The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-11-02
PRESIDENTS
last SPEECH
AT GRAFTON Q \
TAYLOR COUNTIES HEAR THE
FINAL ADDRESS MADE ON THE
GRAND CONTINENTAL SWING.
.TAET- talks. III. .MINUEIEs
GIVES A. BRIEF REVIEW OF THE
CONSERVATION PLAN AS! Y He
sssS UNDERSTANDS 1T. sF.5

p n { " 2 49, e .. D.
GRAFTON, w. Va, Nov 2-Presi-
dent Taft was greeted here, this aft:
ernoon by monster delegation OF
citizens and school children, the lat.
ter bearing flags. The special train
stopped here ten minutes, during
which the president addressed the
people from the rear platform OF the
train. Leaving the railroad yards, the
president lost his gray cap while
waving tito the railroad men in the
yards. The cap was picked up by an
Italian laborer and given to the sta.
tion master here, who will preserve
tit. President Taft said:
nj first wish to thank you for doing
me the honor to come! here and give
me this warm reception. This Is the
last speech that l shall make In a
tour OF forty-seyen days OF speech
making and you may congratulate
yourselves that inasmuch It Is my
last one, 1T will be quite short.
commenced this trip. on the invitation
of the state OF Kansas to attend the
semi-centennial Of that common.
wealth's foundation. Then ! was in.
yited TO turn the first spade for the
San Francisco exposition, which Is to
commemorate the completion Of the
great Panama canal. After accepting
that invitation. ] was accorded invita-.
tions by. practically all OF the mem,
bers of the house and the senate, to
come and see what remarkable states
and districts had sent them ito Wash,
lington TO represeh [t,iaina AS 4 would
much rather accept cordial invita-,
ton than decline. I was led into many
more contracts Of. the same nature
| am very glad T took this trip, though
/ did not take 1t for any definite pur.
pose, but 1t has given me. a great
deal OF information and instruction as
to the general attitude which theJpeo.
pie in the different parts OF the coun.
try take upon the great questions and
issues affecting them locally and yet
having federal aspect.
Conservation.
For instance the subject Of con,
servation. The conservation OF our
natural and national resources Is
something we are strongly in favor Of
now as applied TO the country west Of
the Missouri river. We have used up
all our natural and national resources
In the east and have transferred them
to private ownership and We are a
little anxious for the moral action Of
those west OF the Missouri river, and
very anxious that they shall not make
the same mistake as we did. We are
anxious that they retain ultimate con.
troll of their coal, timber. phosphate
rock and water power for all time to
come, but such n control as will in.
vite private Investment.
Eve think that is all right, but all
the western people, do not agree with
us. They say these are our re.
sources and we are next to them. You
have developed your country and we
want the same opportunity and the
save privacy ] have to answer that
by saying, we know better now what
we ought to have done. and We want
to help YOU to avoid placing your.
selves in our position and they re.
ply that the east does not have the
right to lay down moral law for
somebody else to abide By. which is
very easily done, but not pleasing TO
the other fellow"