Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-05-08
HARRISON SPEECHES.
WORDS OF THE PRESiDENT AT
A SAN FRANCISCO BANQUET.
The People, Products and Climate
of California Highly Praised and
His Hearers Pleased.
IIarrison's Speech.


President Harrison was rendered ban
quet at the Palace hotel in san Francisco
Friday night last, VIXEN he gave utterance
TO the following:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen When
the queen of Sheba visited tho court of
Solomon and saw It's sp.ondors she was
compelled to testify that half had not been
told her. Undoubtedly the emissaries OF
Solomon's court. who had penetrated the
distant territory. found themselves in a
Ike situation TO that which attends Cali
fornians when they trave! east; they are
afraid To put 10 test the credslity of their
hearers, and, as gentleman of your
state said to me, il has resulted in pre-
yailing disposition among Calfornians TO
tell the truth outside OF California, not al
all because Californians are unfriendly 10
the truth. but solely out of compassion
for thc.r hearers. They address
themselves TO the capacity OF those
who hear them and taking warning by
the fate Of the man who told the sover
eign Of the Ind cs OF water so solid that it
could be walked upol. they do not carry
their best stories away from home. 1t has
been. much ms ! have heard of California.
"a brilliant disllusion TO me and TO those
who have .ourneyed with me;
half had not been told of the pro-
ductivcness OF your valleys Of blossoming
orchards and gardens laden with flowers,
which we have seen. and have been en-
tranccd. Our pathway has been strewn
with flowers, we have been surprised when
we were in the region OF orchards aud
roses, TO be suddenly pulled up at the sta
ton and asked TO address some remarks 10
pyramid Of pig-t.n. Products of the
mines, rare and exceptional, have been
added TO the products OF the field, until the
impression has been made upon my mind
that if any new want should be developed
in the arts. possibly if any want should be
developed in craftsmanship, or any vacancy
in Office, We have the safe reservoir that
can be drawn upon ad iibtum. But, my
friends, swCctcr than all the incense Of
flowers richer than all the products of the
mine. has been the gracious. unaffected.
hearty kindness with which the people OF
California have everywhere received
us. Without division. without dissent.
a simple yet magnificent American
welcome 1t is gratifying that it should
be so. | believe that we have come TO a
new epoch as "a nation. There are opening
portals before Us TO enter; opening portals
TO trade and influence and prestige. We
will pursue the paths OF peace, we are not
a warlike nation; all our instincts, all our
history is in the lines Of peace. Only
intolerable aggression, only the peril OF
our institutions or the flag can thoroughly
arouse US. With capabilities for war on
land. on sea unexcelled by any nation in
the world. we are sm!tten with love of
peace We would promote the peace OF
this hemisphere by placing iudiciously
some large guns about the Golden Gate
simply for saluting purposes and yet they
should be of the best modern type. We
should have on the sea some good vessels.
We don't need navy as great as some
other nations, but we do need a sufficient
navy OF frst-class ships, simply 10
make sure that the peace OF the hemi-
sphere is preserved. simply that we may
not leave great distant marts and harbors
of commerce. and our few citizens who
are domiciled there, TO feel lonesome for
the sight OF the American flag. We are
making fine progress in the construction
Of navy. The best English constructors
have testified TO the completeness and
perfection Of some Of our latest ships. 1t
is source Of great qualification 70 me that
here in San Francisco the energy, enter
prise and courage Of some of your citizens
have constructed plant capable OF build
ing the best modern ships. j saw with
great delight the magnificent launch OF one
of these new vessels. ! hope that you may
so enlarge your capacities for construct on
that il will not be necessary TO send any
naval vessels around the horn. We want
merchant ships. l believe that we have
come to the me when we should choose
whether we will continue to be non-partici-
pants in the commerce of the world or will
now vigorously, with the push and energy
our people have shown in other lines Of en-
terprise, claim our share of the worlds
commerce. | will not enter into the discus
sion of the methods OF which the postal bill
of the last session OF congress
marks the beginning. Here in California,
where for so long time u postal service
that did not pay its own way was main
tanned by the government; where for other
years the government has maintained mail
lines into your valleys, reaching out to
every remote community and paying out
yearly hundred times the revenue that
was derived from il, it ought not TO be
difficult to persuade you that our ocean
mail should not longer be the only service
for which we even refuse TO expend the
revenues derived.
The president closed by expressing the
hope that the Nicaragua canal would be
completed in good season.