Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-05-07
HAIL THEIR CHIEF.
Southern People Warmly Greet the
President.
TOUR is A CONTINUOUS OVATION.
MIR. Mckinley Acknowledges the
Hospitality Shown Him-A
Notable Address ut
Memphis.

Memphis, Tenn, May 1.-The presi-
Dental train passed through the heart
of Dixie Tuesday and at 4:3O in the
afternoon 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 on Tuesday skinned
along through northern Alabama and
the valley of the Tennessee river and
touched at Corinth, Miss, where Gen.
Grant worsted Forrest in his campaign
to cut the confederacy in two. The
fresh green southland, with its fruit in
fun blossom and its infinite variety of
wild flowers in the fields and forest,
was great change from the backward
| spring which the party had left behind
| at 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 completes
ly 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
was evident in the brief speeches he
made at Huntsville, Decatur, Tuscum-
bia and Corinth.
Cabinet Meeting Held.
During the morning at the regular
hour for the cabinet to assemble the
president summoned his advisers into
1 nj nd =
| closed doors, the first cabinet meet
ing on wheels was held. No impor-
tant advices had been received from
Washington which required action, but
the foreign dispatches in the papers
were talked over and some of the de-
tails, as yet undetermined, were dis
cuSSed.
Welcome to Memphis,
AT Memphis the party received a
wonderfully impressive welcome. A
committee headed by Senator Car
mack met the train at Corinth and es-
corted the party to this city. A na-
tional salute of 21 guns fired from the
river bluffs signaled the approach to
the city. At the station Gov. McMillin
| and others reinforced the greetings to
the party. a military parade with a
company of grizzled confederate vet
| Grams in their old uniforms acting as
the guard of honor escorted the party
in carriages through the principal
streets aud around the custom house,
whence view of the Mississippi, now
almost overlooking 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 decorate in
honor of the presidents coming. Ban
| ners were stretched across the streets
bearing such inscriptions as Mr.. Pres
ident, the City Is Yours" "The Ma
tion's President"
| A Notable Speech.
The cheering through which the pro-
cession 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 it Il flower show. Over TO-
600 people We're packed into the square
| when the president was introduced by
Mayor Williams. In response to the
cheers which greeted him the presi-
dent made the first really notable
| speech of his trip. His theme was the
reslstless power of a great united peo-
| pie, and was delivered in his best vein.
When he referred in closing to the
noble record of the Tennessee volun-
| teers in the Spanish and Philippine
wars Gov. McNIillin led the cheering.
| The speech in full is as follows:
Il reciprocate the sentiments of good
| will and fraternity expressed by your hon
orcd mayor and shown in this cordial re-
| ception on the part of the people of Tennes-
| see. I do not misinterpret this demonstra-
| tion do not appropriate it, but accept it
| In It's true spirit and recognize its true sig
| ni1cance to our common country 1t is
representative of that universal good feel
| ing subsisting among the people of the
United States and which is not bounded by
| state, political or geographical lines. 1t is
coextensive with the union itself, and ex-
lists because of our love for the union. 1t
| Is not perfuntory or superficial but deep
and heartfelt. 1t is the hearty, honest sem
timent of honest people loving their coun-
| try, and proud of Its institutions, and de-
| termined that both shall be maintained. 1t
is powerfully influencing our national life
| fication so essential to national security
| and so Indispensable to the realization of
| our national strength and influence.
Mighty, Resistless Power.
What mighty, resistless power for
! good Is a united nation of free men, 1t
makes for peace and prestige, for progress
| and liberty. 1t conserves the rights of the
| people and strengthens the pillars of the
| government, and Is a fulfilment of that
more perfect union for which our revolu-
| tionary 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 within
| his sphere to continue and strengthen it.
| Our past has gone into history. No
| brighter one adorns the annals of mankind.
| 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 op-
| portunities and obligations These we must
| meet. men OF the south. men of the north.
| with high purpose and resolution. With
| out internal troubles to distract us or jeal-
| ousies to disturb our Judgment, we will
| solve the problems which confront us un
| trammeled by the past. and wisely and
| courageously pursue a policy of right and
| justice In all things. making the future un-
der God even more glorious than the past.
Tribute to Tennessee Troops.
II am glad to meet with the people of
| Memphis and of the state of Tennessee
| Their history is associated with the great
| est struggles and sacrifices of our country,
| and their Yalor has been conspicuous on
| every battlefield of the republic. The COM
| monwealth has lost none of its zeal and pa
| trlottsm which gave to ii in the earlier days
the name of the volunteer state. 1t shows
| 1t Is still worthy of that proud designation,
| for even now its enl!stments in the new
| army, according to population, exceed any
| other state in the union. Her record in the
Spanish war WAS a distinguished One. l