The Omaha
Bee.
PART THREE
HALF-TONE
v PAGES 1 TO 4.
UNDAY
A PAPER TOR THE HOME
OMAHA DEE
YOUR MONEY S WORTH
(
VOL. XXX IX NO. 14.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 19, 1900.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
T
PRESIDENT TAFT'S FORMER FRIENDLY VISITS TO OMAHA
Four Occasions in Which the Present Chief Executive of the Nation Has Been Entertained Here and the Circumstances Under Which He Met With His Fellow Citizens
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MR. TAFT AT FORT CROOK COLONEL CORNELIUS GARDENER AND
STAFF AND OFFICERS OF THE SIXTEENTH INFANTRY.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT has been in Omaha four
times for public visits, twice as secretary of war and
twice as a candidate for the office which he now
holds. As a cabinet officer ' and as a political
' possibility ' Omaha was pleased to entertain
him lavishly and enthusiastically. It remains to be seen what
welcome will be given him when he comes as the first officer of the
American government. x
There can be no doubt that Taft's generous and Impressive per
sonality will bring him cheering crowds and throngs of curious
sightseers, and this would be true even if he were not president. As
a special guest of the Ak-Sar-Ben Board of Governors he will be
treated more as William H. Taft of Washington, D. C. but the people
who gate In the streets will think of him as the head of the nation.
So he will get public honor and private hospitality and he ought
to be Impressed with the city's entertainment.
The secretary of war, known as a Judge and as a skillful ad
ministrator of special public tasks, came first to Omaha, Novem
ber 1, 1906. He had been through before on numerous occasions,
but that was the first time he eer stopped here' to talk , politics
and have a cup of tea. A congressional campaign was on and the
national administration was very much interested In seeing that
Nebraska was kept safely within the republican fold.
MR. TA-FT AND THE NEBRASKA -DELEGATES TO THE CHICAGO CONVENTION AT THE OMAHA CLUB.
Came First on Political Errand
The republican candidate from this district was John L. Ken
nedy, and to boost his success the national committee decided to
send the secretary of war. He had Just been visiting with "Uncle
Joe" Cannon, back In Danville, 111., and came straight through
from there to speak In Omaha. He made eight speeches the day
before arriving here, all of them while passing through Illinois.
Iowa waa slighted, for things were hot in Omaha.
After It as decided to have Taft here, it was found that no
suitable hall could be procured. The Boyd and Burwood theaters
were both considered, but the houses bad been sold out for both
of them on that evening. Finally, at great expense, the Burwood
was bought up for the evening, and it was decided to hold an
overflow in the Boyd for those who could not get into the smaller
playhouse.
The famous guest arrived in his private car "Independence."
At the station he was met by Senator Millard. John L. Kennedy,
Brigadier General Theodore H. Wint, commander of the department
of Missouri and the officers of staff of the department. His first
remark as a visitor in this city was: "It's good to get to Omaha."
Just how he knew that with no experience has never been decided,
but It waa a fair prophecy and did not fall.
A reception committee made up of the most prominent of
Omaha republicans and some democrats were at the station to
greet him. From there he was driven to the home of Senator Mil
lard, on Twenty-fourth and Harney streets, where he was enter
tained at dinner. The gdeet list included Mr. Taft, General Gren
vllle M. Dodge, General and Mrs. Wint, General and Mrs. John C.
Cowln, Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Yates, John L. Kennedy, Dr. W. O.
Bridges, Senator Joseph H. Millard and Miss Millard. Senator
Millard and the secretary were close personal friends, their acqualnt-
the Panama canal. The construction was under the control of the1
War department and Senator Millard was chairman of the senate
canal committee.
At the Burwood theater that night there were as many people
as could be crowded within the walls. The speaker was introduced
by Mr. Kennedy. He spoke from a stage on which sat General
Dodge, Attorney General Norris Brown, Robert Cowell, Joseph H.
Adams, chairman of the congressional committee; Tony Donahue,
chairman of the county committee; Judge Doane, Henry W. Yates,
who conquered democratic prejudices, and a number of other dis
tinguished men.
