New-York tribune., 1911-10-22
PRESIDENT TAFT LIFTS
BRICK Of REAL GOLD
Handles II with Utmost Ease,
Although 1t Weighs
120 Pounds.
DOWN IN HOMESTAKE MINE
Gets a Small Gold Brick Himself,
and Says He Will Veto
"Popgun" Tariff
Rilie

Pauid city, \ d. OCI Zl-fTeslueI'I
Taft lifted and handled a gold brick
weighing 100 pounds with all the ease
,..ifb which an ordinary man would
handle a twenty pound dumbbell was
gold bricked" himself in Deadwood, de-
soended loo feet below the level Of the
earth in the Homestake gold mine. at
lead. and Incidentally warned the Demo-
Gratis that II would be futile for them TO
rass any popgun tariff bills. as he would
veto every tariff bill passed in advance
Of Investigation by and a report from the
Tariff Board On the industry affected.
These are some Of the high lights Of
one Of the most strenuous days the Pres
ident has rut in on this remarkably
strenuous trip. Moreover. the President
subjected himself % conditions which
would have staggered a less 1T man.
F. The change from Long Beach, where only
last Tuesday morning men and women
disported themselves on the beach in
bathing suits and the orange and lemon
trees were heavy with fruit. 70 the bleak
and storm swept city of Butte, where
The temperature was little above zero,
seemed likely 20 establish a record.
But to-day the President after climb
ing $50 feet 70 the top Of the chute in
the Homestake mine. permitted himself
tc he lowered 70 the 11OO-foot level and
walked three quarters Of mile IN a
temperature approximating 100 degrees.
-, -
make the three-mile automobile run TO
his train al Deadwood through falling
snow and in temperature well below
freezin.
Lifts Geld Insot with Ease.
on his arrival at Lead the President
was shown through the Assay Office.
where he witnessed the casting Of an
irgot Of gold worth SOS, 900 From the
furnace room he was taken into the
Office and there was asked to "heft' one
Of three ingots weighing 120 pounds
each. No one who knew the weight Of
e. the great bricks supposed the President
would be able to lift one. and there was
arazcment and applause when he liftel
one with mo- apparent effort and without
even stopping 70 get his back under il.
Senator Gamble made the attempt, but
succeeded only in raising one end Of the
ingot from the table. an6 others could
not lift the great weight without bend
Ing low and bringing their back muscles
into play. although the President had
lifted it entirely from the shoulder
Gee he must be an an-round ath-
lete." exclaimed a husky workman who
saw the feat; he gets my vote all right,
all right
There was some suspicion in many
minds that the President would sidestep
the descent into the mine when con-
f-7ntcd by the ahvss into which the cars
were lowered and the speed with which
th.r travelled. and the fact that he was
behind his schedule would have made an
excellent excuse. but Mr.. Taft was
game. and. armed with a miners lamp
and attended by the quaking but ever
faithful Butt. he stepped into the car
and was dropped straight down LOO
feet I'm far less time than II takes 10
t.U n And when he reached that level
he r~4uped about showing the greatest
interest i'm every phase Of the operation
of the mine. shaking hands with such
miners as he found on duty and learn
!az more than is told in the encyclo-
-psrdias about gold mining in this. the
deepest gold mine IN the world.
President in the Mine.
one of the drifts followed by the
President led 70 an enormous cavelike
onerinr. where most Of the ore is now
Icing taken out The dome Of the cave
was fully fifteen feet high. Miners sta
toned A. different levels in the enormous
cut burned calcium paper to illuminate
the cavern.
"Hcw are you. Bm?" yelled one Of
The miners from far above.
PRETTY good" laughed the President
chow are YOU away up there?'
Fine. old boy. glad 70 see YOU
Away below the surface the President
passed completely under the city and
issued from another shaft on the oppo-
site side. There were many in the party
who were relieved when they saw him
emerge IN safety into the snowstorm on
The surface. but. every precaution had
been taken by the mine owners. who
had disrn 'ssed All - their force Of 27"
miners save those required 70 operate
the cars and exhibit the drilling ma
chimes. in order that nothing might hap
pen % jccpardize the life Of the Presi-
dent
VIII Veto Popeur Tariff Bills.
Speaking from the steps Of the court
house in Desdwood the President took
occasion 20 announce his determination
o. veto an tariff bills presented for MS
approval before he had a report from the
Tariff Board on the industries affected
Having explained his vetoes Of the sew
eral bills passed AT the lasr session the
President went on 20 show that as a pro
tecton.sr he must have assurance tnat
any proposed bin would retain n suffl-
cient measure Of protection to equal the
difference between cost of production
here and abroad. and Yet would not eN-
ceed that amount Such conditions
could bc procured he declared, only oy
an Investigation 10y a non-partisan board
such as he has created. Reports on the
WOO. cotton and metal schedules the
President expects al the coming session.
and a readjustment Of the duties In these
Schedules IN accordance with the eK-
p'cted reports probably will constitute