The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-10-10
TAFT IN FAR NORTHWEST
THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO GET
UP To BELLTNGHAM.
Washington Displays Monster spuds.
Eight Inch Apples and Peers as BIG
as Cantaioupes- President Regrets
the Reciprocity Defeat In Canada.


EVERETT, Wash. Oct. 9.-President Taft's
visit to Bellingham to-day extended his
travels to the fourth corner OF the coun-
try. He has now visited San Diego on
the extreme southwest. Florida on the
southeast, Eastport, Me. in the northeast.
and his trip to-day carried him within
thirty miles of British Columbia. in the
northwest. He commented upon this to
his Bellingham audience. Said he:
They have saying in law in the proper
construction OF a written instrument that
before you can reach the right conclusion
about 1t you have got to take 1t up 10y its
four corners. and | feel that having come
to Bellilgham is the last corner of the
country. understand its scope and
enormous developments.
Mr.. Taft is the first President to have
visited Bellingham and the extreme
northwest section Of the country and they
took advantage Of his one day visit to i'm
press upon him the great possibilities Of
the country. At breakfast In Bellingham
they placed before him apples that meas
ured eight inches through: potatoes
any one Of which must have made n meal
for a family of five. and pears that put
cantaloupe to blush.
You have a wonderful State said the
President. Its increase in population
in the last ten years 40 per cent; increase
in farm values nearly 500 per cent. from
500. .OOO, 900 to over $500. .Oo0. 200 in value
that ought TO satisfy even the ambition of
citizen Of Washington"
~ The President enjoyed the ride along
the border Of Puget Sound. Though the
sun was ont il rained about every half
hour during the drive. There was light
sprinkle while the President addressed
an outdoor audience of several thousand
people. but the folks of Bellingham think
nothing of rain. The President was in
clined to be considerate Of his audience
because Of the rain. but it was explained
20 him that he could hardly hit an audi
! ence for an hour there without seeing at
| least one shower and the idea Of shorten
! ing his address for such an every day
event as rain would not be listened to.
| He spoke 10 the crowd Of his intention
| to make the administration of the Interior
Department more businesslike and told
them OF the Panama Canal. in which the
people are vitality Interested. As they look
! to the cheaper water route through the
Isthmus as a great aid to their business
! The President had originally had in mind
an address on reciprocity for Bellingham
il being his intention to come close to
, the Canadian border to speak on that
topic. He admitted in his speech that he
had thought Of speaking on reciprocity
under very different circumstances. He
said
There is one topic that had intended
! to discuss with you, but our near neigh
bors across the border settled that a week
or more ago and seemed to make il past
history. But think you Will agree with
| me that in 40 doing they made n mist AXE.
and that had that treaty gone through
it would have been greatly beneficial to
both countries.
Now ! think We know little more
~ this side then they do on theirs because
we are an Older country. and after some
years of experience II is possible that
| they will come TO take the right view;
but whether that be 80 or not il they
rapidly as they might have grown they
cannot say it is our fault.
, you, my fellow citizens. are as much
interested as any body Of men in the
whole 10000 900 in the completion Of the
| Panama Canal. for while il serves the
great purpose Of developing the efficiency
! Of our navy the real benefit that is TO
come in greater measure than in any
other way is the connection between
the west coast Of the United States and
| the cas-; coast of the United States. be-
! tween the west coast Of the United States
and Europe II does not make any
difference what the policy is with respect
, TO the Panama Canal as to its tolls OF
mana cement You can be very certain
that the people of the United States will
not be sat isfied until the arrangements
which are made for the use Of the cana
shall make it possible for you profitably
to send what you have here of value &c
the east coast through that canal AZ rates
that will make your business profitab.f e
and will give 10 the East a supply that viii
be profitable TO them
The Presidents trip to-day took hin
down the east side of Puget Sound from
Bellingham to Seattle through the town'
of Mount Vernon, Everett and Burlington