In his speech, Secretary Taft devoted himself largely to a dis
cussion of the policy of the United States in the island possessions,
and he touched the, question of Roosevelt policies. At that time
there was widely circulated a sentiment supposed to have emanated
from Colonel Bryan to the effect that it would take a democratic
successor and a democratic congress to make possible the carrying
out of the Roosevelt policies. Upoi. this idea Mr. Taft put a heavy
foot, verbally, Just as he later refuted it by personal conduct. After
his speech at the Burwood he was driven to the Boyd, where the
show was over and a thlrty-mlnute meeting was held for another
large crowd. That night he left Omaha for Wyoming. HIa first
visit to Omaha was a decided success, and the congressional cam
paign was on for John L. Kennedy and the republican party.
Under very different auspices Mr. Taft made his second visit
here June 18, 1907. The Young Men's Christian association had
Just finished a new $200,000 building and Mr. Taft was invited to
make the dedicatory speech. He had been ill in St. Louis for sev
eral days before he was expected here, but recovered his health
in time to meet the engagement. His route of travel took him up
Into the Black Hills before coming here, and bad weather had made
the trains late, so that the committee expecting him was a wor
ried group of officials until his train came in, about 7 o'clock the
evening of the ceremonies.
Dinner at the Omaha Club
At the station he was met by Brigadier General Edward S. God
frey of the Department of Missouri and his staff and a number
of prominent citizens. He was taken in charge "personally by
Victor Rosewater and taken to the Omaha club, where Mr. Rose
water gave a dinner in his honor. The guests were Mr. Taft, Gov
ernor George L. Sheldon, Norris Brown, Major General J. Franklin
Bell, General Edward S. Godfrey, John L. Kennedy, H. H. Bald
rlge, John L. Webster, Charles J. Greene, John C. Wharton, C. M.
Wilhelm, Luther Drake, C. C. Rosewater, Robert Cowell, Wendell
W Mlscbler, Gurdon W. Wattles, W. J. Connell. Fred H. Davis,
Arthur C. Smith and Victor Rosewater. At the dinner the candidacy
of the guest of honor for the presidency was much discussed. The
only remark that he would vouchsafe upon the matter was "If the
duty comes to me, I will accept it."
From the Omaha club he was taken by John C. Wharton to
the new Young Men's Christian association building, at Seven
teenth and Harney streets, where a huge crowd was already col
lected. Tickets were necessary to gain admission to the building as
the affair was a deception to the Commercial club and the populace
the yard of the courtbuse acrcss the Btreet. The prcsideiu-to-be's
carriage drove up and he was taken into the building. The crowd
was disappointed, but not for-long, as he reappeared almost inirue
dlitely on the balcony. He made a brief speech, gave the people a
good chance to look at him and then withdrew again for the reception.
MR. TAFT AT FORT OMAHA LIE UTENANT COLONEL W. A. GLASS
FORD AND STAFF.
of the McKInley club. Governor George L. Sheldon, Howard H.
Baldrige, John C. Cowin and William Allen White were the other
speakers preceding Mr. Taft. Whtn William Allen White rose to
speak the audience had become tired of waiting for the big speech
of the evening and was not disposed to allow the Kansas editor to
have his say, but before he was far along In his remarks they de-
Isaac ,W. Carpenter was master of ceremonies and introduced cided that he was quite well worth listening to. Mr. Taft had for
the speakers. They were H. H. Baldrige, Judge Sheldon S. Spen
cer of St. Louis, Governor George L. Sheldon and Mr. Taft. After
his address Gurdon W. Wattles spoke briefly.
All the speeches and the w hole spirit of the occasion were in the
spirit of the Young Men's Christian association movement. The
association had finished with brilliant success a campaign for funds
and the building was ready to be turned over for the use and benefit
of the youth of the city. Mr. Taft told of his own interest in the
work 4'ter tnc speech-making was a reception, in which hun
dreds shook the hand of the secretary. At that time the Nebraska
Taft league, a new political organization, made its first appearance
and a number of those at the reception wore the Taft badges.
The opening of the new association headquarters was a brilliant
affair and well worthy of the distinguished guest of honor. The
new building, with its handsome rooms and corridors, was beauti
fully decorated and was filled with the members of the Commercial
club, the representative business men of the city. His second visit
must have made still more pleasant Mr. Taft's impression of Omaha.
