Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-16
ILLNESS DELAYS TRIP
PRESIDENTS ITINERARY MAJ BE
CURTAILED.
MRS. M'KlNLEY BETTER
But Her Condition May Upset Plans
of the Great Outing-President
Speaks to Great Gathering at San
Jose-Receives Bouquet Ninety
Feet in Circumference.

San Francisco, May 1.-THE presi-
dent returned late yesterday after
noon from San Jose to the bedside OF
his wife at the Scott residence, where
he will remain until today. If Mrs.
McKinley's condition is still favorable
today, he will carry out the arranged
program with some curtailment. He
will visit Leland Stanford, Jr., Univer-
sity at Palo Alto and make stops at
San Mateo and Burlingame. Secre-
tary CorteIyou said last night: Mrs.
Mckinley rested well and comfortably
today"
San Jose. May 14.-Thousands OF
people between Delmonte and San
Jose who had been anticipating the
sight of the president for months were
disappointed yesterday. The presi-
dents presence in San Jose for an
hour in the afternoon took the edge
off the disappointment here, where a
rose carnival was being held in his
honor and where the floral display
surpassed anything ever before seen In
this part of the country. The cabinet
yesterday carried out the itinerary
originally planned, stopping at Pajaro
and Santa Cruz, where Secretary OF
State Hay was the representative OF
the president to reply to the welcome
made by the mayor. The presidents
presence here barely saved the day.
He ran down from San Francisco in
special car, arriving just as the cab1-
net train pulled into the city from the
south.
At $3.50, when the formal exercises
were concluded, he was driven back to
the station and left Immediately for
San Francisco. At st. James square
a handsomely decorated stand had
been erected from which the president
responded in part as follows to the
mayors address of welcome: 1--WE
live, my fellow citizens, under the
constitution that was made
for four millions of people, yet has
proved quite adequate for 100000
people. 1t has embraced within it ev-
cry national duty and purpose and has
never stood in the way of our develop
ment and expansion. That instrument
seems almost to be inspired to carry
forward the holy mission Of liberty.
1t seems not to have been made alone
for those who framed it and their sue
cessors, but for all ages and all man
kind That instrument stands today
almost as it left the hands of it's franz
ers. Few amendments have been add
ed and those have only been to en-
large the priceless blessings of liberty
and free government to the people,
and no amendment can ever be mad 4
to the constitution that will curtail t.. =
supreme and sovereign power of the
people.
To us my fellow citizens, young and
old, the preservation of that constitu-
ton is committed. 1t is a sacred in
strument and it is a sacred trust given
to us to see to it that it is preserved in
all of it's virtue and vigor and be
passed along to generations yet to
come, a glorious constitution, a glOr-
ious union, a glorious flag Seventy
FIVE millions of people stand together
as they never stood before to defen1
it,
Immediately in the rear of the stand
was a big bouquet 80 feet in circun.-
ference standing in it's frame twenty
five feet high. It was composed of cut
flowers of every variety that blooms
The idea of presenting the immense
floral Offering to Mrs. Mckinley orig
mated with the ladies of San Jose and
the presentation was made to the pres
ident by Mrs. E. O. Smith who ex-
pressed tender words of regret for
Mrs. McKinley's illness and hopes for
quick recovery.