The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1901-05-03
THE PRESIDENT IN DIXIE.
The Government on Wheels Meets
With Cordial Reception
in the Southland.
THE FIRST REAL STOP MADE At MEMPHIS
An Impressive Welcome by Gov. MeMiiIin
aud the Memphisns. which the Presi-
dent Acknowledged In One of II Most
Happy speeches-Lsdies of the Party
Fitsingly Entertained.

Dental party passed through the
heart of Dixie yesterday. and at 4:30
p m. reached Memphis. on the banks
of the Mississippi. This was the first
resting place of the tour.
After descending the mountains
Monday night the train yesterday
skinned along through northern Ala
bama and the valley Of the Tennessee
where Gen. Grant worsted Forrest in
his campaign TO cut the confederacy
in two.
The fresh green southland. with ITS
fruit in full blossom and its infinite
variety of wild flowers in field and
forest. was a great change from the
backward spring which the party had
left behind al Washington.
The heat was rather oppressive, but
the weather was not so warm as the
presidents welcome. The hearty
greetings extended to him along the
route testified how completely he had
captured the hearts of the people of
Dixie. Confederate veterans at all
the stopping places were among the
presidents most enthusiastic auditors,
and that he was impressed with their
marks of love and esteem will be evil
dent after a perusal of the brief
speeches he made at Huntsville, De-
eatur, Tuscumbia and Corinth.
During the morning at the regular
hour for the cabinet to assemble. the
president summoned his advisors into
the observation ear, and there, behind
closed doors, the first cabinet meet
ing on wheels was held. No important
advices had been received from Wash
ington which required action. but the
foreign dispatches in the papers were
talked over and some of the details
as vet undetermined were considered.
At Memphis the party received n
wonderfully impressive welcome. A
committee. headed by Senator Car
mack, met the train at Corinth. and
escorted the party to this city. \
national salute OF p guns, fired from
the river bluffs. signalized the APP
proach TO the city.
AT the station Gov. McMillin and
others reinforced the greetings to the
party.
4 military parade, with a company
of grizzled confederate veterans in
their old uniforms acting as the
guard of honor, escorted the party in
carriages through the principal streets
and around the customhouse. whence
a view of the Mississippi, now almost
oyerfowing on the Arkansas side, was
obtained, TO Court square.
The city was deliberately decorated
with flags and bunting Not a resi-
dence or business house seemed to
have escaped from the desire to decor
ate in honor OF the presidents com
ing. Banners were stretched across
the streets bearing such inscriptions
as Mr.. President, the City is Yours y
THE Nations President" etc.
The cheering through which the
procession PASSED was tremendous at
points along the route.
In Court square, where the open
air reception occurred, the platform
was so hedged around with roses and
other blossoms as TO make il flow
er show. Over ten thousand people
were packed into the square when the
president was introduced by Mayor
Williams.
In response TO cheers which greeted
him. the president made the first real-
ly notable speech of his trip. His
theme was "rhe I.esistless Power Of
Great. United People, and the
speech was delivered in his best vein
When he referred, in closing, 70 the
noble record of the Tennessee volun-
teers in the Spanish and Philippine
wars. GOV McMillin led the cheering.
The speech in fun is as follows:
The Presidents speech.
/ reeiprocate the sentiments of good will
and fraternity expressed by your honored
mayor and shown an this cordial recep-
ton on the part OF the people of Tennes-
see. / do not misinterpret this demon
stration. ] do not appropriate IL, but ac-
eeDt II mats true spirit and recognize ltS
true significance to our common country.
1t Is representative of that universal good
feeling happily Subsisting among the peo-
pie OF the United States and which is not
bounded by state political or geograph-
zeal lines. 1t is co-extensive with the
Union itself. and exists because OF our
love for the Union. Ii is not perfunctery
or superficial, but deep and heartfelt. II
is the nearly. honest sentiment of honest
people loving their country and proud OF
It's Institutions and determined that both
shall be maintained. 1t is powerfully in
fioeneing our national life and develop
ment and completing that unifcation SO
essential 10 national security and so in
dispensahle 10 the realization of our ma
tional strength and influence. What a
mighty resistless power for good is a
united nation of free men Ii makes for
peace and prestige, for progress and lib
erty. Ii conseryes the rights of the peo-
pie and strengthens the pillars of the
government and is a rulfllment OF that
more perfect Union for which our revolu-
uonary fathers stroVe and for which the
constitution was made. No citizen of the
republic reJoices more than l do at this
happy state. and none will do more with
In his sphere 10 continue and strengthen
IL.
our past has gone into history No
brighter one adorns the annals of man.
kind. our task is for the future. We
leave the old century behind us. holding
on to its achievements and cherishing its
memories, and turn with hope To the new.
with its opportunities and obligations.
These we must meet, men of the south,