The Forrest City times., 1901-05-24
An INTERESTING EVENT.
President llsKinley Reviews Near
ly Fifty Thousand San Fran
cisco School Children.
LITERALLY RODE on BEDS OF FLOWERS.
1he President Responded to q Call for
spceeh by ExtoIllng the Advantages OF
an Education aud the Ambition TO Pro-
euro one-h visit to the Preside aud
Gen. rMafter.

eNfe Rne-~A visit to the PresIdio aud
Gen. saafter.
San Francisco. May %. President
Mckinley yesterday reviewed nearly
fifty Thousand school children of this
city. Both sides Of Van Ness avenue
from Jackson 10 Market streets were
linad WITH cheering and enthusiastic
ei6IlHreH I the PIE ident and MEM
es party aad local officials in
caaea were driven from Jackson
- lrket and lael 1he avenue to
Jackson. The presio WAS The re-
clpielt Of ceniiaaa ovation.
Almost every chilG Md been Drovia.
Cd with a gooa-sized American liag,
and their Voices ana ilags were
worked in union. Each little girl
wore white. and most Of them had
red hes. Thousands Of youngsters
had sfhered large bouquets witch
ialw af the president as he
y along. III some eases every
apii from a certain scAoai led
bouquet Of the saae sa and
color of flowers. Some eiaes areaa
be flowers in the street that the
resident and his party might literal
8 ride among the roses,
President Mckinley rode with his
hat in his hand, bowing ana wavine
from right to left. smiling continual
Y, and receiving the ovation with evi-
dent pride and happiness.
Ihc avenue was rich in color. In
addition o thousands of flags carried
by he children the residences were
decorated with bunting and flags and
the schooi banners of silk, bearing the
names O every school inthe city, were
conspicuous objects along the line OF
march. HalWay between California
and Sacramento streets The presi-
cents carfiaee brought mp ard the
other confeAHpces came 10 stand
till.
SPEC sHeach, fag out along
the aveHne ard lhn children swarmed
about thousands. President
dekinl IS hts carriage. reach
ng doM asa slakiag their haf dis for
several TN ile finally arose and
was SIS e'i With cheers. The presi-
dent ese hrai8 sayinm IN part:
u dese ip q eiHale moment 20 ex-
press the nieamlFe which has been
gYen to Wnet the $4,000 school
eaaidren 81 ilfe " of san Francisco
has given pc SD Introduction into
the countless homes of your preat
city, and has permitted me to wit
ness the sunshine which this number
Of young people bring 20 the firesides
or the city. | know OF no richer pos
session than great scholarship. no
nobler ambition than to obtain it. We
can not all be great scholars, but we
can all have good scholarship. | want
to assure yon young people that there
is nothing so essential to your easy
advancement and success in after life
as good education.
IF those of MS who have battled In
the riyalries and contentious of busy
world could go back to our youth and
school days, we would embrace cheer
fully our neglected opportunities and
pursue them with industry and de-
light. If the testimony of the active
men of San Francisco and Of the
country could be taken it would be
uniform in the declaration of the en-
barrassments under which they had
suffered from scanty mental traininv
in youth.
Nothing has given me more pleas
ure in my long trip from the Atlan-
tic to the Paciic than the scene which
we have Witnessed here this after
noon FApplauseI every child waving
the flag Of our faith and our hope and
every little heart filed with the love
OF country. lGreat appiausel With an
army for liberty and uaion and civil
ization. iGreat al,plause.l Why, we
haze IN the public schools of the Unit.
cd States four-fold more children
than there were people when this gov
.rnment was founded lApplansel, and
Ill of them proud of their country
and all of them meaning that when
the time comes for them to take the
responsibilities OF administration they
will be prepared to do their duty and
pass along this free government with
eyer-inereasing virtue, intelligence
and patriotism. Enthusiastic APP
plause.l
Il thank you and wish for all of yol
the realization of every worthy am
bitioa." lGreat applause.
After reviewing the school children
President Mckinley and party drove
70 the Preside. Gen. Shafter and
MEMBERS Of his staff were on hand to
welcome the commandments aid
he was escorted about the grounds
and shown the camps where thou
sands Of volunteers going to and com
ing from the Philippines have Ieen
quartered, as well as the camps OF The
regulars.