New-York tribune., 1911-10-02
TAFT MAKES FRIENDS
IN "ENEMYS COUNTRY"
Trip Through ''InSurgent" Coun-
try Certain to Benefit the
President and Party.
DELAYED BY CL0U0BURST
Special Train Reaches Omaha
Twelve Hours Late, Owing
to Washouts-Repairs
Quickly Made.

From q staff Correspondent ~ The Tribune.
Omaha. oct. president Taft is d
good sailor. and the Missouri Pacific
Railway has learned TO run trains as
we'll on the waters as on the rails; other
wise President Taft would not have
reached Omaha tonight. a cloudburst
i'm this section Of the Missouri Valley
washed out the tracks Of every road be-
tween Kansas City and Omaha, and de-
larcd the Taft special twelve hours
Even then this point could not have been
reached had not the repair work on the
Missouri Pacific been done with eXtraor-
dinary expedition, and as it was there
were times when the heavy special ran
over rails Inundated by a raging tor
rent
And through it all the President was
perfectly philosophical He even sug-
gested that there were economic features
to the DELAY. Possibly he was thinking
Of the gastrononic economy effected for
the gallant Major Butts. but he already
succumbed 10 three banquets a day and
thc President escaped two which had
been prepared for him at the Omaha
Club.
Talks About Floods and Crops.
From time to time during the day
groups OF waterlogged denizens of the
Missouri Valley gathered about the rear
end OF the train and the President went
ont and chatted with them. He did not
make speeches. but talked 10 them about
floods and crops. and they told him Of
their sons in the army and the govern
mcut service and of some who are help
ing 20 build the Panama Canal. on
every side were evidences of the havoc
caused by the food. Hay stacks and
corn shocks barely protruded from above
the rushing waters. Hundreds of men
worked with spade and shovel alongside
the tracks trying TO repair the damage
done by the inundation. and carpenters
worked in frantic energy rebuilding dam
aged bridges and trestles. and all day
"A heavily overcast sky threatened rain
and destruction of property.
More than eight thousand persons
gathered in the Omaha Auditorium to
hear the President this afternoon, it
having been impossible 10 spread the
news that the Presidents train was de-
layed by floods. Governor Aldrich and
Senators Brown and Hitchcock addressed
the meeting, but the audience was
greatly disappointed because the Presi-
dent could not appear. 1t was, more
over. so uncertain whether the Presi-
dents special could get through this
evening that it was deemed inadvisable
10 announce an evening meeting. The
President reached Omaha at I p. m,
lust twelve hours late. He was met by
"A reception committee, who escorted him
and mis- party to the Omaha club, where
he dined quietly as their guest and
spent the evening.
The President had finished his trip
through the insurgent states Of Kansas
and Iowa and the faction rent state Of
Illinois. and in the light Of his expert
cnce it is interesting TO look back to the
dire predictions made by his enemies
and q few Of his more timorous friends
when the plans for Mr.. Taft's tour were
announced. The proposed trip was FOR
instance. pronounced by Democratic
paper to be an open invasion of the
enemy's country which can only result
in widening the breach between himself
and the insurgents" and it was further
,redicted that the President would be
.or,nelled 10 defend his own course
.,rbicb would necessarily mean criticism
- the insurgent Senator'S, While they
h, t,rn will be driven TO fresh reprisals
=, solf-defence" one pro-insurgent pa
na, declared that the President might
,,.ar make coalition between the Demo-
Gratis and the Progressive Republicans
Nothing could more clearly
rrore the danger Of prediction than
these editorial expressions. In each in
stance they have been shown to be un-
founded.
Has Made Many Friends
President Taft has invaded the enemy
countrv. and the result has been two