The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-15

making this confession has placed
himself in very select company" said
Mr.. Taft.
He chided Ex-Governor Hook and
Ex-Governor StubbS as men who oc-
cupied the same position that he now
holds but braced them up by declar-
ing that the triumvirate of ex's knew
whole lot more than some people
who know lots" Always before in
forming the audience of his humorous
statements, Taft broke into his famous
smile and guffawed and had them
laughing before they heard the joke.
Il feel grateful to the American
people for what they have done for
me," continued the ex-president. And
L feel doubly grateful to them for al
lowing me to retire with such undis-
guised consent
CompIimented Topeka.
Taft had heard of the recent re-
juvenation of the Chamber of Com
merce and congra tulated the city on
the large membership, which, he stat
ed, indicated to the world better than
anything else the strength and pros
perity OF the city. He further con-
graduated the Chamber of Commerce
for getting away from the dollar be-
fore the nose scheme of doing things
and for centering its main activities
in civic affairs and civic bettermentS
Taft remembered his visits to To-
peka in past years and spoke, in par
Z IlCulaT,
Memorial hall Then he launched into
a discussion OF the recent election,
which, by its closeness and accept
ance of defeat by his own party, in
! dicated the peoples ability to govern
themsel--s. This ability was more
strikingly illustrated, he stated, in the
famous Hayes-Tilden race. He de-
scribed the issues in the recent cam
paign as caloric. Everyone looked
puzzled.
What does that mean?" some one
shouted.
The question was never answered.
Webster's unabridged states that ca
loric means heat.
Taft touched lightly on his mission
of peace which brings him to Topeka.
He admitted that it would be easy
to suggest corrections on practical
grounds" but urged the adoption of
the principle, with corrections made
later, in order to give the president
the backing of the American people
on a peace propaganda which should
be proposed to the congress of ma
tions certain to follow the great war.
His Faith in Kansas.
In closing he expressed his faith in
Kansas
with 81 wheat 1 should think you
all would be in a philosophic frame of
mind" were his parting words.
To get Taft and his party to Kan
sas in time, the Missouri Pacific ran a
special train out of St. Louis last night.
The train left St. Louis at 12:40 o'clock
and arrived in Kansas City at 7:40
o'clock, near a record breaking time.
/ A special car was run from Kansas
City to Topeka today and Superin-
tendent Brooks and Judge Merriam
of the Missouri Pacific. accompanied
the Taft party. Ex-Governors Stubbs
and Hoch Joined the party at Law
renee. Other members of the party
were: Charles c. Michener. director
of field work for the Lea que to En-
force Peace. Wendali W. Mischler, Sec
retary to Mr.. Taft, George Sherwood
Eddy of Leavenworth, and w. R.
Boyd, jr., district secretary. Orchestra
music was enjoyed during the noon
day lunch.
Eddy's Speech.
George Sherwood Eddy, with the
Taft party, told KanSans this after
noon of the horrors of the European
war and pleaded for united effort in
bringing about world peace Eddy is
a former Kansan. He formerly lived
in Leavenworth.
In his appeal in Topeka this after
noon, Eddy did not urge an effort to
bring the European war to close
In fact, he declared that the work of
the peace league was in the future in
cementing the nations and settlement
of international disputes by arbitra-
ton.
Il have been thru Russia, Turkey.
Bulgaria, Servia, Greece, Egypt,
France, Italy and was on tours with
the British army at its base camps,
as well as on a trip thru Germany
earlier in the war;" said Eddy Il
went there hot with academic interest
1 came back burning with the convic-
ton that America has the responsible
ity of laying the foundation for lasting
peace.
Now, mark you," said Eddy, 81
/ (Continued on Page A.