website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
President Taft
Visit to Watertown
President Taft Will Pass Through Watertown
Watertown Gazette, 09 17 1909
At 1:04 o’clock Friday afternoon of this week President Taft and party will pass through this city in a special train from Milwaukee bound west on the C. M. & St. Paul road. The train will stop at the platform east of the junction but it is not known whether the president will present himself or not. It is possible his train may also stop at the depot. [In mid-September of 1909 President Taft left on a speaking tour that took him to Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, and other cities across the country]
President Taft Passes Through Watertown
Watertown Gazette, 09 24 1909
Nearly 1500 people were present last Friday afternoon at 1:25 o’clock at the depot platform just east of the Junction when President William H. Taft stopped there with his special train en route west on his trip from Washington to Boston, Portland, Oregon, thence south and up the Atlantic coast to Washington, D. C. Nearly all the pupils of the public and parochial schools, the students of Sacred Heart College and the Northwestern University, the latter being accompanied by their band, were on hand to greet the President. As soon as the train stopped and the cheering ceased, President Taft, who stood on the rear platform of the observation car of his train, was introduced by Ex-Governor W. D. Hoard of Fort Atkinson, and among other things the president said in his 10 minute talk.
“Ladies and Gentleman: I am exceeding gratified at the reception accorded me in Watertown and especially in one of the richest counties in the state and to know that this section of the state, which is one of the most fruitful, is but an evidence of the prosperity of the whole state of Wisconsin, and it is pleasing to me to be with Ex-Governor Hoard who has aided in its development.
“We, in the city, have to look to the farmer for our prosperity. In a business sense the farmer made more progress than any one in any other line of industry or class in the country. I know my welcome here is to the office which I hold and I believe it right to educate the young to look forward and upward while the older citizen is content to look at matters as they are.
“I am glad to see so many ladies present, for where they have control it is sure to be a well regulated community. I do not know whether there are any women suffragists here, but I will state that it is time to give women the vote when all the women want to vote and I will be for it when it is demonstrated that they are all agreed upon the question.
“Prosperity will be with us in abundance form within a few years and looking at this gathering in Watertown I am inclined to believe that it is already here, the happy faces and the evidences of thrift and prosperity are shown by your appearance.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen, I bid you goodbye, hoping that you will wish me a safe return to Washington from the long trip before me.”
Cross references:
Taft-Sherman Club Organized, 1908
Bryan-Kern Club Organized, 1908
Impossible for Pres Taft to attend church on Sunday, 1909
History of Watertown, Wisconsin