Before He Was a Candidate
In April, 1908, the political campaign was growing dangerously
near convention time and Taft represented in the minds of every
one the choice of the administration to lead the republican party.
April 6 a huge dinner was given by theMcKinley club of Omaha In
the Auditorium and William H. Tpft was the guest of honor. He
arrived In Omaha early on the morning of the 6th and was taken
to the Rome hotel, where a special apartment was fitted up for him.
At noon he took luncheon at the Omaha club as the guest of Arthur
C. Smith, Victor Rosewater and Myron L. Learned. There were
about twenty-five guests at the luncheon, most of them either Ne
braska delegates to the national convention or members of the Taft
party. In the afternoon a public reception was held in the Rome
his subject, "William McKInley," and gave a splendid eulogy of his
former political chief. His speech was long, but was listened to
with rapt attention by the crowd.
The next day, as secretary of war, Mr. Taft took a trip to the
two forts. Rain was falling in the morning and It looked as if he
would have a bad day of it, but the ceremonies at the military posts
In his honor were not Interfered with. Four automobiles, with O.
C. Redlck In the lead, took the party first to Fort Omaha and then
to Fort Crook. At each of these places the salute of fifteen guna
was given and army receptions were held by Colonel and Mrs. Glass
ford at Fort Omaha and by Colonel and Mrs. Gardener at Fort Crook
During: the Last Campaign
Mr. Tart has been accused by a gossippy press of being alto
gether too fond of fast motoring. Whether the accusation Is true
or not the secretary of war certainly did race through" the streets
and roads between the forts on that day. He caused the stampede
of a troop of government mules and started runaways In every half
mile. The trip was successfully completed, however, and he waa
turned over to the reception committee from Council Bluffs at uoon,
April 7.
When Mr. Taft came to Omaha later in the same year he was
the definite choice of the party and was making his campaign tour
through the enemy's country. He came October 1, when Ak-Sar-Ben
days were most glorious, and his vlBlt here was not marked
with any of the elaborate entertainment features that distinguished
the former ones. He arrived Thursday evening and went first to
South Omaha. Before a crowd of 4,000 or 6,0p0, mostly of labor
ing men, he spoke for an hour and then came back to Omaha at
9:30 to greet the 9,000 people who were waiting for him In the
Auditorium. Before Mr. Taft appeared the audience was held quiet
by Senator Dolllver of Iowa, whose Interesting discourse filled up
hotel and the presidential candidate shook hands with hundreds of the time to the complete satisfaction of the crowd.
ance having come from their association on the work of building of Omaha anxious to catch eight of Taft crowded the pavement and
people. His cheerful, good-humored kindliness was shown in his
manner with the crowd and those who shook hands with him were
"for Taft" from then on. The Women's club held a reception for
him at Its club rooms in the First Congregational church, where he
gpoke for half an hour.
In the evening came the great banquet at the Auditorium, where
1,200 people took part in the dinner and about 6,500 heard the
speeches. The hall was ablaze with lights and bright decorations
and the tables were arranged in a huge letter "T." The speakers'
table was In the center of the room, with festoons of lights stretched
from It tq the balconies, and overhead was spelled out, "T-A-F-T."
When the chief guest appeared he was subjected to a dazzling lime
light until the crowd could get a good look at him and then he was
seated at the table.
Isadore Zlegler, as president of the McKInley club, was toast
master and introduced Frank Crawford, who spoke on the subject
When Candidate Taft appeared he was tired and his voice waa
Buffering from the continued strain, but he spoke cheerfully and
powerfully. He voiced his faith in the outcome of the campaign
In these words: "I feel confident that I am going to be elected
president of the United States."
The Omaha men who spoke from the platform on this occasion
were Frank Crawford and A. W. Jefferls.
These are the four calls that William Howard Taft has made
upon Omaha. There has never been any greeting for him here ex
cept open hospitality and enthusiastic interest. He made good in
Omaha as a man with his first appearance and every return has
deepened that Impression. Omaha expects to find him a genial
hearted and serlous-mlnded leader of the people. They know him
to be pleasant and are quite willing to do their best to keep him
aware that Omaha is a good place to stop off at when he crosses his
own United States.
