Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-07-11
Roosevelt Meets the Men Of His Fa>
mous Regiment in Okla
honla City,
SPEAKS TO FORMER COMRADES
The Little City Entertained Twenty
Thousand People ana Did
It Nicely

Oklahoma City, 0. T., July IA typical
frontier demonstration and a rousiug wei.
come ifoh ronsn riders. COW punchers and
citizens olall classes. white, black and red
were acco.dei tuGay 70 Gov Roosevelt Of
New York. TIE second annual reunion Of
Roosevell's famous regiment brought TO-.
0O0 strangers into this little western city.
Of the l 100 who originally composed the
rough riders regiment, about 200 were
here to greet the colonel.
The surprising part Of it is that the city
took care Of her guests 50 well. OF course,
there was some Inconvenience. but every.
body was in the mood 10 take things good
natuTedly, aud the second day OF the re-
union can be described us great success
with but ono distressing feature. That
was an accident to Clifton George, secre.
tary OF the local committee on reception,
who was thrown from his horse aud is
thought to have sustained fatal injuries.
The central figure was the New York gov.
ernor, and the guests Ct the city vied with
each other in extending to him true
western ovation. The governor rode IL
black charger in the procession, which
passed through the principal streets. lie
WAS cheered all along the line, the cry
"Hurrah for Teddy" being the prevailing
SEN imsnt. He was not attired in thegarb
OF the rough riders, but wore a plain black
eutaway coat. Tie brown sombrero and
spurs on his boots alone marked him az
the colonel OF his famous regiment.
The procession was formed of members OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic and the
United Confederate Veterans, cavalry frem
Fort Reno, band OF red men in their
sarb, members OF the Twentieth Kansas,
First Tennessee and First Colorado yolan-
teer regiments, and civic organizations OF
Oklahoma City and Guthrie.
The exercises OF the day were held at the
fair grounds and we're presided over by a.
a. C!assen, chairman oil ,he lot Al c0nrlit-
tee on entertainment. Gov. Barnes Of OlF
lahoma and Mayor Van Wickle OF thiscii
made welcoming addresses, and Mrs. y. A..
Jennings Of New York sang THE star
Spangled Banner"
| Col. Roosevelt rose to his feet when the
first strains OF the soulstirring anthem
were heard, and soon the entire assemblage
OF 5000 people was reverently standing.
The scene became dramatic when rough
rider uniurlsd the stars and stripes and
waved the banner over the overnor's head.
A temporary interruption that threatened
to result in a panic, occurred during Gov.
Barnes speech. One OF the supports to
the speakers stand gave way and ii was
thought iot moment that the structure
might fall, nut the presence Of mind Of the
governor aud other officers in charge
averted any serious crash and when it was
found tha; the stand was solid after all,
Gov. Barnes continued hi, speech.
The introduction Of Gov. Roosevelt was
the signal Tor AN extraordinary demou-
stration aud ut times he could scarcely
proceed Will his address on account oi the
applause. In the course oi his speech the
governor si1:
~ have n YER been in your territory un.
til last night, but feel at home here. You
are bone Of my Yone, blood ol MY blood
and 10 snl0e OF your sons am bound by
the closest ties that can bind one man TO
his brothers. ] hope 20 come down here
often and the next time come hope to
zee yeu state. You have got free homes
and nor you need statehood. ! know ]
don't have to say to you, least VI all to
those who know me closely like my com.
rades here, that am with you heart and
soul to aid you in whatever you desire.
"And want today, fret Of all, to thank
the territory ana city whose guests we are.
for the magnificent hospitality extended to
us, and then to say how glad am that we
had with us men OF the First Colorado Who
followed Gen. Irving Hale; men OF the Twen-
tieth Kansas who followed Funston and
Metealf and men OF the First Tennessee,
men OF the different volunteer regiments
and men also OF those splendid regulars
who in time OF war and time OF peace are
ever ready to do the bidding OF our com
mon country. am glad 10 see here today
representatives OF the Ninth and Tenth
cavalry, beside whom we marched to vic
tory on that bloodstained morning two
years ago last Sunday.
"Men Of Oklahoma, II is ] years since
you had Oklahoma. Why ARE you here
Because you expanded into Oklahoma
This is not politics. This is q statement
of TACT. Wherever the Nag is and os long
as there is an armed foe against it, the ilug
stays there.
Among the men Of my regiment whonro
here today are men partly "r IN "hp'e ~
the blood Of the Pawner, tho ChstpEc", The
Chickusaw and the Creek, the ancient F'd
owners OF the soil. one oiibc men oi that
blood promoted for ralIantry io action
from second lieutenant 60 fualiy cap
tain. He WAS ,hot and before his goard
WAS healed he joined us ~ the front
Aud now that man has a commisslon in
. q 81 TO RE r.
Baarstba a The Kind IOl Have klKayi Hggl