The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-24
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PRESIDENT TAfT
GREETS PEOPLE
Makes Off Hand Speech
at Lunche on o n
Panama Canal.
VISITS FAMOUS
BA'ITLEF'IE IELDf
Kept on the Go All Day and
Joins Crowds in Watching
Garros Fly Over Richmond.
Heard by Thousands in
Educational Address at
City Auditorium.

That the Panama Canal is taking
definite shape and making rapid pro-
gress to successful completion, was tho
message delivered to the American
people by President William Howard
Taft at a luncheon rendered him by
citizens OF Richmond at the Jefferson
Hotel yesterday. The President, whos
has just returned from an inspection
tour of the canal work, his fifth visit
to the isthmus declared that long be-
fore 1915 it Will be possible to put
battleships through the great cut. and
that by that date the greatest en-
gineering undertaking OF the age will
have been triumphantly completed by
American genius and industry and
means and the isthmus cut by canal
capable of carrying any vessel now
constructed or projected.
spends Busy Day.
President Taft spent a busy day III
Richmond yesterday. He was the
guest of Governor Mann at breakfast
at the Executive Mansion. saw Avta-
tor Garros circle the Washington
Monument in a whirrlng monoplane,
was escorted through Franklin Street
and Monument Avenue In a parade be-
tween cheering lines of people: review
ed the Virginia Polytechnic Institute
cadets from the plaza in front of the
Jefferson Davis Monument. motored to
Yellow Tavern and other surrounding
battlehelds, spoke TO the colored stu
dents of the Virginia Union University,
was the guest of honor at formal
luncheon at the Jefferson Hotel, and
later made an address before an audi
ence of 5000 people in the City Audi
torium, his remarks being mainly d.
rected to the me!noers of the Virginia
educational Conference in support OF
primary and industrial education.
The breakfast at the Executive Nam
sion was social affair greatly enjoy
ed by limited company. It was just
as the guests were coming down the
steps that the cheering crowd called
attention to the ctrcling monop1ane far
above the equestrian figure of Wash
ington. around which Garros circIed.
while the President bareheaded waved
his hand at the hardy birdman. who,
after dipping slightly. continued his
overcity flight towards Church Hill,
the throbbing of his motors being
plainly heard In Libby Hill Park. white
In tall Office buildings down town work
was suspended while all Richmond
rushed to the windows to watch the
alrman go sailing by as steadily and
as evenly as an eagle.
Z
Along the route of the parade. up
Grace to Fifth, thence out Franklin
ana Monument Avenue to Davis Monu-
ment.- President Taft divided the hon
ors with the cadets from Blacksburs.
whose military appearance and SOL
dierly bearing was generally commend
ed. Under command of Major Dashei,
the battalion was divided SO as to en-
close and entirely guard the Presi-
~ or h,
clear by squardons OF bicycle ana
mounted police.
In the Presidents car In the parade
were President Taft, Secretary Norton.
Colonel w. Gordon McCabe and Cover
nor William Hodges Mann. with Secret
Service Agent James Sloan In front
of the Presidents care was pilot car.
with Chief Of Police Werner Business
Manager Dabney, of the Chamber Of
Commerce and Sergeant-at- Arms Rus
kell, of the City Council lust behind
was car containing Captain Wright.
In charge of the secret service force, E
and Special Agents Murphy, Griffin
and Wheeler In the cars following
We're other of the Governors break
fast guests and members of the recep-
tion committee.
The Presidents car slowed down in
passing the j. u. B, Stuart the Rob-
ert p, Lee and the Jefferson Davis
monuments. at each of which Presi-
dent TAFT raised his hat in reverence.
After reviewing the cadet corps in
front of the Davis monument. the
President held an informal levee on
the grass plot in front of the monu-
ment to President Jefferson Davis, a
number of newspaper men being pre-
sented. With The II he discussed in
formally conditions in Panama, tell
Ing graphically of the wonderful pro-
gress made since his former visits
TO the canal zone.
Speaks TO Negro Students.
He was joined at this point by
Professor Thomas Raynesford Louns-H
bury, emeritus professor of English
at Yale University. whom he greeted
warmly. Returning With his partyto
the waiting motor cars the President
was driven TO the Union Virginia
University. a colored educational in-
stitution. whose granite buildings
stand on the Brook Turnpike, just
outside of the city. Here the GAYS
drew up between rows Of colored
students of the university, and OF
Hartshorn Memorial College Tor col
ored girls. President George Rice
Hovey welcomed the President. and
rising In his motor car, he addressed
the assembled colored students brietlY
in support of industrial and primary
education and the necessity of care
ful training OF negro ministers as
leaders OF tho RAGS. He was briefly
introduced by Go@ernor Mann. who
rode with him, President Taft said:
Need Trained leadership.
~ am glad to see you here and to
know something OF yonr work
understand that the purposes OF this
school are 10th as a preparatory
school and as theological institu~
tlon, 1t appeals TO me that 1 cannot