unday Bee
PART III.
HALF-TONE SECTION
PACES 1 TO 4.
Largest Clreatatto
THE OMAHA DEC
Best IT. West
VOL. XXXVIII NO. 17.
OMAUA, SUNDAY MOKXINO, OCTOHKI! 11. 1!0S.
S1XC1LK COPY FIVE CENTS.
TAFT'S TOUR OF NEBRASKA A SUCCESSION OF TRIUMPHS
Some Incidents of the Two Days' of Active Campaigning in Nebraska by the Republican Candidate for President' and a View of the Impression He Created Among the Citiezns
he Omaha
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, republican nominee for presU
dent of the United State, haa traversed Nebraska
from north to south and from east to west, and has
been sent on his way rejoicing.
' He was proclaimed throughout the state as "Our
Next President," and the splendid welcome given him In every town
and city through which he traveled was In keeping with the recep
tion due the chief executive of a great nation.
Mr. Tart came to Nebraska not as a stranger to the people, though
few here knew him personally. They knew him as the Judge on the
bench, whose decisions are among the most able and learned of any
ever written; they knew him as the man who, probably more than
any other man, established a stable government In the Philippines;
they knew him as ths man who, when the little Cuban republlo
was crumbling, went to the front' and upon whose broad
shoulders was placed the responsibility of establishing order and re
storing peace; they knew him as rJne man who straightened out af
fairs oa the Panama canal and left the people there at work; they
knew him as the man who. In times of direst needs, went to Japan
and established cordial relations with a nation with which war
seemed assured; they knew him officially as secretary of wsr, but In
reality "secretary of peace; they knew him as the chief adviser and
right-hand-man of President Theodore Roosevelt.
' Xebraskans expected to see in the republican candidate for presi-.
at a statesman; they expected to hear from him words of a states
man. They were not disappointed. In addition they found In Mr.
I alt a most genial person, pleasant and interesting in conversation;
:. nan with a natural dignity, broad-minded, whose heart beats in
unison with the hearts of the people; a man who realises the grave
i ponslbilltles which rest upon the shoulders of. the chief executive,
i f the nation; a man who believes there Is no "royal road to virtue."
Who said:
"Reforms can only be accomplished by hard-working, constant at
- titicn; progress, little by little, step by step, because we are dealing
" 1th tho fallibilities, of human nature and we cannot overcome them
by h single decreo, for there is no royal road to virtue, and It Is only
i ttalned by constant application, self-control and self-restraint."
Tho presidential candidate was Just as well pleased with Ne
braska as Nebraska was with him.
The special train furnished Mr. Taft by the republican national
mmrrlttee was made up of Mr. Taft's private car, three Pullman
oraches, a diner and a baggage car. This train made its first stop
in Nebraska at Emerson, coming from Sioux City, where Mr. Taft
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JUDGE TAFT SHAKING HANDS IN NEBRASKA.
FpoUe the night of September 29. ' Through eastern newspapers Mr.
Tatt had boon assured that Nebraska was for Its home candidate and
tl.at bis reception in this state would be not only tinctured with
Mryutiisra, but actually frosty. The little town of Emerson set Ne
braska right with Mr. Taft at the start. From the train it seemed
the entire population had come down to the station to pay respect to
t he republican candidate. It was an expectant crowd, too, that gath
ered around the rear end of the Taft car. Here Mr. Taft gave the
advice which be hoped to impress upon every one in the state:
"When yoa go to VoU, use your good, hard, common, everyday
sense."
The warmta or tbo reception given Mr. Taft at this little station
In an instant wiped out the thoughts of what eastern papers had
been saying abont Nebraska and put him in the best of humor.
Then came the Journey through the finest agricultural country
tn the world, mad oa such a day as Nebraskans are used to, but
which outsiders so seldom encounter. The air was Just crisp enough
to be bracing, and the sun was Just bright enough and Just warm
enough to contribute to Ideal conditions. Whether the farming
country through which the presidential candidate traveled had been
pat in shape for the occasion or whether the farms were simply
dressed la their everyday Nebraska olothes only the frequent visitor
and the resident know, but not a weed oould be seen from the train,
even the railroad right-of-way had been cat and burned; not a fence
was down, not a barn out of repair; every horse and every head of
cattle, and Mr. Taft could see thousands from his car window,
looked freshly curried and groomed.
