The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-04-23
WILL BENEFIT us.
That Is What Is Said of the Presi-
dents Visit to
THE CHARLESTON EXPOSITION.
President Roosevelt VIII Not Forget
His Visit, and the Whole
South Will be Bene-
fitted by II.

OF fcourSe President Roosevelt's trip
TO Charleston, says the Washington
correspondent Of the Columbia State.
was success, the occasion for the
heartiest demonstrations from South
Carolina wherever he went, and
genuine pleasure to the distinguished
visitor himself. There doubtless were
some people in Washington who
doubted that this would be the case
But the number did not include any of
the South Carolina colony. No one
who knew anything about South Caro-
linians doubted for an instant that
as the guest of Charleston and South
Carolina the president could have re-
ceived other than the treatment he
did, and certainly no heartier well
come could have been rendered him
than that which marked his entire
stay within the borders OF the State.
However. so much has been said and
written about the presidents visit in
the effort to give some adequate idea
of the absolute success of every de-
tail that there is imminent danger OF
stopping over in attempting any
other ctfuSOns along this line.
What is perhaps the most gratify-
ing result of the whole affair was the
opportunity given the people of South
Carolina to show themselves to the
president and thereby to the nation,
not as have for a number of years
been "misrepresented" to be, but as
they really are. The happy result is
that number, a very large number,
OF people here are waking up to the
fact that they have been led astray
in their estimate of the State by a
series of unfortunate incidents within
the past few years which were inevi-
tably saddled on the people OF South
Carolina as whole. The way in
which Charleston and the people of
the State generally opened their
hearts and wanted to open their hands
to the president has completely re-
volutionized public opinion, as it is
reflected in the mirror of the nation,
as Washington undoubtedly is, in re-
gard to South Carolina.
And no one is more directly respon-
sible for this change of sentiment than
is the president himself. Since re-
turning TO the White House PreSi-
dent Roosevelt has taken occasion to
express to quite a number of senators
and representatives his personal
qualification at the warm welcome
given him at Charleston. 1t is under
stood, too, that the president has
alluded with especial pleasure to the
crowds that greeted him at. the vari-
Gus places along the route, notably
the tremendous crowd at Columbia,
and their demonstrations as evidenc-
ing how general and representative
of the entire State was tie heartily re-
ception rendered him. Nor has the
president at ali miSinterpreted the
true meaning Of the cordiality shown
him. Indeed, it is understood, that
to number of Republicans who have
been to White House to talk over his
trip to Charleston the president en-
phaSlZcd the fact that he appreciat-
ed all the more the demonstrations
called forth by his appearance all
along the line because of the vast
difference politically which he realized
existed between himself and the peo-
| pie whose guest he was.
But while the president has taken
as it was meant that he should take
the demonstrations in his honor as
being utterly devoid of any political
significance, it is generally admitted
that his visit TO Charleston will not
be without its effect on him in the
political dealings he will have with the
south during the remainder Of his ad-
miniStratiOn as the chief executive Of
the nation. Not only has South Caro-
lima been the gamer by becoming per-
Sonally acquainted with Mr. Roosevelt,
but, as he said in one OF his speeches,
and as he repeated many times since
returning to the White House, Il am
a better American for my visit" 1t
is of course rather early to point to
any tangible results OF the presidents
visit to South Carolina, but as pro-
minent Republican senator put it to-
day, one who is close friend to the
president, President Roosevelt dur
ing his trip to South Carolina has
learned to know her people as he had
| IN \, 1.