Norwich bulletin., 1911-12-21
PRESIDENT ADDRESSES
1900 AUTOMOBILlSTS
Tells Them He Opposes Tapping Gov
eminent for Good Roads.

New York, Dec. 2O.-President Taft
! Joined with 1900 members and guests
/ of the Automobile club of America at
/ their banquet in the Waldorf-Astoria
| tonight and for half an hour or more
/ talked to them in such genial ein
! that they were kept almost CONSTANTS y
/ either laughing or applauding. In one
| of his serious moments Mr.. Taft, talk
/ ing to men whose devotion to motoring
makes the good roads question of es-
pecial interest 10 them, took occasion
tC declare himself emphatically against
drawing upon the national treasury for
building great highways.
The president was introduced by
Henry Sanderson, president Of the club,
and was given a rousing reception, his
health being drunk standing, amid
cheers. lie began jovially by wonder
ing why he had been invited to the
dinner, because he had never belonged
to the carriage class" 1t was only
lately that he had even been tempo
Tarily affiliated with it, he said
The accident of Office and the gen
erosity Of a republican congress- re-
marked the president with a broad
smile, gives me for time the pleas
ure of travel by new method; but
there is no permanency of tenure in the
machine. Therefore, [ beg you to un-
derstand that I am here merely in a
temporary capacity as an automObil- -
ist." The president spoke of the value
Of the automobile as enhancing the
wealth of the country and as an aid
fy its rapidity of the development of
friendly relations between section and
section, and even between nation and
nation.
I have tried to help you" said the
Fl esident to his motoring audience by
getting the duty lowered into Canada.
once in q while" he added, I do some
thing that ought to make somebody
gratified."
Mir. Taft sketched rapidly the main
points in the development of the au-
tCmObiIe industry as he recalled them,
repeatedly referring TO the motor car
as that magnificent instrument Of
travel and comfort"
Raising objections to the proposal
that the federal government enter ex-
tensively into the road making busf-
ness, Mr.. Taft said there was no doubt
that the government had the power,
but, he added. Il venture to question
the wisdom of opening the national
treasury for money to use that way"
Even admitting there might be wis
dom in building federal roads, the diff
hcult problem of who was to ca FOR
them after they were built was bound
to arise. The state and the neighbour
hood acting as a unit were the proper
sources to look to for both the building
and the maintenance OF proper high
ways in his opinion Once started on
a scheme Of national road and water
ways development, he said there would
he no end 10 the expenses for what
would likely be d~-~anded by As
states. each one OF which would want
its share.
Chasing the proposal as "a danger
GUS experiment" he added: 4 would
suggest great delay and denberatiOn
before we open the national treasury to
such purpose"
From the prolonged applause which
greeted this statement it appeared that
the presidents audience was with him
in his opinion.
a distinguished party sat with the
pre- esident at the speakers table. Count
Won Bernstorff, the German ambassa-
dOr. who afterwards addressed the
banqueters. WAS one of the party. An
other speaker was Patrick Francis
Murphy OF New York. From the Auto
mobile club banquet President Taft
motored to the Hotel Astor to address
.he Young Repu bltcan club.