Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-09-10
PRESIDENT TAFT IN SPEECH At
TT. GRIsWoLD SPEAKS q
HIS MIND.
CRITICIsEs TEDDY.
No Individual Should Allow His Per-
sonaI Ambition to Lead Him to
Override Others, Said the
President.


within the grass-grown ramparts of
old Fort Griswold, on Croton heights,
president Taft yesterday told the dele
gates to the Atlantic Deeper Water
ways convention that no individual
should allow his own selfish interests
or his personal ambition to lead him
to climb into power over some one
else,
we should not forget our true re-
iatiOn to our fellow men," he said.
stNor the obligations we owe to those
who, a. individuals make up the
body polite"
The president had been telling the
story Of the defense of Fort Griswold
131 years ago and of the courage OF
those farmers who had defended the
wallis against the British under Bene-
dict Arnold. He had spoken Of Ar
mold. saying that no one who had
studied the brilliant parts of the man
and his ambitions, could help feeling
regretful that love Of self, self-absorp-
ton and ambition for power had led
him into that path which made him
the greatest traitor Of all times
Turning from the lessons Of his
tory the president took up the mat
ter Of deeper waterways, a movement
which he favored and especially the
proposed system of inner canals along
the Seaboard. He said that the Ohio
river project will be worth all the
money It's costs. OF the Panama canal
he saw nothing which suggests delay
in sending our battleships through IT
q year hence.
No Violation Of Treaty. !
The president said: II signed the
Panama canal bill, as you know. II
YOU were to read some of the stric-
lures on that act of mine you would
think that the executive and congress
went around looking for chance to
violate a treaty, and then violated
treaty Just for the fun Of it. On the
matter whether there has been any
violation Of treaty rights think It fair
to examine the question: up one side
and down the other and hear arsu.
ments on each side before calling
names, or even before siding against
ones own country.
President Taft came ashore with
Mrs. Taft and several members Of his
party who had come over from New
YORK on tho MAyflower. Mr.. Hilles,
MI. Sheldon, Of the national repub.
!1ican committee, and Charles 2. Tar,
The presidents brother, did not come
ashore. In answer to question az to
whether there had been a political con.
ference on board President TAFT said
What he had no statement to make.
et,ti Suffers With Lame Ankle.
The president, with his angle bound
up, used cane In walking from the
boat landing 10 an automobile. little
later At a reception in the hotel, at
which nearly thousand persons
shook hands, the president was seated
An order to favor his ankle. While he
spoke at Fort Griswold he supported
himself with q cane.
From the fort the presidential party
was driven to the Griswold dock and
then boarded the Mayflower, when
weighed anchor shortly before o
O'Clock and sailed for Beverly. The
couyention was practically brought to
IA close with the address OF President
Tan. -.
A. short evening session was held TO
wind up matters which were not dis
poeed Of. The gathering at the forV
had been arranged by the association
and the delegates were taken by water !
and land to the spot and were massed
within the ramparts. Rain fell at the
hour set for the address but the skies
later cleared. Three companies OF ar
gtillerymen from Fort Wright served az
guard Of honor. President J. Hamp-
ton Moore of the association intro
duced the president.