"Beautiful." "splendid." "magnificent," "prosperous," were some
of the expressions of the presidential candidate as his train swept
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JUDGE TAFT AND GOVERNOR SHELDON ON THE STEPS OF THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION AT
LINCOLN.
Over the prairies. When tho presidential candidate was Informed
that only a very few years ago the country through which he was
traveling could, have been bought for almost a song, iu some instances
for less than f 5 an acre, his surprise was expressed in superlatives.
It was through such a country Mr. Taft traveled for two days In Ne
braska. And every mile he traveled warmed the heart of the candi
date to this magnificent state and at every town lie stopped tho
hearts of the people warmed to the candidate.
Members of the Taft party, including a number of eastern news
paper men, were equally as profuse In their praise of the Nebraska
farmer. These men had come out of the east, some for the first
time, where panics create hard times, and their surprise at the pros
perous condition of the Nebraska farmer was no Iobb genuine, though
expressed In "yellow Journal" language. The fact that hundreds of
farmers came to town in their automobiles' to see the republican
candidate farmers from the "Great American Desert" was so un
usual that eaoh called the attention of the other to the sight. These
men had heard of the prosperity of Nebraska farmers, but not one
of them realised to what extent this state had been blessed during
the last twelve years of republican administration of governmental
affairs. The Journey of Mr. Taft through Nebraska, proved to the
candidate what the people of Nebraska already knew that the
farmers are for the republican ticket. Here Is Just one of many
Illustrations that shows this.
Mr. Taft was speaking at Falls City. He had rounded out a para
graph by asking the people if they desired to return to conditions
as they were at the close of the last democratic administration:
"Do you want to return to those conditions, when "
"Ten-cent corn, 2 H -cent hogs, 3-cent cattle " interrupted some
one in the crowd, and It was taken up by a Score or more. In many
Instances when Mr. Taft had started a sentence referring to those
conditions he did not get to finish It. There were always soma In
the crowd who had passed through those trying days and who had
felt the clutches of the money lender; whose corn had been taken
away for 10 cents and their other products In proportion. They could
tell Mr. Taft more about those hard times than he knew, and the In
formation was volunteered when the speaker got on that thread of
talk. The volume of "Nos" which answered the Taft query was
sufficiently emphatlo to show where the Nebraska farmer places his
dependence and has his confidence.
While Mr. Taft spoke to many democrats in the numerous thou
sands of people who were lined up at the varloua stations there was
many of these the pupils were lined up on the prairie and each waved
an American flag as the train sped on Its way. Every school house
noted by the presidential candidate flew the stars and tttrlpes, which
he loves so well. This was true in the country. In the towns where
stops were made school teachers had dismissed their pupils and In a
body they had marched to the station, where they had been provldod
with a position of advantage so that ail might have the opportunity
of seeing and hearing the man about whom even the youngest of
them had heard as being one of the nation's important personages.
The presence of so many little folks Impressed the presidential
candidate and he frequently had a pleasant word or two to say
especially to them. Upon their shoulders there shortly will fall the
burdens of government and the action of the school boards and
teachers in bringing them In personal contact with affairs of govern
ment had the approval, often expressed, of the candidate.
Some of the older members of the Taft party, and those who had
passed their manhood away from the eountry town, were, reminded
of days gone by and the passing of time by the Taft and Sherman
caps worn by hundreds of little Nebraskaps. It had been years since
many on the train had seen the old and always popular campaign
cap, with its band across the front showing the party affiliation of
the little wearer.
The Taft special passed a number of threshing outfits at work In
the fields and In every Instance the threshing engine tooted a glad
hand to the next president and the crew in return received shouts
and waves from the train. Where the little folks bad their good
time when the Taft train struck a town was In grabbing for Taft and
Sherman buttons, which were handed out by the hundreds. In some
of the crowds there undoubtedly were future politicians of a very
prevalent type. - A little fellow was asked whether he was for Bryan
or TafC
"I'm for Bryan," he answered.
