The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-10-04
TAFT AND TEDDY
CLASPED HANDS
Two Ex-Presidents Came Together at
Hughes Reception in New York,
But Had Little to Say to
Each Other.

New York, Oct. 4.-Thcodore Roosevelt
and William II. Taft ctasped hands for a
moment last night at the Union League
clubs reception to Charles L. Hughes.
"fIow do you dor" said Mr.. Taft.
How do you do:" Mr. Roosevelt re-
piled.
! Each bowed and Mr.. Roosevelt passed
on TO shake hands with other guests,
leaving Mr.. Taft to greet those who fol-
lowed A few moments later Mr.. Roose-
welt took his place in the receiving line.
He stood between Mr.. Hughes and Chaun-
Mr.. Depew stood Mr. Taft.
Thus standing in the same line they
shook hands with the hundreds of club
members and their guests who filed past
during the evening. They did not meet
again, however, or exchange any other
work than the commonplace greeting.
I'VE shook hands," Mr. Taft said after
wards, "just like any gentleman would
shake hands"
Colonel Roosevelt declined to comment
on the meeting.
After the handshaking was over and
the library was cleared Elihu Root, pres
ident of the club, escorted Mr.. Hughes
through flag draped corridor to small
platform in the main club room. Beneath
lifesize picture of Abraham Lincoln,
Mr., Root again introduced the nominee
and Mr.. Hughes made brief address.
Colonel Roosevelt and Mr., Taft were
called upon by Mr.. Root and each re-
sponded with a short talk.
The meeting between Colonel Roose-
welt and Mr. Taft was the first since
April l3, 1915, when both were pallbear-
ers at the funeral of Thomas r. Louns-
berry, for long time professor OF Eng
lish at Yale university and close friend
of both. On that occasion they merely
shook hands, exchanging no word.
The reception was arranged some time
ago and public announcement was made
that Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Roosevelt would
meet. The hour set for the affair found
the clubhouse entrance choked with hum
dreds of men in evening clothes. Elihu
Root waited at the door to welcome the
guest of honor, Mr.. Hughes, and the two
former presidents.
The first to arrive was Mr.. Taft. The
7th regiment band on the staircase land |
ing was playing as he stepped from his
Samuel w. Farchild, for !
mer president of the club, took Mr., Taft's /
arm and he and Mr.. Root helped make /
a way through the crowd. Mr.. Taft's rec
ognition by the guests hung fire mo-
ment and then proclaimed itself in cheers.
Five minutes later came Colonel Roose-
velt The packed Railways cheered him
and he acknowledged the greeting by I
lifting his wide brimmed black felt |
nat. With Mr.. Roosevelt came Regis III.
Post and Senator Weeks of Nassachu-
setts. The cheering for Roosevelt was
still in progress when Mr. Hughes and
William r. Wilcox. Republican nation
Il chairman, reached the building. There
vas a moments hush and then the crowd
,heered Hughes.
Mr. Root escorted Mr.. Hughes to the
library, temporarily converted into re-
,eption parlor, and George K. Sheldon
,ook Colonel Roosevelt's arm. Crossing
he room to where the receiving line was
orming, Colonel Roosevelt shook hands
With eight or nine persons, among them
William NJ. Calder, Republican nominee
or senator from New York, Robert Ba
on, George Won L. Meyer and Mr.. De-
,ew. Then came the meeting between
colonel Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft.
They had changed somewhat in ap I
,earance since the time they last ex-
hanged greetings. Both were some
What grayer than they were then, with
he lines of their faces deepening into 4
wrinkles. Mr.. Taft was nearly 100
'ounds heavier when he was president I
han he is now.
When they were brought face to face '
" Mr.. Sheldon there was no word of
ntroduction-no time for it. For frac
ion of a second their eyes met and eacn
ooked into the others unsmiling face.
hen Mr.. Taft extended his hand and
,olonel Roosevelt took it.