Sidelights on Busy Life and Personal Ways of Late El H. Harriman
EVERY man conspicuous In public affairs -has
other shades of character than that con
stantly in the spotlight. They are rarely
observed by the general public and are
shown only to intimates. The late Edward
11. Harrlman's life is a striking example of the one
sided view which the general public obtained of the
man of affairs. But he had other and more loveable
sides which bloomed flower-like above the stratum of
business affairs. These characterises are reflected in
anecdotes and Incidents gathered from various sources.
Mr. Harriman, in contrast to his brusqueness with
auuiii'i and railroad rivals, was fond of children aud
eev3.?C to hia family. He organized a boys' club in
Tompkins Square, New York, personally supervised
the putting of a building and ran the membership up
to 10,000; dues 1 cent a year, members promptly
dropped for nonpayment.
r-oat is the object of your club?" asked a woman,
wnobe fad was charitable work among the poor chil
dren of New York.
"Object?" replied Harriman. "Object? Let me
ee. Why, I guest we haven't any, unless it is to see
that the boys have a good time."
A visitor at Mr. Harrlman's Boys' club asked one
of the members, a 14-year-old boy, what he thought of
the club's patron. v
"Mr. Harriman," replied the youngster, "is a great
man. He'a president of a railroad, and worth a couple
of thousand, anyway. He comes in, sees Mr. Taber,
the superintendent, and goes on right about his busi
ness. He's a quiet man, and never tells anyone any
thing about hU business. He ain't what I would call
a fine-looking man. but I bet he could put up a great
fibt. But he aim stuck up over it. He comes down
here nd says to Willie Schmidt: 'Hello, Bill.' and
Willie says, 'Hello. Mr. Harriman, how's yourself.' "
Two or three winters ago he was ill. His doctor
told him he must not leave the house.
"But I must," objected Mr. Harriman. "I simply
must."
"Well, what Is It?" demanded the physician impa
tiently, "that 'must' carry you out of your house in
this weather in your state?"
"I have to go down to Arden (his summer home).
I promised the people there faithfully that I would
help them celebrate Christmas."
And he went.
A 'yommittee of prominent citizens of Atlanta
called one day to pay their respects to a distinguished
northerner who was visiting their city. They were
asked to wait a little, as the person they sought was
at the moment engaged and could not be disturbed.
On the floor of an inner room sprawled a little man
with big glasses and a bushy mustache. He looked
anything but distinguished. Crawling over him, pull
ing his scant hair, searching Ills pockets and playing
with his watch was a baby, while the little man
chuckled with unfeigned pleasure.
"Don't go," cried the chiiu, noiing an alarming
movement In the duection after half an hour had
passed. "Stay'n play some more."
"I wish I could, Katrina," was the response, "but
I must go to work now. Give me a kiss."
The kiss was exchanged and E. H. Harriman went
to greet his callers.
Another incident which shows the human and so
cial side of Mr. Harriman is connected with his life in
Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, N. Y.. where he made the
acquaintance of several men whom he never forgot.
Among these was Webster R. Clearwater, who is still
living in the village. Clearwater was employed by
James Livingston, with whom Mr. Harriman was a
partner in a brokerage business, which went uuder in
the panic of 1S69. aud in that way came to know Mr.
Harriman well. One day. a few years ago, when Mr.
Harriman waa at the busiest part or his life, his old
friend In Rhinebec4 went to Mr. Harrlman't office in
New York. He found dozens of persons waiting their
turn to see Mr. Harriman, but when be sent in his
name on a piece of paper a messenger at once ushered
him into Mr. Harrlman's office. Mr. Harriman had
an Immense amount of work before him, but he turned
from his desk and rhook hands with, his visitc:, at the
same time announcing to the messenger that he was
going to luncheon and would see no one else until he
returned. The two men went to luncheon In the
Equitable building, and for an hour talked over old
times in the Dutchess county village, Mr. Harriman
remembering everybody taat be ever met while there
and asking for each one.
Later, in answer to a letter from Mr. Clearwater
about a year ago, Mr. Harriman wrote in autograph
a brief note, in which he said:
"Dear Web: Your reference to Jim and Lew
tmeanlng James and Lewis Livingston) was truly
touching. We are all getting old, the most of us liv-v.
ing largely in the past. Believe me, I was glad to hear
from you and that you have my kindest."
