The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-25

PRESIDENTS PERSONALITY SUBJECT
OF FAVORABLE COMMENT.
His Tomlinson Hall Speech Made q
Tuesdays Stirring Events.

Indianapolis people. irrespective of polit-
ical faith, will read with pleasure this
morning the dispatches from Washington
to the effect that President Roosevelt is
suffering no bad effects as the result of the
operation performed on him yesterday at
st. Vincents Hospital, in this city. The
President quite won the hearts of the lndi-
annapolis people by his frank and manly
utterances and the pluck he showed carry
ing out his programme as far as he could
before the operation was performed
The thousands of people who heard the
Presidents remarks at Tomlinson Hall and
from the balcony Of the Columbia Club
were pleased with what he said. The Pres
ident himself was delighted with the ar
rangements that had been made for him
and expressed himself in this fashion be-
fore leaving Indianapolis. He was particu-
larly well pleased with the Tomlinson Hall
meeting where he was permitted to address
not only his comrades OF the Spanish-Amer-
lean war but the veterans of the civil war.
President Roosevelt is a popular man with
the veteran soldier because he speaks right
out" and makes the kind Of a talk the vet
eran likes. In many localities in Indiana
where the Presidents train was to travel.
there was keen disappointment last night
over the news that the trip would have to
be abandoned.
Two years ago, when President Roosevelt
went through Indiana on a special train,
making speeches in many cities. thousands
of people heard him and they wanted to see
him and hear him again. 1t is recalled that
at Linton. Green county. the President
10 q
the miners. He talked to a big crowd of
them that day and they kept the best or
order, and listened to all he had to say.
1t is recalled that one of the hits. he
made at Linton was when he said 1t did not
matter so much what profession man
followed. whether he worked above ground
or below the surface; what the people
wanted TO know was whether he was a
square man." This little sentiment i'm
pressed the Linton miners and they re-
membered 1t. 1t is safe to predict that had
the President continued his trip, and had
his itinerary led him through Linton, he
would have found many admirinng listeners
who heard him two years ago. However.
his itinerary would not have taken him
through Southern Indiana this time.
Many of the correspondents who were
with the President on this trip were much
disappointed that the condition of the
President made it necessary to abandon
the tour of the Northwest. They all love
Roosevelt, and no one perhaps heard the
| news of his condition Tuesday with more
regret imam the newspaper men. lney are
| fond Of travelling with him and they were
anticipating a great trip.
At st. Vincent's Hospital yesterday
everything was quiet compared with the
afternoon and evening before, and the Sis
| tiers and nurses were about their duties
| quietly and with composure that failed
| to indicate that a few hours before they
had ministered to the chief executive of
| the land.
Messages sent by newspaper correspond
ents from cities through which the Presi-
| dent passed on his way to Washington,
stating that he was resting we'll and suf-
fering little pain from his injury, were dis
cussed on the streets, in places of bust
ness, in hotels and wherever people met
| during the day, yesterday, with a great
| deal of pleasure The visit of the Presi-
| dent gave to Indapanolis people sense of
personal interest In him that perhaps they
| had never experienced before, and the
| slightest news of favorable import about
| his condition was sufficient to cause ex-
| treme qualification.
| Among the things in connection with the
Presidents visit which were commented
| upon most generally yesterday, was the
| Tomlinson Hall speech delivered by him.
| Many said that while the President did
| not appeal to them a brilliant orator,
yet his earnestnes, his forcefuI diction, his
| clean-cut, original ideas, his almost homely
/ SMILES, his abiding sense of humor, and.
best of all, his direct, man-to-man, friend
| to-friend manner, that he has in speaking,
| was particularly enjoyable.