Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-05-07
THE PRESIDENTS TOUR

nent is a unique event in the history OF
the Nation, and, indeed it marks the
American Republic as unique among
the nations of the earth.
One day on the soil of the Old Do
minion the mother of States and
statesmen, moment in the shadow OF
| the great institution established by
| jefferson, in a~locality reminiscent of
the Nations infancy, few hours later
addressing a demonstrative audience
in one of the typical industrial towns
of the new Virginia and the new South.
The next day passing on into Tennes-
see little more than hundred years
ago an unknown wilderness beyond the
frontiers of the white mans civiliza-
tion, now rich in farm. factory and
mine; on into Alabama, a little while
ago the center of movement to set up
a second and rival American republic,
now welcoming with loyalty and en-
thusiasm the Chief Executive of our
indissoluble Union, and rejoicing in
the greatness and glory of our common
country. Still another day and the
Presidential party passes into the vast
empire to which jefferson carried the
Stars and Stripes, into a capital of a
fertile region once in revolt against the
flag, but now looking to Washington
with loyalty and confidence, and fol-
lowing with pride and hope wherever
"Old Glory" leads.
After having seen a corner of the
Louisiana Purchase and having beheld
some of the fruits of the wisdom of our
first great expansionist, the Presiden-
tial train will journey on to another
monument of this inevitable principal
of growth; and Mr.. Mckinley will e.
hold another empire in territory and
wealth, the imperial State of Texas,
whose admission to the great sister
hood of States was sealed with the
blood of American soldiers, and whose
stars upon the flag shall ever represent
the triumph of American arms. And
as the President journeys on from Ell
Paso across the great desert to the
Golden Gate, to Portland to Butte. to
Helena, to Yellowstone Park. to Salt
Lake City, and finally to Colorado
Springs, from which the homeward
journey will begin on June 9Th, he will
be in the land of the expansionist, in
the territory added to the United
States b. the Louisiana Purchase and
the Mexican cession.
The first days journey carried him
to what was the frontier of civilization
in the days of the infant Republic. The
end of the second day found him at the
| extreme western boundary of the I'm
tied States of one hundred years ago.
When. after two weeks of constant
travel on American railroads, he ar
dives at San Francisco, 1000 miles be-
yond lie the Hawa.- an Islands, and
still further on. where the Occident is
merged into the Orient. are the Phil
ippines and the flag.
When the President shall have tray
eled $1,000 miles on twenty-seven diff
ferent lines of railroads, traversing
% different states, leisurely visiting
the chief points of historic and indus
trial interest, remaining nearly week
in the Pacific metropolis, and accom-
plishing the journey within a month
world has such tour ever been a pos
sibility. Nowhere else in the world
could so much of beauty and richness
and activity and all the evidences of
marvellous growth pass under the eye
of one individual within the same
length of time.
But this tour of the Nations Chief
Executive, this moving of the Federal
Government from State to State in
palace on wheels, is not notable mere
ly because it will be chiefly in territory
acquired in pursuit of the National
policy of expansion nor even because
of the immense proportions of the
panorama thai will spread out before
the chief officials of the Government.
Mckinley, the first President since
Grant to succeed himself reelected by
an overwhelming majority of his fe!-
low citizens, after an eminently sue
cessful administration OF the Govern
ment in period that marks the begin.
ming of new era in our National his
tory, new era, industrially and poli+i-
cally, and particularly as regards the
relations between the various section
of the country, takes a brief respite
from the heavier cares of state. not in
pursuit of further political honors, not
in response to the urging of ambition.
but to behold the greatness of his
country, to meet, face to face, the peo-
pie of all sections, to gain confidence
and inspiration for the task that still
confronts him, and particularly to com