Show I CLOUDBURST MARS APPEARANCE J TAFTS TAFT'S Torrential Downpour Is Cause of Panic at Parade in Charlotte N. N C. C ELECTRICAL DISPLAY ADDS TO THE DANGER President Thoroughly Wet Still Stil Smiles and Crowd CrowdIs Is Quieted CHARLOTTE N. N C. C May 20 A A cloudburst broke broko over the tho city this afternoon af at- af- af troon and caused a a panic in the dense crowd gathered in front frent of the stand on which President Taft was reviewing the tho Mecklenburg celebration parade No Noone Noone one ono one was teas seriously hurt In the tho midst of the excitement and midst fleeing crowd one of the bi big industrial floats became beame entangled led with wih a alve live electric elec clec trie light wire ire The wire sagged ed almost almost al al- al most to the heads of the tho people eople be neath To add to the turmoil and daner danger dan dan- ger er there thero was a loud report and a blindin blinding flash fash not fifty yards from the reviewing stand Just what hat caused tho the explosion is not known I The crowd scattered in inal all al directions Men and women rushed for tho the shelter of the tho presidents president's stand and the president president pres pres- ident stepped to one sidO to give jive as much room us Its possible Th Tho tremendous downpour of rain was soon beatin beating its way through h the canvas roof of the stand and almost st directly over the presidents president's head a n great pool of water water wa wa- wa ter gathered threatening to break breakdown breakdown breakdown down the covering President Gets Wet A man rushed up and cutting a hole in the canvas let the water down in a perfect fo flood d. d This prevented any fur fur- further the ther trouble troubIe than the thc partial drenching of the president Umbrellas were of little avail a against the torrential rain After the first mad rush for cover the crowds were soon quie quieted The e electric power was cur off of and excitement excitemEnt soon was over The pr president sent did id not seem sem to mind I the experience in the least least He lie le stood tool Imin smiling while the tho rain poured down Thousands of men and women women w were we're re drenched to the skin and many pretty I costumes were ruined utterly The he parade was near its conclusion when the cloudburst came The president president dent lent remained until the th last bedra bedraggled lel float foat went went- by bv and then theD was driven back to his hotel for a change of clothing President Taft and party arrived here at 1013 1015 a. a m m. from Petersburg Va Taft Is Welcomed Mr Ir Taft was greeted i Jv bv v an nn immense throng which had bad gathered at tho the Southern South South- ern era railway station A heavy rain fell fen during the morning but ceased just before before be be- fore ore Mr r. r Taft reached the city It I required the services of several I companies of 01 militia mitia to keep tho the cheering cheering cheer cheer- in ing crowds at the depot in check as the president al alighted hed and made his hiB way toa to toa a waiting carriage Mr Taft ac accompanied accompanied omI om- om I by Capt Archibald Butt But his military mil mu- mi aide was met at North Charlotte by bv a local committee interest in tho presidents president s 's visit isit to Charlotte at this time centered in the tho attitude he would take toward the Mecklenburg declaration of dence deace Mr r. r Taft takes the position that regardless regardless re reo re- re of the exact language of the declaration In mado ado in May 1775 1115 a n full ful year ear before the signing of tho the Jefferson Jeferson Jeffer Jeffer- son declaration declaration- n of ot independence at Philadelphia in July 1776 the fact re remains remains mains that therb there was vas a declaration of independence on 01 the te part of the cit cit- et- et zens of North Carolina They Tey Did Something It I i is not so material as al to the exact exact ex ex- act lan language ua e med I said the president today The The measure of a a declaration for the principles of civil civi liberty and self government is not so much the abuso abuse or the denunciation of the former forer controlling power as the provisions made for the future form of government The Tho Jo impressive thin thing about the North Carolina Caro Caro- lina hina lna proposition is the sensible way the people of the state after aCer deciding to sever er relations with Great Britain went about the tho matter of f setin setting up tip a government government gov gov- of their own They Tey appointed select men provided for their military mitar officers their courts eouts and forms of ot le legal al procedure It I showed howd not alone alon a desire desire desire de de- de- de sire for tor liberty but the ability to gov eov govern go I ern era and a thorough h knowledge e of the subject The presidents president's marked the culmination of a three days' days celebration celebration celebration cele cele- bration of the tho Mecklenburg declara declara- tion ton I II I Observe May 20 The Te declaration has been een a subject s of stubborn controversy It I. I Itis is declared by its is supporters to have ha dated ante the famous famous fa fa- fa declaration of July 4 4 1776 and has haa b been n denounced a RI a a myth It I is claimed the Mecklenburg declaration declaration decla decla- ration was i signed ned on May Ia 20 1775 A bly body of colonists met met at Meek Meck- near Charlotte and resolving th l f into a committee of safety fety it is d declared they drew up a declaration declara declara- tion of nd independence ce It I was a in iD 1825 1823 that the people of North Carolina first formally observed I May 20 In 1830 1530 the legislature le of the th state appointed a committee to consider con eon sider all aU th the i evidence obtainable concerning concerning con eon I the affair alair The commit committee e affirmed affirmed affre af af- af- af fre firmed the a genuineness of the Mecklenburg Mecklenburg burg resolutions Today the date dale May 20 0 O. is emblazoned on the great seal 11 of North Carolina arelina the declaration de appears I in the statute books bk of f the stats state apr and each year the anniversary is obre an d. d Mrs fen M Jackson There Ter The president who yesterday was the guest of Petersburg Pe Va Vs was wa's was wal met at atthe atthe the Ih railway station his arrive h here re by an imposing committee o of citizens eit- eit citi- citi zens en In and escorted to the tb Selwyn bot hotel 1 I Arriving at the th hotel the th rr president I held helda heldI I a I reception Th Then with Ir of Union I and Confederate veterans for his es escort cort rort th the president accompanied by ln Mrs Stonewall tonII Jackson Jacklon proceeded M to t a reviewing rp stand ta ni from which he witnessed I the b. b p pacing in of if probably the west most mOt noted parade ever eer hel held in in th this a city In I Colonial Colonia Costume Coate I Lar Large detachments of the national guard enard of both North Norh and South an aro arolina I lina lna ar were in th the the- fine The Th industrial r 1 colonial an and floral foral divisions ision were made I I up of or ba handsomely mely decorated decorated- floats More ore than farmers frer were wre in ia line lino on horse horse- hors balk back Many ac accompanied by their thir wives hes ad nd children appeared in ia colonial cos cost cos- cos t tame tume time Th The pres president was expected to make makeI two ches during diring hi his stay Atay in tD the fity ity Following luncheon at 2 p p. m. m he was WI to address th tha th people a at 4 0 Governor Gover Gover- nor Kit Kitchin in was to tt introduce the president president dent on both occasions a t nl At he hE will wl deliver an lD address es especially 11 t-s- t to the th colored people and to the th of Riddle RuMI university From 8 S to 30 th thir thi evening ninI he Wil will ill hold a is I second public reception ion The Th president pied dent will wl leave lea Ita e ar at J 10 tonight for tor Washington |