Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-04-27
President Opens Largest Exhibi.
tion Of Work Of the Blind
Ever Held.
LED TO CHAIR BY SIGHTLESS
Reviews the Militia and Is Guest
at Dinner Of Hungarian Club
-Honored by Military
Order.

New YORK, April 26.-The plight OF
the sightless. the militia and the cali
Of the Hungarian Republican club
brought the President OF the United
States to New York tonight; invita-
tions from the Associated Press and
other organizations will keep him here
until midnight tomorrow.
Standing tonight on tho .Dxe Of
the Metropolitan opera house among q
group Of distinguished guests, includ-
ing Justice Hughes of the United
States Supreme Court. Governor DiA
and Mayor Gaynor, me President
touched a button vhich flashed light
opening what is said TO be the largest
exhibition Of the work of the blind
ever held The Presidents arrival had
been preceded by an organ prelude by
Miss Sophie Grabowski. a blind musl-
clan who occupies a front rank among
the organists OF America, although sha
never saw a note Of music.
Among the 5000 people at the meet
ing were hundreds Of the sightless
who were interested auditors.
The President occupied a chair, which
was made by a blind uphoisterer and 70
which a delegation Of blind people led him
when ne arrived
GORE PRAISES THE WORK
Before the President spoke Mr.. Choats
read a letter from Senator Gore, the blind
statesman Of Oklahoma regretting that he
was not able to attend and praIsins tho
work which the association FOR the blind
was doing.
The Presidents address was a warm
tribute to tho New York association for
the Blind and hearty appreciation Of
the work It is doing.
He closed with earnest praise OF the
Holt sisters who had the most to do with
founding the New York Association for
the Blind.
Miss Winifred Holt. secretary Of the
association, with whom President Taft
had dined earlier in the evening, read
,~tter from Helen Kellar, the foremost
blind woman in the world
Miss Holt said that the association had
come In contact with more than 1900
blind persons and had helped hundreds
of them TO useful occupations while many
had risen TO professional life.
At the exhibition Tonight a deznonstra-
,ion of athletics was given by the boys
from the Pennsylvania institution for tho
instruction OF the blind. President Taft
waited after his speech to see what the
boys could do.
VISITS TWO REGIMENTS
From the blind exhibit the President
went to the list regiment arusory. ". Y.
n c., where he reviewed the $50 men
mustered for the oonasion.
The sSth regiment also demanded MN
Taft's presence and he dropped In vooa
them at dinner at a hotel before pro.
ceeding to the Hungarian club dinner
1t was upon his spin downtown TO at.
tend this banquet that peopfe In the
streets first fully recognised Tho PVesf.
dent. and he was sa1uted by cheers al
along the line.
shortly after eleven O'Clock tho PSost-
dent reached tho Cafe Boulevard. whsrs
the dinner was held. and sat dDwn AA
once to dinner amid a deAfe1atng ovaSou.
As four speakers were scheduled 70 pre-.
cede him and none had begun their ads
dresses when he arrived Il appeared
that 1t would be early morning before
| the President spoke.
RECEIVES JEwELED BADGE.
An incident in connection with mo
Presidents visit was the presentation to
| him at a reception Of the Military Order
| OF Foreign wars OF jewsled badge
representing honorary membership In
the order, The President was guest Of
the order at a reception earlier in the
evening, at which he said he believed tho
honor had come to him In the capacity
of commander-in- chief OF the army and
| navy.
But | am inclined TO think" he said,
| that that president Is the best COM
| mander-n-chef Of the army and navy
who has the least to do with the moves
ment Of those forces and delegates that
to real naval or military men l am glad
| TO be Il member of this society and hope
| 7 may not disgrace it by anything
| do hereafter in favor OF peace or war"
| II was some time after one O'Clock be-
! fore the President spoke and he there
| fore made his remarks very brief. He
| raid a tribute TO the Hungarian people
ard recalled that his father was minis
| ter to Austria-Hungary from 1883 to 1855.
| The President closed his remarks by
| roposing a toast to Kaiser Franz josef
| which was drunk standing.