Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-09-21
PRESIDENT TALKS
TWICE AT $500"
Favors Power Development on
st. Mary's River.
INSPECTS GREAT CANAL LOCKS
Being Almost in Canada and an Elec-
ton Close at Hand, He Abso-
IuteIy Refuses to Talk
on Reciprocity.
INSPECTS GREAT CANAL LOCKS

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Sept. 20
When Governor Chase Osborn of
Michigan arose at the luncheon given
President Taft and thanked the people
of Sault Ste. Marie for their applause.
he said:
II accept this kindly demonstration
as an indication of your approval of
my friendship for and my support of
the great president of the United
States"
This city gave Mr. Taft warm re-
cepton First they took him for trip
around the city and the school chill
dren welcomed him to town in mass
meeting on the lake front Then Mr.
Taft was taken to lunch with some
hundred prominent citizens of the
town. In his address at the luncheon,
the first delivered here, he confined
himself to the purely local subject Of
water power. This is the greatest To-
cal issue in the 500. They attempted
a great waterworks here some years
ago ard most of the principal citizens
of the town invested money in the
project. 1t failed and since then the
500 has been looking for water devel-
opment. Mr.. Taft told them that it
they would send a committee down
to Washington he would see that the
war department would take the ques-
ton up and attempt to reach a final
settlement which would permit a use
of the water Of St. Mary's river,
which is now going to waste, but
which if utilized would be sufficient to
boost Sault Ste. Marie to a city Of at
least 100000 people. No discussion of
political issues could have. brought Mr..
Taft into the hearts of the people of
the 500 as rapidly and certainly as
this offer did. They applauded him at
every mention of the subject and his
reception grew noticeably warmer
after he had entered into this question
They tried again to have Mr. Taft
talk about reciprocity. He came with
in an inch of doing so, despite his
statements at Syracuse and Detroit
that he would not mention this ques-
ton until it was settled in Canada. He
said:
. "You have Fort Brady and you have
a battalion of troops there. Do you
think that battalion IS there for the
purpose of resisting attacks on your
Canadian border? Major Cloman and
his men are doughty warriors. | know,
but if that were the purpose we
should attempt to build forts and put
an army here worthy of the name. On
the contrary that 1000 miles of border
has now no forts We have no battle
ships. There is nothing there to mark
the difference between the two cOun-
tries save some custom houses and
some natural boundaries. Now that
presents an example that might we'll
commend itself to all countries and
all nations,
81 am not going to talk about reel
procity because we have decided on
our side that 'BarFis is willing, and
on the other side the crestion is SUB
iudice, and | have sufficient sense of
propriety to say nothing on the sub
iect, but merely to say that | am in a
state of prayer and hope"
After luncheon he president was
driven about the canal locks. through
which more tonnage passes than
through the Sue2 canal. The president
than reviewed the troops at Fort
Brady He left for Marquette, Mich,
at 5:25 p. m.