New-York tribune., 1912-03-19
Whole City Strives to Do Him
Honor As in Triumph He
Shares in Celebration of
a Double Holiday.
LONG SERIES or OVATI0NS
President Tells Legislators He
Fevors Presidential Prima-
rics-Denounces Re-
call and Praises
Irish.

Boston, March 1S.-President Taft end
ed his part in BostOn's belated celebra-
ton Of Evacuation Day and ST. Patrick's
! Day with an address to the Charitabls
Irish Society, and look in" on the din
ners of the Bank Officers Association,
the Boston Paper Trade Association ant
the Yale Club of Boston tonight In
many ways II was the busiest and most
demonstrative day the President has
spent since he entered the White House.
Members Of his party were unanimous III
J declaring tonight that no reception ever
received by Mr.. Taft in his travels from
| coast tC coast exceeded In cordiality that
! which Boston gave 10 him to-day From
the time his train hustled into the South
! Station at I o'clock this morning until
he retired tonight Bostonian3 We'd with
| one another to express their friendly
feeling for the Chief Executive.
The President made numerous ad-
dresses during the day, the most notable
being that delivered before the Massa-
chusetts Legislature, in which he de-
| cIared that he welcomed preferential
Presidential primaries under proper con-
ditions.
Speaks of Massachusetts Ancestry.
The President made his first speech OF
the day over his coffee and rolls at tho
City Club, where SamCcl J. Elder, Yale
aIumnus and one Of the American repre-
sentatives at the Fisheries Arbitration
ct Ia1
dent Taft said he would have to be eX-
cused from talking on any public ques-
ton. in view of his remarks later IN ths
day before the Massachusetts Legislas-
ure. He pointed out that although he
was brought up in Ohio and educate1
in the Philippines" he was Of Massachu-
setts stock In the town OF Mendon.'
he said. there is a blct which bears
the names of twenty of the found
ers of the town, and l am descended
from seventeen Of them"
From the City Club the President was
driven to the Hotel Somerset. where no
was the city's guest ar a formal break
fast. In a short speech, the second OF
the forenoon, President TAFT referred %
the fact that he was the first President
TO participate in an Evacuation Day cele-
bration. He praised the sturdy ances-
tors Of New England and spoke OF the
wonderful simplicity and elasticity OK
the Constitution which they helped -
frame
While at the Somerset the President
was called upon by Cardinal OConneh'
Here too. he received delegation from
the Massachusetts Peace Society, 70
whom he said he did not intend TO give
up the fight for arbitration treaties with
Great Britain and France, adding that
when Secretary Of State Knox returned
from his trip to Central America plan
70 resume the contest for arbitration
would be worked out.
From the Somerset President Tatt
went to the State House to address the
General Court, as the Legislature Is
legally styled. The Presidents reception
by the General Court was one of the
most remarkable in point Of enthusiasm
that most OF those present ever VIII
messed. For more than two minutes
after he entered the hall, escorted by
special committee of members or the
Legislature. the President was cheered
70 the echo Speaker Gushing raped for
order in vain, and the galleries Joined W
the applause.
Taft's Endorsement Of Primaries.
President Taft in his speech before
the General Court, said:
| 81. .l xtN1 at = a
"Presidential primary law Tor the election
! of delegates to the national conventions,
upon which will fall the duty OF selectns
| the Presidential nominees OF the tespecI,ne c,,,
! narties | have not had an opportunity crit
irally to examine the new law, Dut am
sure it makes proper provision TO meet the
obvious requirements / am gao tnat !Hu %
have done this The question OF how dele-
gates are to be selected to any political con,
SentIon, or how nominees are TO be selected
by a party, was originally matter Oh
but so important to the PUBIC at large olo
the character Of the candidates TO be se-
iected by each party become that the state
las properly interfered so as TO throw SAFE
| guards around the exercise by all those VINO
Belong TO a party of their privilege to
have a voice In the choice OF their party
I do not hesitate to say that in my judg-
ment a voluntary primary outside the law,
known by its informal Character as a soap
box primary is worse than none; t9r IL
ors of the other party TO cast unfair votes.
and without the sanction and safeguard OF
nenaI provisions in respect TO casting ana
! counting the DalLots is an open avenue iOr
fraud and violence
| II is eminently appropriate that In every
| election and in the discussion OF all Issues
! that AFFECT the Republic we should discuss
| and hear much of the popular VIII and OF
the right of the people. This is a govern
rnent based on popular control
| We all concede that the operation OF elec-
| tions and the operations or government
are not perfect. and are sometimes suolect
To corrupt Influences and control and that
Il Is the part OF patriotism TO remove, as
! far as possible. the obstacles which prevent
honest primaries, honest elections ana Inc
] honest administration OF the government !.
the interest of the people. but the continued
iteration and reiteration OF the PROPOSE
! tion. 'let the people rule" II IL has any
significance at all and Is intended other,
wise than to fatter the people. is INTENDED
to be a reflection on the government 'i"'
we have had down to the present time
Says the People Have Ruled.
Now, In spite of all the corruption. in
spite OF all the machine politics, In spite OF
every defect in the operation OF our gov,
| ernment that can be pointed out, DO NOT
| hesitate to say that the history or the ias.
l35 years shows that the people have ruied:
They may have been defeated at times oy
corrupt and corrupting 1 lnnueh1sv nsy. heen
halted by subterranean metnods III say
ing out what the people desire. put IN ,.'5
! end under our present Consutuuon ai. i,.
our present laws. we nave ma" 'So''
! popular government. -,
| I don't mean 10 say that we CANNOT MAKE
II hetter. / don't mean TO say that we may
rot remove some Obstacles py Which col-
rupton or machine metnods may vf tha '". nrv
| tbaf fhe people do not rule and are not IN
control, or an intimation to that erect