Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-24
TIE pans1oHnr N xaxAs.
President Haeriscn's 0pesch at San
Antonio.

Me-. MAYOR AND FELLOW CIrIzEss.-I
very much regret that frequent speaking in
tie open sir during the past week and the
very heavy atmosphere which we have this
morning have somewhat impaired my voice.
/ am sure you will crown your hospitality
d kindness by SLOWING me to speak to you
only briefly. sympxshize with You in the
distress which you feel that the day 10 %
unpropitious for any street demonstration.
hay have been told by ore wise in such
matters that this rain Is worth s5 600. 600 to
Western Texas. That beipg the case, il
greatly modefates our regret. There has
csms to be popular habit Of attribusing to
the President whatever weather may hap.
pen on any demonstration 10 which he takes
a part. | suppose msy claim credit this
morning for this benedcent rain. laugh
tar and spplAuse). l generously assure
you that il 1t is worth IS much money a.
my friend has estimated l shall not take
more than hslf that sum. Laughter).
In visiting for little while this historic
city | had anticipated great pleasure in
looking upon the remains OF An earlier
occupancy of this territory 10 which you
now dwell. Our glance this morning mus.
be brief ard imperfect, but the history has
been written and the traditions of those
martyrdoms which occurred here for lib
erty are fresh in your minds and are still
An inspiring story to be repeated to
your children. I remember in my early
boyhood to have heard thrilling descrip-
lions Of the experiences of An uncle whose
name bear in some Of these campaigns
for freedom in Texas in which he took
part, 90 that the story to me goes back to
these dim early recollections Of childho ID.
I am glad to stand where these recollsc-
tons are revived and frashened, for they
were events OF momentous importance to
this country, to this State, and to the whole
Union.
Irejoice that you have here so great .
commonwealth. The stipulations under
which Texas came into the Union Of the
states and which provided that that CREST
territory might be sub-divided into five
states seems not to attract much attention
in Texas now. Indeed, go far as can
Judge, no man would be able successfully
to appeal to the suffrage of any hamlet in
Texas upon the issue that the state should
be divided ct all. (Cheers.) The great
industrial capabilities which you have, the
beneHcent climate that spreads over much
OF your vast territory, the great variety
of productions which your soil and
climate render possible, give q prom
Use for the future Of q prominence
among the great states Of the Union
that seems to me can scarcely fail to bring
Texas to the front among our great sister,
hood. (Cheers.) You are only nov begin
ming to bring to the pillow this vast stretch of
fertile lands; you are only nov beginning
to diversity those interests, to emancipate
yourselves by producing at home, in your
own fields, all Of those products which are
necessary to comfortable existence. | hope
you are soon to add-indeed, you are now
largely adding-to this diversity Of agricul-
tural pursuits q diversity Of mechanical pur-
suits. The advantage which you have to
tfansmute the great product of the field into
manufactured product is very great. There
can certainly be no reason why very large
part Of the million bsles Of the cotton
which you produce should not be spun in
Texas. (Cheers.)
hope your people will more and more
turn their thoughts to this matter, for just
in proportion as q community or state suit
ably divides its energies among various
industries, so does it retain the wealth it
produces and increase its population ZAP
n
country some time ago, in speaking Of
impressions which were msde upon his
mind, said he was constantly asked % he
travelled through the country whether he
was not amazed at its territorial extent. He
said while this, of course, was noticeable
incident Of travel, he wondered that we did
not forget all our bigness Of territory 10 9
contemplation of the great spe ctscle we req
To- Al auI
peaceful communities. He regarded this
side of our country and her institutions as
much more inper alive than its materisl
devolments or its territorial extent, and he
was right in that judgment. My fellow
citiz ems, the pride Of America, that which
should attrac: The admiration and has
attracted the imitation Of many people upon
the face Of the earth. is our system OF gov
eminent. applause
am glad to know and have expressed
my satisfaction before, that here in the
state Of Texas you are giving attention to
education, that you have been able to erect
9 school fund, the interest upon which
promises q most magnificent endo wment
for your common schools. These schools
are the pride aud safety of our state. They
gather into them upon Common level with
US and hope with you the children of the
rich and poor. In the state in which dwell
everybody's children attend the common
schools. This lesson Of 60 islity, The per
feet system which has been developed by
this method Of Instruction, is training n
valuable class Of citizens to take up the
responsibilities Of government when we
shall lay them down. (Applause.)
hope every one Of your communities,
even your scattered rural communities,
will pursue this good work. l am sure this
hope is shared by my honored friend, Gov
ernor Hogg, who sits behind me (applsu,e)
and who In the pursuit OF bis public duties
can influence the progress Of this measure.
No material greatness, no wealth, no
accumulations Of splepdor are to be com.
pared with these humble and homely viz
tues which have generally characterized
our American homes.
Thanking you for your cordial greeting,
all of your people, and especially the Gov
ernor Of your ste, for courtesies which
have been unfailing in cordially and
friendliness that has not found any stint or
repression in the fact that we are Of differ
ent political cpinions-(gfeat cheerirg)-I
beg to thank you for this special man,fes-
tA,ion Of respect, and to ask you to excuse
NE from further speech. shall follow
SUE h arrangements As your committee have
made, and shall be glad il 10 those srrar &C.
mems there is some provision by which
may meet Is many Of you Is possible indi-
cid lIr (pp.tN,uaN oh