The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-21
He WILL BE SURE TO COME.
Ex-MAYOR MYERS TALKS OF THE
PRESIDENTS VISIT TO SAVANNAH.

MIR. Mckinley Appreciates the In
YitatiOn From SaVannah's Citizens
and Accepted 1t in the Spirit in
Which IL Was Extended-Savannah
Can BE Relied on to Sustain, or Ex-
eel, Her Past Reputation for Hos
pitaIity and Appropriate Enter
tainment of Distinguished Guests.
Thousands VIII Come in to Unite
with SRvannahians in HOnOring
the COuntry's Chief Executive.
Ex-Mayor Herman Myers returned from
New York yesterday, having gone there
from Washington, where, in company with
ex-Mayor John Screven and Capt. D. G.
Purse, he waited on President Mckinley
and extended him the invitation of the
Board of Trade and business men and citi-
zens to visit Savannah and review the Sew
enth Army Corps.
The results of the visit to the President
are wen known, his acceptance of the in
vitation having been published. Mr.. Myers
has no fear that the President and nearly
all of the members of the cabinet will not
come 10 Savannah.
"The President, 1 believe, was pleased
with the invitation extended him." said
Mr.. Myers, and appreciated the desire
OF our people to honor him, and accepted
the invitation, realizing fully the spirit
that prompted it. He has a keen memory
of the courtesies extended him here on his
previous visit, knows Savannahs well sus-
tanned reputation for hospitality, and is
wen informed as to the patriotic and imme-
date response that Savannah made when
| the call came for volunteers. l do not
/ think, from remarks dropped by Mr.. Nc
| Kiney in our interview with him, that
there is any city in the South he would
/ prefer to visit than Savannah We found
! him straightforward, sympathetic, I'M
| affected American citizen, gratfed at the
/ courtesy our people desire 10 show him
/ and desiroous 10 accept it if conditions
/ would possibly permit. l have no fear but
/ that we viii have the President and
his party with us next MONTH and, from
| what | know of Savannah l have no fear
! but that his reception and entertainment
/ will be worthy of his high office and the
! long established reputation of the city"
Mr.. Myers was asked whether he
/ tllOd6Ai the SlpIlcS dDOul the Olly AOuii-
ciPs declining 10 extend an invitation
would affect the Presidents acceptance of
/ the invitation from business men.
| mot in the slightest" he said. THE
! President has accepted an invitation from
the Board of Trade and other business
! interests to visit Savannah. The failure
| of the Council to extend an invitation has
no bearing, and will not affect his decision
| in the slightest. Why should il? 1t surely
] ba IN 10 1rha
of distinction can be invited to Savannah
unless it be by the city government? The
invitation extended to the President was
not extended as an official act of the city
government, but as the personal act of
the business men. The Chamber of Com
merce of New York city would hardly
think it its duty TO wait on the board of
| aldermen there TO extend an invitation to
| the President If it desired his presence in
the city. No more is it incumbent on the
| business organiza tions and business men
| generally of Savannah to remain quies-
cent and depend on Council in such a
| case. The President has accepted an in
vtation from Savannah's business men,
and he viii be here"
Mr.. Myers declined to discuss the re-
ports as to Councils not inviting the
President. 'I have nothing to do with
/ Councils action, or failure to act in the
matter" he said. Il left the committee
| after visiting the President and went to
| New York. When l reached home to-day
| I got the first intimaion that there was
| any discussion here and elsewhere over
| the matter you refer to- The committee
that went to Washington knew that the
! people of Savannah would be pleased to
have the President and party visit the
city; every gentleman who had been ap-
preached in the matter approved of it
and gave IT. his hearty Endorsement all
that we have to do now is to prepare for
the reception of our distinguished guests,
and make the occasion a gala time l
know that the gentlemen who will be in
charge Of the entertainment of the presi-
Dental party will prepare a suitable pro-
gramme. and thatAit will be carried out
with that complete success that character
ICES everything that Savannahians under
| take. That is all we have got to do now,
prepare to make the event memora BIZ
! give our guests the greatest amount of
/ pleasure possible out of their visit, derive
as much pleasure from it as we can our
selves, and when the President and his
! party leave let them carry with them the
idea that of Savannah's hospii ality the
half had never been told them. Savan-
nah has never failed to sustain her repu-
tation and her people are not likely to let
! it be dimmed on this occasion"
Capt. DIG. Purse will arrive home this
morning. He was. expected yesterday, but
was DELAYED, Committees will probably be
appointed al once and the detailed pro-
gramme viii be speedily prepared Ii is
the impression that Gov. Gambler will pre-
side at the banquet 20 be given at the De
Soto 10 the President and party. The rail-
roads will give the same rates to Savan-
nah as Atlanta has secured for her peace
! jubilee and thousands, of visitors are ex-
! pected in from the country TO witness the
review and see the President.
! 1t is understood that before the commit
! tee of citizens visited Washington the in
! vitation which was to be extended the
President was shown to Gen. Lee and met
with his approval, he promising to at once
| supplement- it With att invitation from him
as commander of the corps.