The Detroit times., 1910-06-04
PRESIDENT MAKES
STRONG PLEA FOR
CONSERVATION
In Address at Board Of Commerce
Banquet Taft Outlines Administra-
ton Policy-Given Enthusiastic
Welcome by Bumper Crowd.
Urges Necessity for Legislation En-
larging Executives Authority in
Preservation of Public Domain.

For the NTH time In the history OF
Detroit, a president OF the United
States has been the guest OF the city.
William Howard Taft arrived In the
city at z o'clock Friday evening and
left for Monroe at s o'clock Saturday
morning. Andrew Johnson, Ruther-
ford b. Hayes, Grover Cleveland and
Theodore Roosevelt are the other
presidents who have visited this city
during their terms Of office.
AS the principal speaker at the
Board OF Commerce banquet In Light
Guard armory, President Taft made
one OF the most important addresses
Of his administration. He outlined
with more detail than ever before the
policy OF his administration with re-
gard to the conservation OF the nat
ural resources appertaining to 700,-
100000 acres of public domain with
the United States proper and 100000
900 acres of public lands in Alaska.
Conservation, with the issues that
have grown out OF that main issue,
has been one of the questions inVolv-
ing the administration in most COM
plications. After the Detroit speech
OF Friday evening, there can be no
doubt as TO President Taft's stand.
He demands that congress pass leg
islation ratifying the executive action
in reserving from settlement as agrt-
cultural lands such portions OF the
public domain as contain oil, coal and
phosphate deposits and water power
sites. That done, the national gov.
eminent may have time to move con-
servatively toward plan by which
these lands may be developed rather
than exploited by private capital. and
with regard for the public interest In
these tracts.
The city's welcome to the chief
executive OF the nation was cordial
one throughout The arrangements
for his comfort and entertainment
were well nigh perfect. From the
Michigan Central station, where he
arrived, to the Light Guard armory,
where he addressed the Board of Com
merce, the streets were lined with
crowds who applauded the presiden-
tlal encourage as IL passed. In the
srmory were gathered 900 OF Detroita
most prominent business and profess
sional men at the banquet tables.
while the gallery was given up to the
ladies.
NOHGE GdEHCu TTCoioCbs
Abner E. Larned, president OF the
Board Of Commerce, presided In a way
that pleased. His remarks were brief
and pointed. Mayor Breitmeyer was
called on to make the first welcoming
address and brought out a ripple Of
laughter by admitting that his own
election was due largely to the popu-
larity of Taft. Gov Warner delivered
The next welcoming address and read
a mass Of statistics tending to show
the increasing industrial prosperity or
Detroit and Michigan since 1895, when
President Taft was United States
Judge for the circuit including this
state.
These statistics the president took
as a challenge to discuss the tariff
question.
r. "T positively refuse" he said, smil-
ingly.
Senator ]. C. Burrows made q for
NAL address on the decline OF the
American merchant marine, Senator
william Alden Smith delivered one
OF his happy talks on things In gen.
cral, and Congressman DENLY dis
cussed national issues and defended the
administration policies. ]. L. Hudson,
I'm behalf or the Board or Commerce,
invited President Taft to press the
electric button which will open the
Detroit Industrial exposition. This
invitation was accepted cordially. The
hutton pressing. however, will be done
In Washington.
Throughout the occasion was a most
happy one. President Taft was in a
iovial frame Of mind and began his
address with number OF humorous
references, comparing his size with
that OF Congressman DENLY, and re-
cMling, with laugh, his own efforts,
1s years ago, to settle Detroit's street
railway problem.
Before the speech-making began,
the president chatted with Abner K.
I.arned, Gov. Warner. Congressman
DENLY and others within speaking dis
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