| Show TAfT PROMISES THE SOlIn i RECOGNITION Off AFT WITHHELD ATLA ATLANTA rA GI Gt Jan 16 The Th The brain of the tho new south was gathered in the Atlanta auditorium last ni night when President President elect Taft the guest lest of honor bonor honorat at tho the chamber of commerce banquet fl petrified electrified his bis hearers with lire his message c to the tho south It contained declarations far more welcome to this section than some of those e present had anticipated From Prom the tumultuous cheering that greeted 1 his words it is safe salt to tu say ay y that no DO act lct of any auy president tie declaration declaration declara declara- tion of any president or of an any si- si elect lent has bas ever met with wilh such hearty I uty approval of the tho south as Mrs Mr Taft Taft's Tafts s announcement touching t the hc policy pol poly icy icv which h he tiE proposes to in in making m appointments of o officials jn an in that section Frankly admitting n that in in many man instances in instances in in- stances federal administrations have ha acted toward the south as 19 to nn an alien aHen country c or dependent territory Mr Ir Taft declared with emphasis that th the tho keynote of hi his would policy bo lie to treat the south as an sn i integral te r 1 part of tb the country and to extend to it equal and justice in all matters When the president elect declared that he proposed to select for federal offices an jn the south n as well ve as in other sections of the country those hu whose c character and reputation and standing ins in in the community commend them JIl to their fellow citizens ns as ns persons lied fied t to dischar discharge c their duties well and whose hoc presence in important positions position will wilt remove Temo if an any such thin thing exists I the sense lense of in the government govern govern- government ment which h they represent the ban ban- u. u I composed of ot int citizens from every e state south of Mason Ia on and 1 Dixons Dixon's s line tine jumped to their feet pet and for several Ip minutes it was walO impossible I for Mr r. r Taft to proceed I 1 Billy Possum Now v. Not only onh was Mr rf Taft introduced to II possum and a n dish h far famed in the south sinco I the days davs be bey I foh de do wall ah but the huquet marked tho the birth hirth of a t now American to toy which I bids fair to tu displace the tho far famed Teddy bear u II Billy Possum t fiut suggested b- b by Cartoonist GrI Gregg of the Atlanta Constitution The Tile fir first t of the time successors or to th the lit lit- little itHe it- it tic tle bear Lear which the children of America have o been heen wont to tu play 1111 with s since since uco the tho advent of President Roosevelt was presented pro pre to the president president elect and when the Taft smile met tho possum grin rin rinthe the time apex of the most brilliant nod and at nl atthe the same timo time most unique banquet perhaps ever e given a n national n figure was reached When Imen the tilt time for the tho serving int of the course of possum and and U simmon immon beer er U wa was readied reached the orchestra screened b by b. ferns and and potted plants in the gallery struck up tIn the tho stirring f stirring strains Hof of Sousas Sousa's Georgia Camp Meeting whim down tho the cen cony ter aisle and headed heRded directly for Judge Tn Taft Taft- t there came a t waiter who fairl fairly l staggered under nailer the weight ht of the choicest possum of tho very very- choice one hundred dressed whole boto and properly garnished with rich lich golden Geor Georgia in yarns lie He was followed oil 0 by bt another waiter with a flagon of persimmon beer And They Thoy All L Laughed Up to tho the speakers' speakers table marched the grinning darkies amid an nn uproar of Jau laughter In lu wh which tho the lre president president- elect l until hi his face w T wa a flooded I with color It was at It this juncture that President Chandler of the chamber chambor of commerce presented the toy to possum I with an 10 appropriate verse orle appended t Mr Taft in in to referring to a letter he heI I ha had on only yesterday from front Chi Chicago h I ca cago calO e wu warning hint him not f not only for your your I sake ak and the tho country's s but ut for tor God Gods od's i s sake keu jl not to cat any any possum and referring referring re re- re ferrin ferring him to a 1 chapter in the Bible said I guess uess I 1 will have r. la to say say n. n with Lowell in the tho Bigelow Papers when Governor Sea Seay who wt was a candidate for that office in Massachusetts a wa was importuned im lam- not to do o a i certain thing and was referred to a c certain chapter in inthe inthe the tho Bible read it and replied Well the they dont don't know everything c everything in m Judo I 1 enjoyed t that ha t courso course especially Taft Lcd Led Chorus Preceding Mr r. r ift's T speech prominent prominent nent mini ministers and jurists lent tent their talent talent tal tal- ent t to the entertainment of the thc quest guest of honor bonor There were cro K wings KIngs and ser sermons f sermons ser ser- mons mons that were relics of ante helium days all of which appealed rl to the I president elect and caused l ca cd his sides i c to shape shako with laughter When tho the band hand I struck up ui America tits the audience arose as asono one man man nn and with Judge IJ Tafts Taft's I bass 8 voice lending leading there went heat t swelling swell swell- in ing through h the thc banquet room tho the ri rising rising ris ris- Jn ing notes of the national air nir Judge Tafts Taft's pro program for tod today includes in in- 1 eludes an automobile Jc ride rido about the city nn an address to tho time ne negroes roes at Big Bethel church He left Ift at noon for Athens where he lie addressed tho time stu- stu dents of the tho University Uni of Georgia He lie will return to Atlanta tonight ht as the guest tuest of th the capital city |
