The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-27
Citizens and Soldiers Gather to
Greet Nations Executive.
Ovation Begins in Early Norm
ing at the Depot.
OUTIN EARLY MORNING
Escorted BY TrOep of Cavalry
Goes to Country Club.
Has Breakfast With Prominent
Kansas Citizens.
DELEGATES FLAGSTAFF
Central Figure at the WASH
burn College Ceremony.
Lays Memorial Building Corner
DELEGATES FLAGSTAFF
Lays Memorial Building Corner
Stone and Delivers Address.

Standing upon a platform in front
of the south wing of the Kansas state
house in Topeka at IL o'clock this morn
ing, President Taft, with uncovered
head in the glare of a midsummer sun,
addressed the largest crowd he has had
since he left Washington on his west
ern trip. Nowhere in Michigan, Illi-
nOis or Missouri where he has spoken
have so many people listened to the
chief executive. The Topeka crowd
was estimated at 10000 people. The
newspaper men who have been with
the president since his special pulled
out of the Union depot at Washington
We're unanimous in declaring that the
Topeka crowd was larger than any that
has heard the president in any one
place Their estimates were from 40,-
COO to $4,000.
The cornerstone ceremonies at the
Memorial hall just across the street
from the state house were brief but
impressive. The president proceeded at
once to the stand in the state house
grounds and started his address of
the day as soon as Chaplain Crouch,
of the Leavenworth post, had made
short prayer.
Standing bareheaded in the hot sun,
the president, in spite of this handicap,
made a most impressive speech, dwell
ing in the main upon the great events
of the civil war, of which he declared
Kansas was the chief issue"
The president had read Kansas his
tory closely while preparing for his
western tour. He spoke often to friends
on his car during the trip how inter
esting the narrative had been, ana
how much more the Union men IN
Kansas had to contend with than did
their brethren in New England Kan
sas is a soldier state he said, IN his
state house grounds address this morn
fr7u right
this audience of old soldiers in partlcu-
lar. who know about war and its nor
rOrs. their cooperation and support IN
the effort to make arbitration treateS
with the world and between the ma
fiOns of the world The crowd cheered
these sentiments of the president per-
haps more heartily than any other por-
tion of his speech
Welcome Is Cordial.
Topeka's welcome to President Tart
this morning was as fine as any he re-
ceived on his western trip Ihe
president said so himself as he sat at
breakfast at the Country club. Be
sides the civic display and the crowds
of Deople that lined the streets. there
was the a ded pomp of the military to
round out the occasion This IS old
soldier day in Topeka and the gray
headed, stoop shouldered men OF 81
mingled with he smart militiamen
and artillerymen of the national guard,
The day dawned bright and fair and
q cool wind made the weather ideal
In the early morning hours w Whlle
the president had come here to lay
the cornerstone at the Memor build
ing to the soldiers and sailors of the
Civil war; yet the flag raising at Wash
burn college early in the morning was
distinct feature of the day. When
b B. Smythe pulled the halyards that
raised the stars and Stripes up against
the blue of the early morning, and
the band played the Star Spangled
Banner every mans hat came off in
voluntarily and every man shouted at
the TOP of his voice. 1t was fine
sight and it felt good to be there with
the nations chief and see the nations
emblem float out wings of the KAN
sas wind
The ceremonies at the flag raising
were as brief as they were inspiring
The president had hurried away from
his breakfast at the Country club to
dedicate the flag and he hurried away
from the college to ride in the parade
of the old and young soldiers of his
Then he laid the cornerstone at the
Memorial building and crossed the
street over into the state house
grounds to make the address of the
he was busy every minute. The strain
of making twenty speeches in the open
air since Sunday had told on the
presidents voice and he could not talk
so we'll this morning as he did in
southern Kansas Monday
Every arrangement for getting the
president around to fill his many en-
gagements in the city went through
smoothly and on time. The crowds at
every stopping place We're immense,
but the guardsmen and the police kept
clear space for the presidential par
Y and an entrance and exit had been
planned in advance.
Goes to Country Club at Z.
Leaving his car at o'clock. the pres
ident was driven in an auto direct to
the Country club. Breakfast was serv-
ed as soon as the party was seated.
The dining room was handsomely dec
GRATED and a quartette sang during
the meal. Three ex-governors of Kan
sas sat at the presidential table, Gov
sernor Samuel J. Crawford Governor w
J. Bailey and Governor z. W Hoch.
Ex-senator Long was there. and Gov
ernor Stubs and Senators Bristow and
Curtis.
While it was true that the throngs on
the streets Of Topeka were quiet as the
Presidents car moved along at the head
of the big parade, yet it must be re-
membered that this is not campaign
year. The idea was to give the presi- /
~~~lA grand welcome and show him