Complaining about politics in old-time Phoenix


Let's time-travel back to old-time Phoenix and complain about politics. I figure 1909 would be a good time to do it, when President Taft was visiting Phoenix.

It's 1909, and we're sitting near the Adams Hotel, which is on the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Adams, in Phoenix. And here comes President Taft. By the way, that building back there that says "New York Life Insurance", the Gooding Building, is still in Phoenix in the 21st Century - it was "modernized" in the 1950s.

Anyway, let's complain about the government. I'll get it started - These are terrible times! Politicians are all just a bunch of crooks, lining their pockets. Don't know what the country's coming to! Taft? I don't know. That's him there, the big guy, they must have reinforced the frame on that horseless carriage. Derned waste of taxpayer money, I'd say. No, I don't pay any taxes, but that's not the point.

Your opinion? What makes you think I want to hear your opinion? And put out that cigar, it smells like guano. Roosevelt? I don't know, I hear he regrets not running. I've heard tell that he wants to help Arizona, and is friends with Dwight Heard, maybe they're thinking about getting some of that Federal money to build a dam or something. I'll believe it when I see it. Bunch of darned fools if you ask me. Hand me the bottle.

Yeah, Taft's a darned fool, just like most of the presidents lately. Now Grover Cleveland, that was a president! They don't make them like that anymore. What? No, I have no idea what he did, I just know that he wasn't a darned fool. Or maybe he was. Give me one of your cigars.

Hold my whiskey bottle, I'm going to go up and shake hands with the President.

Image at the top of this post: President Taft visiting Phoenix in 1909. You're looking southwest on Central towards Adams.
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