The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-05
SAYS TAFT HAS GAINED.
Congressman Kennedy Pleased With
Reception In Iowa.

Congressman Kennedy Pleased With
Reception In Iowa.
Burlington Hawk-Eye Congress-
man c. A. Kennedy, of the First Iowa
district, was in Burlington yesterday
afternoon on his way home from a
tour through Iowa with President
Taft. He expressed great satisfaction
with the result of the Presidents visit
to the state.
"Unquestionably,'' said Mr.. Ken
nedy. President, Taft has gained very
materially by his tour through the
state. The reports that the enthusiasm
of his receptions was not genuine are
in my mind unwarranted by the facts.
l was with the presidential party
throughout the trip and mingled with
the crowds that greeted the President,
and found surprisingly little private
opinion among Republicans in any
way antagonistic to Taft On the con-
trary the enthusiasm which was In
evidence everywhere was genuine l
talked with progressive Republicans
who would have no object whatever
in trying to deceive anyone by a pri-
vate personal expression of opinion. l
was grained to have them tell me
that they were for Taft, and that they
had been very favorably impressed by
his speeches. One well-known pro-
gressive in particular, who stated that
he had been very much inclined to
criticise the President for vetoing the
tariff bills said that after he had heard
the Presidents explanation of the
vetoes he had been convinced that he
had done the right thing.
The crowds that greeted the Presi-
dent We're something remarkable.
Acres of humanity would best de-
scribe the audiences which surrounded
the Presidents speaking stand at
some places. At Abba the county fair
was in progress and the largest crowd
ever known in that part Of the state
assembled to listen to Taft. The Pres
ident's back platform speeches were
in splendid vein, and all produced
an excellent impression on the large
crowds.
The reception at Des Moines was
a remarkable demonstration of the
way in which Taft has grown in the
past few years. The auditorium
seating fully eight thousand people
was packed and the reception to the
President in the face of the well
known opposition to him centering in
the capital city, was an evidence that
Taft has grown very popular since
he last visited the state.
"The Presidents first tour Of Iowa,
enthusiastic as it was, was a fiat
failure compared with the present one
Then Taft was new at the touring
business. and was in wretched voice.
This time he Is in splendid voice, and
he has by experience gained a per-
sonal magnetism over his crowds
which draws them to him and makes
those who formerly looked upon him
as an unsympathetic man, feel that
he Is a friend and great leader whom
they can safely follow.
Taft was fortunate, I believe, in
the defeat of the reciprocity measure.
He was honestly sincere in his belief
that the agreement would hurt no
one, but thousands Of rock-ribbed old
Republican farmers all through the
west We're up in arms against that
treaty, and are now very glad to have
1t removed from any position between
them and the man whom they other
wise respect and admire. believe
the defeat of reciprocity has removed
/ the only bar that existed between tns
western farming classes and the
President, and that now they are
solid for him"
Congressman Kennedy expressed
doubt as to the ability of the coming
congress to frame any tariff legisla
ton. 1.-THE Democrats will ignore the
recommendations of the tariff board
and will formulate a regular Demo
cratic tariff bill which will come very
near to free trade. The Republicans
will stand by the President in his
recommendation based on the repor,
of the tariff commission. There vii
be dead lock and nothing doing, and
that in my opinion, will throw the
tariff issue into the coming campaign
AS matter of fact the coming ma
! tional presidential struggle will have
! to be fought out on tariff lines, the
Republicans standing by the protec
tive principles and the Democrats
favoring revenue only policy. fee
sure, however. that Taft will be re
nominated without trouble, and thai
he will gain 80 much among the PEG
pie between now and election day {
year hence that he will carry thu
country by large popular plurality.
Only Thistle Down.
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