Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-17

| that has gathered to welcome us Judge from
what we have seen az we neared your station
that we have here at Birmingham the largest
and most enthusiastic concourse Of people that
has met us since we left the national capital
| tGreat and prolonged cheers
For all this | am deeply grateful. The
rapidity with which we must pursue this Jour
| ney will not allow us to look with any detail
into the great enterprises which cluster about
your city, but IL We shall only have opportunity
| to see for n moment these friendly faces and to
| listen to these friends words, we shall carry
away that which will be invaluable and l
may leave something to you that is worth cher
| ishing. lGreat cheering.l
Il have read OF the marvellous development
which in the last few years has been stirring
| the solitude OF these southern mountains and
| remember that not many years after the war,
when had resumed my law practice at Indian
| apolis. was visited by a gentleman known. I
expect, to all OF you, upon some professional
business, but he seemed to be more interested
| in talking about Birmingham than anything
else. Laughter and cheers.l
THAT man was Col. Powell. one Of the early
promoters OF your city. [Cheers. listened to
his story Of the marvellous wealth of iron and
| coal that was stored in this region, of their
/ nearness to each other, and to the limestone
necessary for smelling; to his calculations to
| the cheapness with which iron could be pro-
| duced here, and his glowing story Of the great
city that was to be reared, with a good deal Of
| Incredibly. Laughter thought he was a
| visionary but have regretted ever since that
did not ask him to pay me my fee in town lots
| In Birmingham. Laughter and cheers.
| My countrymen. we thought the war great
| calamity and 30 ii was. The destruction Of life
| and property was great and sad beyond ex-
| preston; and yet we oan see now that God led
| us through that Red Sea to q development in
| material prosperity and to fraternity that was
not otherwise possible. [Cheers]. The indus
| tries that have called to your midst so many
| toiling men are always and everywhere the
| concomitants of freedom. Out of all this free
| dom from the incubus Of slavery the south has
found a new industrial birth, one almost wholly
agricultural. You are now not the less fruitful
| in crops, but you have added all this. (Cheersl.
You have increased your production Of cotton,
and you have added an increase in ten years of
| nearly three hundred per cent to the produc-
| ton of iron. You have produced three-fourths
OF the cotton crop OF the world, and it has
brought you since the war about eight billion
dollars OF money to enrich your people; but
yet you are spinning in the south only eight
per cent of 1T. Why not, with the help we will
give you in New England and the north spin it
all? lCheersl
why not establish here cotton mills, that
shall send not the crude agricultural product
to other markets, but the manufactured pro-
ducH lCheers. Why not, while supplying
5000 .OOO OF people, reach out and take a part
we nave not had In the commerce of the wOrldl
LCheers.]
American prosperity and in the upbuilding
again or our American merchant marine.
lCheers.l l believe that these southern ports
that SO favorably look out with invitations to
the states OF Central and South America shall
yet see our fleets carrying tine American flag
and the products Of Alabama to the markets Of
South America. lGreat cheeringl In all this
we are united. We may differ as to what
method. but if you will permit me / will give
al illustration to show how we have been deal
wit \
Der when no wholesale merchant ever sent a
drummer into the field. He said TO his Gus
toners, come to my store and buy" but COM
petition increased, and the enterprising mer-
chant started out men to seek customers. and SO
his fellow merchant was put to the choice to
put travelling men into the field or to go out of
business 1t seems to me that whatever we
may think OF the policy of aiding our steam
ship lines, since every other nation does it. we
must do 1t or stay out of the business; for we
have pretty much gone out (Cheers. | am
glad TO reciprocate with the very fullness of my
heart with every fraternal expression that has
| fallen from the lips Of these gentlemen who
have addressed me in your behalf. Cheers.
have not been saved from mistakes, probably
| L shall not be. l am sure of but one thing. L
| can declare that have simply at heart the
glory OF the American nation and the good of
| all Its people. Great and prolonged cheer
ing L thank these companies OF the state
militia, one OF whom L recognize having
| ceremonies, for their presence.
They are deserving, sir Ito the governor),
OF your encouragement and of the state of
Alabama. They are the reserve army of the
United States. 1t Is our policy not to have a
large regular army. but to have q trained mill
tia that in any exigency will step to the defense
OF the country, and If an exigency should ever
arise-which God forbid know that YOU
would respond as quickly and readily as any
other state" lCheers.l
hAe L..,,
at you back" CONTINUED cheeringl
Il am glad to know that i'll addition to all
TINS business you are doing you are also attend
ing to education and to those things that con-
duce to social order. The American home is
the one thing cannot ford to lose out of
the American life [Cheersl AS long as we
have pure homes and God-fearing order-loving
fathers and mothers to rear the children that
are given to them, and make these homes the
| abodes OF order, cleanliness, piety and intelli-
gence, the American society and the American
Union are safe" [G-eat and prolonged cheer
ing.l
TOUR OF THE CITY.
The presidential party then made a tour of
the city and were received with enthusiasm all
| along the route. The President rode in COM
pany with the governor and mayor in large
open carriage drawn by four splendid gray
horses. As he reached the o Brien Opera House
he was greeted by the familiar strains of
America, sung by members of the Green
wood Opera Company. The President ac-
knowledged their compliment by standing in
the carriage and bowling with his hat in his
hand. This act aroused the widest enthusiasm,
and caused q temporary check in the progress
OF the procession.
After visit to South Highlands, beautiful
suburban resort the President and his party
repaired to the Caldwell House, where public
reception lasting an hour was held. A very
large crowd attended and supper was afterward
served. The party returned to the train at 8
o'clock and Immediately started for Memphis
| just as the train was leaving Birmingham the
party was presented by local merchant with
large supply of palm-leaf FANS which the pre-
vailing hot spell rendered most acceptable.
VIEWS OF ITALIAN NEwsPApERs