They tell in Chicago a story or a time when the
fortune of E. H. Harriman hung in the balance, and
for once he was genuinely worried. It wag during the
currency famine of 1893. At an acute stage of the
trouble the bankers in the Clearing House association
met secretly at the city home of Frederick D. Tappan,
then president of the association. The house had been
boarded up for the summer and tht shutters were
kept closed, so that no news of the meeting should get
out. After an all-day meeting it was decided to issue
clearing house certificates to relieve the situation.
Just after the meeting broke up and Mr. Tappan
was left alone he was startled by a prolonged ringing
at the front door. On the threshold, showing every
evidence of extreme exhaustion and of nervousness al
most beyond control, stood E. H. Harriman. His eyes
were red, hia hands tremulous aud heu he spoke his
voice was low and uncartaA. Afck Tappan asked him
In and offered him a seat, but Harriman, in his excite
ment, still standing, began to tell his story.
"Mr. Tappan," said he, In effect, "I have not con
sciously slept In seventy-two hours. 1 I am desperate,
but I am perfectly solvent. I have ample securities
of the gilt-edged sort to cover all my liabilities and
leave a large surplus. But no bank will lend me a
cent on my very best securities even, and if I can't get
some cash tomorrow I shall be a ruined man; I have
brought statements and schedules to show you what
I say is true."
Seeing that his visitor was In no condition to go
into further details at that time, Mr. Tappan made hlni
be seated and got him a glass of wine.
"Now, Mr. Harriman," s.Sd the banker, "I think I
shall be able to give you a little hope. . We have had
a meeting of the clearing house bankers today and at
that meeting a plan of action was adopted. I cannot
tell you just what was done, for I am pledged not to
dQ so. But you may take my word for it that if you
are solvent, if you have the securities you say you have
you will be all right tomorrow. No, don't show
your statements to me now, but go home and go to
bed. When you are rested tomorrow morning, get up
and go to your office. Without doubt the complica
tions of today will be straightened out satisfactorily
then."
Mr. Harriman listened almost as one In a dream;
then, with a clasp of the hand, he thanked Mr. Tappan
for his words, turned and left the house. That night
he got the ten hours' sleep ' advised and more, too.
Next day, when he went tc his office all that Mr. Tap
pan had said came true.
When Mr. Harriman took up the reorganization of
the Union Pacific railroad he was little known in Wall
street. His matter-of-fact terseness In speaking had
nothing in common with the big, verbose geniality of
the typical promoter. The road at that lime was a
straggling, Ill-kept line, running from Omaha to Og-
den. The directors had no idea of its possibilities.
Harriman had. They wanted to run It in the way the
road had always been run with a little economy here
and there, perhaps, to pay dividends. Harriman had
other notions.
"Tills," complained one of the opponents of Har
rlman's policy, "is an old, broken-down railroad. It
will cost a billion to carry out your Ideas."
"Perhaps," replied Harriman, "but I figure it
closer than that. At any rate. It will be worth the
money. We haven't bought a railroad here. We
have bought an empire."
In 189S, with the Spanish war coming on, Harri
man was all for going ahead with the contemplated
improvements of the road. The directors held back.
They feared the outcome of the struggle over Cuba.
"We have here," said Harriman, "the vital fran
chise to a railroad 1,800 miles long, running through
the heart of' the richest part of the country. Popu
lism is dead and dollar wheat is paying mortgages and
piling up bank accounts. Now is the time to build;
now is the time to buy. This road offers us an op
portunity that comes to men but once in centuries."
The directors still demurred and Harriman virtu
ally bought the equipment over their heads.
Mr. Harriman made a trip over the Union Pacific,
of which he bad recently come into control. Things
were in a pretty thoroughly run-down condition and
one delay after another tried the temper of the im
patient new master of the line.
"What makes this delay?" he demanded during
one particular stop.
"Engine taking water, sir." replied the division
superintendent.
"Why not make the feed pipe bigger?" snapped
Harriman.
"Can't be dona, sir," was the reply. "Engine
wouldn't take any larger feed pipe." '
"Then we'll get some bltger ent'n"." Harriman
(Contlnnued on Page Four.)
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