The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-20
GENERAL WRIGHT
OVERSHADOWED
Presence of President Detracted
From Warmth of Welcome.
ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORT
HERO OF THE OCCASION LEFT
OUT ALMOST ENTIRELY.

III EMPHIs, Tenn. Nov. 19-Although
I NJ the festivities OF the day cele-
brated the home coming of Gen
eral Luke E. Wright, vice governor Of
the Philippines, ii is no reflection upon
the warmth Of the welcome extended to
him to say that President Roosevelt's
presence was the overshadowing feat
ure of the day. Excursion trains were
run into the city and a number of dis
| tinguished people were present to par
| tlclpate in the celebration. Among
them were Governor Benton McMillin
and General Joseph Wheeler. The pa
rade was a long one. Immediately
after the presidents arrival there was
I a parade through the streets to the
Gayoso hotel, where breakfast was ten
dered to the president and Governor
! Wright by the ladies of Memphis
In the afternoon the president at
tended and spoke at two receptions
given in honor of General Wright enc
at the auditorium by the white citizens
and the other in the hail in the black
section by the cOlored people. There
was a Colonial Danes tea at the
CayoSo and the festivities closed to-
night with an elaborate banquet at the
Peabody, at which the president deiiv-
of brief remarks at the breaS fast the
president spoke four times during the
day. Altogether it was a splendid
tribute to the affection and esteem in
which General Wright is held at home.
The Rebel Yell.
That Mrs Wright is also exceedingly
popular was made apparent by the ap-
plause which greeted every reference 70
her. This was especially marked at the
auditorium, when the president referred
| to the fact that his mothers brother
served in the confederate navy under
her father, who was Admiral Semmes.
Mayor Williams and Governor Nc
Millin both made addresses of welcome
! here and the audience was very en-
| thusiastic when General Wright deliv-
cred his response,
President Roosevelt had not intended
to speak at this reception, but the as
semblage would not be denied. He
said:
Il am glad, indeed, to have the honor
| of coming today to your beautiful City
in your beautiful state TO greet on be-
half of the whole country a Tennes-
seean who has rendered high and hon
orabIe service to the whole country. A
Tennesseean of whom it can be said
as 1t has been said of the Kreek hero:
Much has he seen and known; cities
of men
Himself, not least, but honored of
! them all;
And drunk delight of battel with his
/ peers,
Far on the ringing plains of windy
Troy
1--WE are one people absolutely. The
memories of the civil war are low
heritages of honor alike to those whose
fathers wore the blue and for those
whose fathers wore the gray. There is
! one curious and not inappropriate CO.
incidence today-my mothers brother
served under Mrs. Wright's father in
/ the confederate navy
A Second Thought.
81 come here today to greet General
! Wright because it has been given to
him to render a peculiar service to the
! whole country
| "A man can render service of the very
highest character at home, but owing
! to the very nature of our system OF
/ government he must in his selection at
least represent particularly a given
party. / say in his election, at least Tor
| after election, if he is worth anything
he must be a representative OF the
whole country. But there are certain
I branches of the public service in which,
if we are wise and far seeing, we will
/ never allow partisan politics to enter
/ (Applause.) There must be no partisan
politics in the army or navy of the
| United States. All that concerns us TO
know about any general or admiral,
about a mighty captain by sea or by
land, is whether he. is q thoroughly tit
commander of men and loyal to the
country as a whole In the same way,
if we are wise, if we care for our Tepu-
tation abroad, If we are sensitive OF our
hnor at home, we viii allow not Ques-
ton of partisan politics ever to enter
into the administration OF the great
commands which came under our nag
as result of the war with Spain
Hence ( say that General Wright,
like Governor Taft and his associates,
has rendered a peculiar service to every
man jealous of the honor Of the Ameri-
can name in what he has done IN ad-
ministerIng the Philippine islands. For
fourteen months it has been part of my
business to see how the work there was
done. / am not speaking exaggerating-
ly; 1 am speaking literally, telling The
bare. naked truth when L say that
never during that time has a question
of party politics entered into even the
smallest action of those in control of
the Philippine islands.
Nov, my fellow Americans, we can
not afford to have the honor. of the
nation in any way smirched in connec-
ton with our dependencies. We can
not afford to have it smirched any
where. If we wrong ourselves here at
home we are to blame and we pay the
penalty, but if we allow wrong in con-
nection with the islands, not only the
islands suffer. but an indelible stigma
I of shame comes to the American name.
I am earnestly DESTROYS that the adj
ministration of the Philippine islands
shall be put and kept upon such a plane
OF patriotic efficiency that no change
will be made in it owing to any
changes of party here at home"