Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-09-22
sae sssssssass ssssSs TAFT DEFENDS
 =..lz+5.si1 IIS |fIOtS Rt ' THOUSANDS WHO HEARD HIS SPEECHES IN MltIiIGtN DID NOT RESPOND.
o HE SPOKE IN THE RAIN
Sa!S He Awaits His Eariii Boards Re port Defeat of Reciprocal,
 Made Him Sad.
Battle Creek, Michigan. Sept. 2t.

Battle Creek, Michigan, Sept. 21.=
 President Taft tried his defense Of his
 Tariff Reform vetoes upon crowd in
 Grand Rapids today and found il nn-
 responsive. II Was the initial speech
 of many that he will deliver on this
 l3,0o0 mile trip through the West in
 which the three Tariff tetoas Will be
 1htashed out. T4e president had pre-
 pared the speech in advance and had
 allowed il 10 be known that he regard
 ed il as embodyiH2 his complete req
 sons for turning down measures look
 ing towards tbc Tariff revision to
 which Mr. Taft committed l #ziuself in
 his 1908 campaign, Even though Nlcf igan appears 10 swing in it's sym 9athy towards the president, for Mich
 igan is an old line Republican state, the thfons that heard the president to- day, as he essayed to explain his req sons foF his Hetoes, appeared Hot to be deeply impressed
 The president, it is true. had 10 talk ill a d1izzlins rain and He crowd .ound no way to keep from getting wei. But the rain did hot keep tI}4e throns from staying until the prcsi= dent had uttered his 1asf words. IL wanted to hear aIl he had to saY and what il thought Of Mr. Tafts exposI lien of defense the audience kept s itself
 No cheer inte fupted the president when Ae told the threng that he did not propose allowing the Tariff 10 be distributed until his Tarif Board had time 10 make it's report as to exactly what measure of protection ought to be fixed. The crowd remained impas- si1e= when the president criticised the Democrats and Insurgent Republicans in Congress, who passed the three Tariff measures. His assertion that they were inspired by political mo- dNes the crowd heard in silence.
 EXpressions of keen disappointment We're heard after the president had fin lshed because of his avoidance of the Payne-Aldlich Ia if bill. which he so defended after it's passage two years ago and which has been roundly condemned the county over as l miserable failure.
 The president offered no suggestion IS to any measures to take the place )f the Wool, Farmers. Free List Bill and the Cotton Bill, which he killed. All he told the crowd was that he in- ended to wait for the Taiff's Boards 'eport, which is coming along during ne winter, before making up his mind concerning definite remedial egislation.
 am not here to apologize for my etoes,' insisted the president to the ; hrong of 7,500 that stood in the rain ( n Campau Square. Later on he re- f marked affably he intended making a recommendation for Tariff reduction f fter his Board has arrived at it's con- lusions.
 You may condemn me then, if am , 'rong, he went on gravely "If | , how you that am right, though, l i ope that you will support me-" :"
 The president took United States | enators Smith and Townsend, of q lichigan, with him on the visit to , rand Rapids and they did what they ould to convince the crowds that NJ. aft had worked for the public veal nd is entitled to another term. Tae z resident stopped off at Battle Creek II his way to Kalamazoo for his , fight speech , A crowd of 25,0O0, the largest the | resident has talked to on his trip. !, as massed in square in front of the f .ation. The demonstration deeply npressed the president He talked to le crowd on Reciprocity.