The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-04

Either MT. Sheldon or Gov. Whitman said:
 MT. Taft, this is Col. Roosevelt" just like that-introducing two men who had never met before.
 William Made First Move.
 Now listen:
 MT. Taft put his hand out first!
 That fact is not disputed by any of the witnesses, though a dozen men differed in their tales of what actu- ally happened. But when "WilP' put his hand out Theodore" grasped it., or perhaps it would be more true to say took it." Their hands were clasped for fraction of one second, as each said:
 How d'you do?"
 Of course, "How d'you do?" is a question. However, neither answer ed it.. Hands dropped to sides. Col. Roosevelt passed on. MT. Taft stood still. Each turned to speak to some one else. The breathless moment was over. Col. Roosevelt had shaken hands with William HI. Taft for the first time since they went to funer- al together and for the second time since MT. Roosevelt left the White House and MT. Taft entered it.
 MT. Depew, smiling as usual, put himself in position between the two men. He turned first to one and then to the other; friends with both, smiling first at one and then at the other, but conveying no smiles, for, despite the happy occasion, just for the minute, neither MT. Taft nor MT. Roosevelt seemed to be having "bul- ly'' time.
 Then Came the Candidate.
 It was all over very quickly. MT. Hughes came in almost as the hands of the two met. In minute he was shaking hands cordially with MT. Taft. Then he passed on to Col. Roosevelt. In another half minute MT. Root had taken his stand at the head of the line. The reception was about to begin.
 Out from the trenches came the rank and file. In lines of four they moved on the breastworks, changing to single file as they reached MT. Root. Then one by one, for 70 minutes by watch that may never be used to mark the rounds of prize fight, they marched past this line of stalwarts- every one now a Republican-Mr. Root, MT. Hughes, MT. Roosevelt, MT. Depew. MT. Taft, Gen. Porter, Gov. Whitman of Rhode Islandj William R. Wilcox, MT. Calder, Senator John W. weeks, George von l.. Meyer, Robert Bacon and William Cameron Forbes.
 Do line big and bulky, so that he could not be taken for some one else, Col. Roosevelt shook his hand, with the same pull he uses always, so there will be no delay, and the Boss of not so long ago went on down the line. But later, when the handshaking was about over, Col. Roosevelt met the Senator in the corridor and he shook hands again, ir a friendly sort of way. He said to Boss" Penrose, too: I'm glad to see you here," with the accent on the glad"
 Mir. OdeI Made No Fuss
 Gov. Odell was present. He and MT. Roosevelt were not good friends some time ago. But MT. Odell is not in politics now, and he went down the line" just as a lot of other Republi- cans did last night, "letting bygones be bygones.''
 From the time MT. Roosevelt and MT. Taft met, until the speechmaking began, the corridors outside the bat tie lines-that is to say, the ropes were humming with rumors. Here are samples: e
 They met and shook hands; that was all."
 Tt was billy, They met like old friends"
 "They shook hands, but ne,,ner spoke"
 "Mr. Taft spoke; the Colonel just bowed"
 "No, the Colonel didn't smile; he just shook hands,"
 Of course the Colonel smiled; he always sfniles.''
 "It was one of the most cordial greetings I have ever witnessed"
 Well, they met.''
 And as to who introduced them, well. George w. Perkins was sur prised to hear that friend of Gov. Whitman had said that the Governor did it, so he investigated, and later MT. Perkins told friends that the Gov T U, Gov. Whitman said to a friend that he did it, and there were a lot of other persons who say they saw it.
 But ColOneI's Story Differed
 On the other hand, Col. Roosevelt who once had a little misunderstood ing with MT. Whitman, said to friends of his that it was not the Governor at all who. took him over to MT Taft, but Mir. Sheldon. One or two men who were right along with the Colonel at the time bear out his statement as to MT. Sheldon. So there you are.
 The parade to the dining room started immediately after the last of the waiting shirt-fronted ones had shaken hands. MT. Root led the way. Then, each with an escort came the three celebrities, in this order: MT. Col. Roosevelt, MT. Taft. Tn few minutes all were crowded into the big room, and MT. Root address sing MT. Hughes on the little dias be- gan his speech.
 MT. Root, making his first speech in this campaign, first welcomed Mr. Hughes to the club and then spoke, in part, as follows
 "We wish to testify by this recep- ton to, the fact that we, who have summered and wintered with you, who know your comings in and your goings out. your daily walk and con- respect you and esteem you. and are fond of you, and are proud of you, and trust you.
 Know What He Is.