The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-04
President Taft Visits Cincin-
natl and Appears. Before a
Brilliant Throng at Opening
of Annual Music Festival.
FANFARE OF TRUMPETS
AND GREAT REJOICING
Chief Executive Could Not ES-
cape Politics in Ohio and
Held Conferences With Re-
publican Leaders of State.
HOPING FOR THE BEST

CINCINNATI, May 3.-President Taft
4 wound up day spent In renewing
old acquaint8nceS by appearing
before n brilliant thrOng at the opening
OF CincinnatPS annual May music fes-
tivai tonight, dedicatOr of n heroic
statue of the late Theodore Thomas,
first conductor OF the festivals, and
head of the Thomas orchestra of Chi
cagO.
Having respected the Presidents
wishes that he he treated a. n .-citisen
of CINCINNATI all day, the public took
full advantage of HIS appearance to-
night to acclaim him chief executive of
the nation. A fanfare of trumpets ush-
cred the President upon the stage, but
the notes of the instruments were
drowned by the applause of the thou
sands who had listened 10 Handlers
great choral work, Judas Msccabeus.'
A chorus of 500 voices backed by an
immense organ and the full Thomas or
cheStra, sounded 20 Liberty, Thou
Choicest Treasure. Seat of Virtue,
Source of Pleasure" and was augment
ed by 500 boys voices when the ire
mendous chorus See. the COnquering
Hero Comes was reached.
Mrs. Thomas and her two sons OccU-
pied a box at the concert and heard
the Presidents eulogy of the husband
and father. The statue of the dead mu-
stefan had been placed in the corridor
of the building. 1t was covered when
the audience entered, but the draperieS
were removed at the conclusion of the
Presidents speech, and the departing
audience had a chance to view it
After the concert. the President was
whirled to the queen City club, where
Lawrence Maxwell. former solicitor
general of the United States. and pres
ident of the May Festival association.
was his host until the presidential party
left for St Louis shortly before mid
night.
Some Politics.
Although his visit home" today was
largely of social character. President
Taft could not altogether avoid poll
tics Wade II. Ellis the new chairman
of the Ohio Republican executive com
mitJee. and Arthur I. VOryS. who served
as chief Of STAFF TO Mr. Taft dar--
ing part Of the presidential campaign,
boarded the train a Columbus early to-
day, and as soon as the President had
finished breakfast they sought an in
terview. A number of other men of
prominence in the party called on the
President during the day
President Taft read with keen inter
est the dispatches from Washington
dealing with the critical situation in
which the administration railroad bill
had been placed. He had earlier re-
ceived the news. he said. however, over
the telephone from Washington.
The President would make no COM
ment for publication regarding the at
titude OF the insurgents from the House
and Senate toward the measure.
Hoping for the Best.
Several times of late, TO those who
have talked with him, it has seemed
that the President was about to make
some statement regarding the situation
in Congress, but he has refrained. evil
IDENTIFY in the hope that matters would
right themselves Mr.. Taft is far from
having lost all hope, but it is believed
he is discouraged by the lack of sup
port from men who nOminally belong to
the party As the result seems to be a
lack of a working majority in either
branch of Congress, the chances for
the various administration measures
seem anything but bright.
The President explained today that
he was not sufficiently acquainted with
the latest details of the situation in
Washington to allow him to comment
on the railroad bill &
But the morning papers publish N
obituary of the bill" was suggested.
Many obituaries are prema ture," re-
torted the President.