The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-09-06
8O1S, The PRESIDEN |"
MEINIEY'S SPEECH OF THANKS S
TO NATIONS DEFENDERS.
MISS WHEELER TAKES HIM TtiRO' A WARD
The President Visited Sick, Reviewed Caval-
rymen and Ordered Regulars from
East of the Mississippi to
Their Stations.

Camp WikoH, Montauk. L. l., Septem-
Der 3.-President Mckinley spent five
hours in the camp to-day, bare-headed
most of the time, visiting the sick in the
hospitals and inspecting the well in their
cantonmCntS. He made 4 speech to the
ass mbled infantrymen reviewed the cav
alryment expressed his opinion Of the
camp to the reporters and issued an order
directing the regulars to return to their
stations east of the Mississippi.
With the President were Nice-Presi-
dent Hobart. Secretary OF War Alger,
Attorney General Griggs. Senator Red
field Proctor. of Vermont: Br1gadier Cen
eraI Eagan. CommiSsary OF the Army;
Brgadier General Luddington, Quarter
master of the Army; Colonel Henry
Hecker and SecretaryS to the President
Porter and Corteyou. The ladies Of the
party were Mrs. Alger and Miss Hecker
Il daughter of Colonel Hecker. General
Wheeler. his staff and nearly every Off
Ger Of prominence in the camp met the
President at the station except General
Shafter. who is still in detention, and
General Young. who fell and broke his
arm last night After greetings and
introductions on the railway platform.
the President took General Nhealcr's 5
arm and went to 4 carriage. Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt. of the Rough Riders.
was among the group of horsemen near
by Mr.. Mckinley saw him and got out
of the carriage to speak to him. Colo
nel Roosevelt hastily dismounted and
tusseled with Il gauntlet for fifteen sec
ends 50 that ungloVed he might shake
hands The column of carriages wound
I
regiment and the mounted band of the
Sixth cavalry. The party paused nv
ment on the hill and the President looked
out on the wide, undulating cape, water
bound on either side and Whtcned on
the levels and hill tops by the tents
of $4,000 men. laid out in geometric lines.
Mir. Mckinley drove to General Shaf-
ters tent III the detention camp. Tie
General. who was flushed and weak from
a mild case of malarial fever. was in
full uniform. sitting in a chair at the
door of the tent. He tried to rise but
Mr.. Mckinley said:
Stay where you are, General. You
are entitled to rest"
The President congratulated Genera.
Shelter on the Santiago campaign. and
after few minutes rest DToce"dcd to
the general hospital The soldiers recent
lT arrived on transports and detained
i'm the detention section Of tne camp lined
mp ilregularly on each side of the road
and cheered. Mr.. Mckinley took off his
straw hat then, and scarcely put it on
for more than a minute or two at a
time during the remainder Of his progress
time during the remanedr of his progress
through the camp. Miss Wheeler. Il
daughter of the General. happened to be
in the first row of the HOSPITAL tents
and she shove, the President through
Enr DIVISION General Wheeler &nnoun-
r.d in each ward:
Boys. the President has come to see
T#u." or ''Solders, the President Of the
United States"
Some Of the soldiers slept on uncon-
~cious some listlessly raised upon their
elbows. others feebly claDpcd their hands
Mr.. Mckinley gently SaoD', hands with
many, and at every cot he paused IN
instant and if he saw the sick man
looking at him he bowed III Il direct
and personal way.
In the second w""l tlA President
entered. Sergeant John \. Alexander
Company -. First Illinois. who has a
fever. was rather startled by hearing
General Wheeler announce the Pres dent
The Sergeant half raised mp on his cot
Mr.. Mckinley. attracted hy the move
ment, took Alexandcr's hand and sail:
Il am sorry to see YOU SO sick. l hope
that YOU are getting better"
Thank you, | think | shall get well. y
DO You wish for anything" inquired
General Wheeler.
NO. | have everything good for me- ]
guess Alexander rcnlied wearily: '.but
wish | were home"
4 hope that we may soon get you
there said Mr.. Mckinley.
He had many such bits of talk with
the men. and seemed to be in no hurry,
lie almost outwore the patience of all his
party by his slOW-going through ward
after ward. When seemingly all the
wards of the general hospital had been
gone through and the Pesident was about
10 GET into II carra@o, Attorney Genera
GriG@s. detained him.
Miss Wheeler has told me-" said he
of a Lieutenant prado, who is in a ten