"These buttons are for Taft boys," answered the Joker. ',
"Mister, no I ain't for Bryan. I Just Bald that. I'm for Taft"
He got the buttons, all right. '
In the baggage car was kept the literature which was distributed
along the route. At every station bundles of reading matter were
dumped out and In every Instance the men and women were eager
to get a portion of it, and not one bit of it became waste paper to
blow around the stations.
A feature of the crowds which greeted Mr. Taft was the close
attention paid to his speeches. The candidate's throat was in a very
one stop made, where, apparently, the crowd was unanimously re
publican. This was Burchard. The town was not on the schedule
as a stopping place, but an urgent telegram from some one there
asking that Mr. Taft at least appear on the platform and let the peo
ple see him, brought forth a stop and a short speech. There were
several hundred people lined up at the station and every man,
woman and child in the crowd wore a blue ribbon, printed upon
which were tho words, "Taft and Sherman."
"You will carry that town unanimously," .remarked a newspaper
man to Mr. Taft as the train pulled out.
"It certainly looks like it is a republican community," answered
the well pleased candidate.
In one town Mr. Taft, after discussing the democratic promises,
said: v
"Are you going to turn over your affairs to an agency on
promises?"
"No, no," chorused the crowd. "Not since we have heard you."
"You wouldn't do It anyhow," replied the candidate. "Whether I
come here or not, you wouldn't do It."
"You are right," yelled back an enthusiast.
Until the' visit of Mr. Taft there had been very little talk about
politics out in the country. This apparent apathy was taken by the
republicans to mean that the farmers were satisfied with their S6
cattle and their 80-cent corn and wheat, and therefore were not both
ering about politics. The democrats said it meant a landslide.
Varied were the opinions expressed in advance about the reception
which Mr. Taft would receive. Some held that inasmuch as Ne
bruskaus were familiar with one presidential candidate and were
used to having him drop in on them any time to tell them of the
calamities ahead if republican principles were carried out, Mr. Taft
would create very little interest and would be received by small
crowds everywhere.
Under these conditions no man on the Taft train was prepared
for the Intense intercut shown by the people along the route of the
special train through the state. It Is no exaggeration to say that no
president or candidate for a high office ever received a more cordial
welcome. And it Is also within the truth to say that no man ever
made a better impression on Nebraska people by a single appearance
than did Mr. Taft. "
Many features of the Interest shown could be elaborated upon tn
a story of that trip through Nebraska. The tralp passed scores of
school buildings which were in view of the Taft car. ' In front of
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GOVERNOR SHELDON READT TO INTRODUCE JUDOB TAFT. ,
bad condition and it meant physical pain to him to talk. He was
hoarse and he oould not be heard except by those who were able to
get close to the front ranks of the crowd. Notwithstanding that,
those in the rear kept perfectly quiet In the hope that they could
hear. As the train pulled Into a station a mighty cheer arose, then
each person in the crowd began to motion his neighbor to keep quiet.
As the speaker progressed he was encouraged by nods of approval
from the people. As the train left he was given another parting
cheer. His most frequent interruptions were of this order: "You
are right;" "That's right," "We are for you," "We don't want any
change.''
At Nebraska City, previous to the arrival of the Taft train,, the
crowds had been requested to keep quiet so that no time of the
&paaKer would be taken up. Everyone wanted him to use evry
minute of the time the train remained. Notwithstanding this pre
caution. It is a wager that Nebrasa City was as hoarse as Taft after
the train left.
Except for his night meetings at Lincoln and Omaha, Mr. Taft
left hU car only in a very few Instances. At Beatrice the people of
the city bad eitrted a gaily decorated platform opposite the station
vnd from thlt. Mr. Taft addressed several thousand people. , At
Wymore the plutlorm had been erected fully a block from the sta
tion. The retldents roped off a road to the stand and between the
roper Mr. Taft and his party walked to the platform, cheered' by
thousandx. The only other place the train was abandoned was at
Nebraska City. Here Mr. Taft reached a platform which had been
built at the end of the station Just as Grant Martin, deputy attorney
goneraL ceased to speak. Or, to be more correct, Mr. Martin ceased
(Continued on Page Two.)
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FALLS CITT WAS OUT IN FOR CIS.
WAHOO OAVD HIM A CROWD,
