The Detroit times., 1910-06-04
PRESIDENT MAKES
STRONG PLEA F0R
CONSERVATION
In Address at Board Of Commerce.
Banquet Taft Outlines Administers
tion Policy--Giyen Enthusiasts
Welcome BY. Buml,er Crowd.
Urges Necessity for Liquidation En-
larging Executives Authority IN
Preservation Of Public Domain. 4

For the fifth time In the history Of
Detroit. president Of the United
States has been the guest OF the city,
William Howard Taft arrived In the
city at o'clock Friday evening and
left for Monroe at O'clock Saturday
morning. Andrew Johnson, Ruther-i
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 REL
gard to the conservation OF the nat
ural resources appertaining TO 700,-
100000 acres of public domain with
the United States proper and 800, 000s-
600 acres OF public lands IN Alaska.
Conservation, with the issues thar
have grown out of that main issue,
has been one OF the questions invOlv-
ing the administration I'm most COM
plications. After the Detroit speech
OF Friday evening. there can be no
doubt as 10 President Taft's stand.
He demands that congress pass leg
islation ratifying the executive action
In reserving from settlement as agri-
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 O 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 a cordial
one throughout. The arrangements
for his comfort and entertainments
were well nigh perfect From the
Michigan Central station, where he
arrived, to the Light Guard arm0ry,
where he addressed the Board of Com
lnerce. the streets were lined with
crowds who applauded the presiden-
tial encourage as 1t passed. In the
armory were gathered 900 Of Detroit,a
most prominent business and profes.
sional men at the banquet tables.
while the gallery was given up to the
ladies.
| Abner {. Larned Presides.
Abner E. Larned, president of the
Board Of Commerce, presided In 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 pcpu-
larity OF Taft. Gov. Warner delivered
the next welcoming address and read
mass Of statistics tending to show
the increasing industrial prosperity OF
Detroit and Michigan since 1896, when
President Taft was a United States
Judge for the circuit including this
state.
These statistics the president took
as challenge to discuss the tariff
question.
81 positively refuse" he said, smil-
ingly.
Senator ]. c. Burrows made 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.
eral, and Congressman DENLY dis
cussed national issues and defended the
administration policies, J. l. Hudson.
in behalf Of the Board of Commerce,
invited President Taft to press the
electric button which will open the
Detroit Industrial exposition. THIS
invitation was accepted cordially. The
button pressing, however, will be done
in Washington.
Throughout the occasion was most
HAPPY one. President Taft was In
jovial frame of mind and began his
address with number OF humorous
references, comparing his size with
that OF Congressman DENLY, and re-
calling. with a laugh, his own efforts,
l18 years ago, to settle Detroit's street
railway problem. v
Before the speech-making began.
the president chatted with Abner f.
I.arned, Gov. Warner, Congressman
DENLY and others within speaking dis
/ y