The Colorado statesman., 1911-10-07


ideal Colorado day in Denver from the
moment of his arrival at the Union
depot at $3.50 in the morning until his
departure at midnight for Wyoming.
His day in town included break
fast with the Yale Club at the Country
Club, where he spoke briefly; visit
and a speech to the students of the
University of Denver; an extempora-
neous but very important speech to
the Public Lands Congress, and 10000
people in the Auditorium; luncheon
at the home of Crawford Hill, where
he met the leaders in society; visit
to the Baseball Park, where he pre-
sented a loving cup to Jimmy McGill,
the owner, and an automobile to Jack
Hendricks, manager, on behalt OF rams
of Denver; visit to the Denver Press
Club and a brief speech; an automo-
bile tour to City Park, Congress Park
and the Capitol Hill residence district
on his way to Littleton, where he
made a brief speech; to Fort Logan,
where he informally and socially met
the officers, and, abandoning the pro-
posed trip to the foothills, to the
Brown hotel, where he met the Re
publican leaders of the city, and at
night a banquet in El Jebel temple, at
tended by 600, after which he left for
the union depot to board his train for
Cheyenne and the Pacific Coast.
At no time was there an enthusi-
astic ovation given to Taft, with the
exception of that at the Auditorium,
for the reason that he was so rushed
there was no time for demonstra-
tion. The arrangements were such
that there was no opportunity for an
outburst of popular enthusiasm, espe-
cially because there was no parade.
"You have rendered your verdict,
but / disagree with you!"
Very frankly, and Enthusiastically,
President William Howard Taft took
issue in his Auditorium speech with
the resolutions of the Public Lands
Convention.
There was no attempt at evasion
of the question which means so much
to the West.
Before $4,000 enthusiastic people who
crowded the big building the Presi-
dent took up the challenge of the Pub
lie Lands Convention, almost before
the ink had dried upon the paper
whereon was printed the resolutions
indorsing state control of natural re-
sources.
1t was kind and fatherly rebuke
that the President administered,
typical Taft rebuke, but at the same
time is was without doubt spank
Ing
u am President of the whole coun-
try and what l am trying to do is to
get you together-it is not talk, and
it is not abuse, and it is not muck
raking, and it is not anything but get
ting on, that counts" said the Presi-
dent, with the smile that takes away
any sting there may be in his words,
and the audience broke out into cheers
and applause. Much of the conserva-
tion talk has been hysterical, the word
has been used as fetish, but still 1t
is wise on the whole" This is the
tenor of the Presidents position.
Extreme democracy marked the en-
tire Auditorium program. There were
no theatrical effects to touch the
drama-loving hearts of untrammeled
Western people.
There were no bands to stir the
blood of a patriotic citizenship. There
were no military professions, nor
"pomp and power" no imperialistic
tendencies
Plain "Bill" Taft entered the
Champa street door of the Auditori-
um accompanied by his secretary and
a few secret service operatives. He
walked down the aisle to the platform
like an ordinary American citizen
called upon to make an address.
The great crowd that massed the
lower floor of the hall, filled the bal
comics with color and clung to the
walls, sent up wild cheer as the
well-known ponderous figure in black
appeared. The cheering continued as
the President mounted the platform
and greeted those congregated there
to do him honor, and when he ascend
ed the rostrum people rose from their
seats and waved handkerchiefs and
hats at the head of the nation.
When President Taft spoke he did
so with that lucid consecutive well
poised style that unfailingly stamps
man of long judicial training. The
words simple, the sentences clear and
the manner of delivery fitted his
words with tailor-made precision.