The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-24
TAFT ADDRESSES
VIRGINIA TEACHERS
President Also Visits AVia-
tors at Fair Grounds.
TELLS OF CANAL PROGRESS
Auditorium Filled when Chief
Executive of Nation Appears.
Praises Wonderful Growth of the
south and Progress In Education.
Reasons for Building Lock Canal.

Richmond, Va. Nov. 2s-President Taft
had a strenuous day In Richmond and
left for Washington at SIS o'clock. He
begun the day by brealxfasting on bar
becued rabbit with Gov. Mann at the
executive mansion. He was escorted from
hts hotel by a local committee and the
cadet corps of the Virginia Polytechnic
Institute
After the breakfast. at which about
twenty-five prominent citizens Of Rich
mond sat. Mr. Taft went to the Jeffer-
son Davis Monument. in the shadow OF
which he reviewed a parade OF cadets
from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
His next flight was in an automobile
10 the battlefield OF Seven Pines, stop
ping en- route 10 make a brief address
TO some colored students. At O'Clock
luncheon was given I'm his honor by
go OF the business men OF Richmond, at
which ex-GOv. Montague was toastmas-
ter, The President remained at the
luncheon until 4 O'Clock.
Goes TO Aviation Grounds.
The energetic local committee, headed
by the Presidents friend. Deacon"
Hemphill. of the Richmond Times-D
patch, had planned a visit to the aviation
meet al the state Fair Grounds and 10 A
| football game between a team from the
Coast Artillery at Fort Monroe and the
| Virginia Militia. The President consent-
ed 10 ride through the park where the
aviation meet was being held. but cut
out the football game
His final appearance was at the city
auditorium at 4 o'clock this afternoon,
where he addressed an audience that
| filled the hall. the seating capacity OF
which is about 1900 The occasion was
/ the meeting OF the Virginia Educational
| conference. and the President here made
the principal address OF the day. Prsi-
| dent Taft spoke in part as follows:
81 am always glad 10 stop IN Rich
/ mond. II Is a city that reflects the
wonderful material growth OF the South
and at the same time awakens in the
mind OF the visitor at every street corner
| and in every public square an intense
/ interest by its historical associations. At
| every turn there comes the local assOcia-
/ ton with Washington. Jefferson. Patrick
/ Henry. Marshall. and Madison and other
/ great participants in the natal struggle
| OF the republic. as well as of Jefferson
Davis. Robert +. Lee. 'Stonewalr Jack
/ son. and the other great leaders Of the
| Southern Confederacy.
| Closely following this thought comes
| the feeling Of gratitude to God that we
are now a united nation. with the bitter
! prejudices Of the past dispelled. and able.
ali OF Us. 10 accord the proper need OF
praise 10 the American heroes OF the
past. whether their deeds were per-
I formed and their services rendered in
those early days when all Americans
| joined in a single cause. or whether they
/ loOmed large as leaders on either side in
those sad four years when brothers were
! engaged against brothers in an interne-
| cine strife"
Canal Progress Pleasing.
Speaking Of the Panama Canal. the
President said:
Now il is near completion, / am de
lighted 20 say that II you were TO go
| through the experience that my party
and / have gone through the four days
We were on the isthmus. you would
not need an answer or assurance from
me. II does not require the Imagination
| OF an engineer TO see that the canal is
/ there and is being put through, and that
| 1t viii be a great canal.
I'VE are engaged in taking out Of the
| Culebra cut an average of 10000 yards
per montn, we are taxing ouN VI inc
| other parts Of the canal enough to make
that average about $4,000 cubic yards
| If it were excavation only, we would not
have so much difficulty. because II would
| then be completed about January l, 1919
| but there are those great lock structures
| for instance. at Gatun. which are nearly
| a mile long and go feet wide, with wall
on the outside 40 feet in width and a
wall in the middle of 90 feet in width.
Il think generally the people OF the
United States favored a sea-level canal.