The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-09

routes an hour before the president In
the rotunda of the hotel, the mayor of
Los Angeles formally greeted the chief
executive and extended to him the free
dom of the city The president respond
ed as follows:
MIR. Mayor and my Fellow Citizens
have been glad to be welcomed by my
companions of the Loyal Legion of the
United States, by my comrades of the
Grand Army of the Republic. and by
all the people. 1 have met while travel
ing through the south many of our old
comrades; but I have met also, march
ing side by side with them, giving
cheer and welcome to the President of
the United States, their former foes
who had met before on many a battle
Held, each the more respecting the
other, and all now united under one flag
and rivaling each other in love and de-
Votion to our constitution and our
common country. am glad to be in
this great state. It's population today
is more than one-tenth of the entire
population of the United States over
which the first president presided dur
ing those years. I can not stand in
this presence without recalling these
splendid pioneers of American civiliza-
ton, Kearney, Stockton and Fremont,
who led in the paths of progress and
civilization and dedicated this mighty
empire of the Pacific coast to liberty
and union forever. You have now re-
siding in your beautiful city that aged
woman who shared with General Ere-
triumphs, and for her / am sure you
will all join with ne in reverent and
affectionate regard.
Il congratulate you upon the hap
piness and prosperity not only of the
people of your city and of your state,
but the people of the whole country,
and to felicitate with you that now this
nation of ours is stronger and more
firmly cemented than it has ever been
before in all its history. There are
more men and women loving our flag
today than ever loved it before, ana
there is more respect paid to it at home
and abroad than ever before There IS
one thing about our national character,
it is not spoiled when it is transplanted-
1t loses none of its strength or its viz
tue or its liberty under any sun or be-
meath any stars. They say liberty does
not thrive under tropical skies Did
liberty ever thrive more grandly than
in the state of California and through
our southland?'
The president then held a short pub
lie reception in the parlors of the hotel.
Meantime Mrs. Mckinley and the ladies
of the party had been driven to the
Womans club. in F'igueroa street,
where they met the ladies of Los
Angeles The president and Mrs. Nc
Kinley spent the evening at Bivou,
the handsome residence of Gen. Harrl-
son Gray Otis, and after dinner a prt-
vate reception was held there in their
honor. Thy spent the night at the
s'Bivou.'
Governor Nash held a public recep-
ton at the chamber of comm cree. Late
in the afternoon some of the members
of the preNident's party ascended
Mount Low, 5000 feet high, whence they
had a birdseye view for seventy miles
of southern California, and the Pacific
ocean twenty miles out to sea- At
night the members of the cabinet and
other members of the party witnessed
the brilliant illumination in the streets.
The whole city blazed with fantastic
storm of confetti thrown by the merry
rioters.