The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-14
M 'KINLEY FIRST.
Only President of the United
States
Who Ever Visited the DakOtaS
Since Statehood.
ARRIVE TOGETHER.
Chief Executive and the Retir-
ing Volunteers
Reach Aberdeen Within an
Hour of Each Other.

Aberdeen, S. D., Oct 14.-At o'clock
this morning President McKinley's
special arrived in this city over the
Milwaukee line. A fair run was made
after leaving Wahpeton, N. D., and the
train which had been running two
hours behind schedule time arrived here
promptly on time At the depot a. large
crowd gathered to see the first preSi-
dent of the United States who has ever
visited the DakOtas since statehood
The principal part of the throng was
the First South Dakota volunteers who
arrived today from the Philippines and
this feature was delayed for over an
hour by the delay to the soldiers train.
Shortly after S:25 the soldiers special
drew up at the Northern Pacific depot
and fell in line behind an escort of 6.
A. r. veterans, who followed immedi-
ately after the carriage of the president
and cabinet.
Col Frost rode at the head of his
regiment and as they passed down to
the reviewing station and the grain
palace every one of the 5000 inhabitants
of Aberdeen cheered and they were re-
inforced by several thousand visitors
from other parts of the state.
Addresses were made by President
Mckinley and the cabinet, Governor
Lee and others.
PRESIDENTS REMARKS.
The president said:
Mr. Mayor, Members of the First
South Dakota Volunteers and Fellow
Citizens: 1t gives me very great pleas
ure to join with your fellow citizens of
the state of South Dakota, your friends,
your families, your neighbors in this
welcome to your home. We are not
nation of hero wOrShippers, and yet we
are a nation of seventy millions of
grateful people who love valOr and who
are proud of the brave deeds of soldiers,
and L think L appreciate quite as much,
If not more than most of my fellow cit
izenS the value of the services this reg
wit q # OH n
corps, rendered the country in it's hour
of great emergency and am here to
speak not for myself alone, but for the
whole American people in expression of
gratitude and thanks for your heroic
action in the island of Luzon. I have
with me this morning, a dispatch just
received from your commander, the
major general commanding in the Phil
ippines telling me of the gallantry Of
Col. Frost and his First regiment, tell
ing me that from early in February un-
til late in June you stood on the firing
line, no enemy could resist your on
slaughtS upon them. Nor can I forget,
soldiers of the republic, that when the
treaty of peace was pending, when ne
gOtiatiOnS were being conducted in
Paris, when the ratification of the treaty
was awaiting the action of the senate
and finally when We were awaiting the
exchange of the ratification with Spain;
do not forget that when that time
came every one of you was entitled to
be mustered out of the service of the
United States and can never express
the joy you gave my heart when you
sent word that you would remain until
a new army could be formed to take
your places. That members of the
First South Dakota was an example of
personal sacrifice and public consecra-
tiOn rarely known in the annals of war,
but it is just like the American soldier
No matter where he comes from, he
never lays down his arms in the pres
ence of an enemy and he never lowers
the flag of his country until he has tri-
umphed over enemies who assail it,
"a voice-"We will never leave there
until they are all ncked.'')
4 am glad to see the veterans of
1851 with the veterans of 1898. It is all
the same kind of patriotism you got
from your fathers. It is a patriotism
that never deserts and never encour-
ages desertion. But my fellow citizens,
and members of the First South Dako-
| ia, you have just come home and I
know you want to get nearer home and
I shall not detain you a moment longer,
except to say to you that thank you
/ for your splendid services to the coun-
| try; I thank you for standing faithful
| and unfaltering on the battle line;
| thank you for preserving our flag stain
less; I thank you for waiting in the
| trenches until the relief came; I thank
you for having transferred this banner
| to those who succeeded you without
| dishonor and without blot and where
| that flag is, it stands for liberty, hui
manity and civilization
| The train bearing the presidential
| party left Aberdeen at 11:30 for Huron,
| S. D.