If the navi-
CATION of the two rivers were made
practical and more economical than
railroad communication, there would be
a much greater trade than now exists.
The plan to improve the Ohio river in
its character looks especially to the
of this upstream trade.
LOCKS ON THE OHIO
There are now in the Ohio some
twelve or thirteen dams, with corre-
spending locks. The official plan rec
commended by the army engineers pro-
vides for fifty-four new locks and dams,
whichwill make the upstream naviga-
ton in ordinary height of water some-
thing like nine feet from Pittsburg to
Cairo, and will preserve for the twelve
months of the year constant depth of
nine feet. But If it were known that
every month OF the year the advantages
of low rates Of river transportation
could be had, we may reasonably ex-
pect a very much larger investment OF
capital In steamboats,, tug boats and
barges, and very much greater regu-
larity in the schedules for running them
than now obtain.
I'm a most instructive report, the
United States waterways commission
headed by Senator Burton, has pointed
out the difficulties that are inherent in
river transportation in this country,
and have shown with great clearnesS
the advantages that railroad transpor-
tation has over river transportation for
constant business use. The chief diff
Guilty is the cost of terminal or transfer
charges, wherever the destination Of
the freight requires the use of both
river and railroad.
"In their Investigations abroad the
found that a great deal OF
unonau and time had beOn spent i'm per-