The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-08-17

sunrise and within five minutes Mr.
Geo. B. Christian, Jr., Secretary II
the President, was conducting us t,
the rear car. The President, fresl
and smiling, had ALREADY made three
or four rear platform speeches an(
with members Of his party was en-
cry and farms Of the valley.
/ have throughout life been quick
to form opinions, but usually slow tC
express them. The tall, gray, quiet
frank but firm, convinced me at once
that the opinions / had formed before
meeting the President were correct
Step by step, later in the day, proved
conclusively that the masses Of the
people had underestimate the true
value of our President.
The train. at probably fifty miles
an hour, was laundering past a small
station, where the agent and family
together with the section hands and
q few neighbors had assembled to see
the Presidents train and party. In
an instant the President rose to his
feet, pressed a button and said to an
attendant, please instruct them to
slow down while passing these sta
lions. These people perhaps never
saw a president Of their nation before
and may never have the opportunity
to see one again. want at least the
opportunity to recognize and greet
them" Thereafter, the train slowed
to almost a stand-still in passing the
stations.
The President and Mrs. Harding
chatted pleasantly with their guests
making everyone comfortable and
easy and there was not mountain
or valley, farm or stream, or an
individual In the passing that es-
capped their view. With a wave Of
the hand. q CHEEKY Good morning
children" How are you man." This
u your President" ~0oedhyA." .0od
Bless you" were constant expressions
from the First Lady Of the Land,
while the President gave words of
cheer in passing and wherever the
train stopped, as it frequently did for
four or five minutes, spoke encourage
ingly of affairs and more than once
stepped down on the platform to
grasp the hand Of an aged man or
woman and babe them Godspeed as
the train moved on.
Meantime, besides speaking and en-
the President was prepar-
Ing his speech to be delivered at Po-
catello. Occasionally a secretary or
came for hurried con-
sultation and while the speech deliv-
cred by the President at Pocatello had
been prepared as to national Ques-
ions, and was mastery, it was the
Informal talk to the workmen and to
he Indians, ringing with sincerity
Ind true appreciation, that meant
most to his hearers.
When the train left Pocatello for
IDAHO Falls We were more than ever
with the task of the Presi-
lent and Of his capacity. With lunch
being served, the President proceeded
o eat, to entertain, to compare notes
IN his speech for Idaho Falls, to
study the Indian situation as he
passed Fort HallVto make them a
hort talk at the station-to again |
peak to three or four thousand peo
lie at Blackfoot, showing himself |
amiliar with their country, surround
ngs and conditions and then on to
IDAHO Falls where a crowd Of several
thousand greater than that Of the
morning waited anxiously. 1t was |
Iere again that the prepared speech
only portion Of his adj
ress. The quickness and decisive
less, in addition to national affairs
With which he discussed Idaho's con-
itions, many of which could not have
zen conceived by him prior to his
ntering the state, led me to decide
hat President Harding was not a
nan that lacked for ideas or for Ian
uage to pormptly express those
leas.
One or two incidents to impress
etter the character Of the man. In
he early forenoon a message was re-
eived stating it to be the desire that
harges be made for admission to the
Ieacham celebration. The President
wired that if admissions '
-ere charged the people for an OPP
to listen to their President,
e would cancel the engagement.
alter in the day when the matter was
ressed he again emphasized the