The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-04-16


Charleston, April AT Calhoun's
funeral, when Hampton made his
great campaign speech here in 1876,
when the Confederate reunion was
held here in 1899, great bodies of
marching men filed the streets Of this
ancient city and its sidewalks and
doors and windows were filed with en5
| thusiastic thousands, but all those
great out pourings of the people were
small compared to the procession which
followed President Roosevelt to the
exposition grounds today. The enthu
siasm of the people was unbounded,
and there was standing room only on
the sidewalks and porches and door
ways and in the wide piazzas Of the
houses along the line Of march. Old
and young were infected with patriot
ic fervor. and man with whom nine
tenths of the people he sssaw differed
politically, was greeted with every
! manifestation of respect that a warm
hearted people could show. It remind
ed one Of the story of little Union
girl in western Maryland who rushed
| to the door of her home to see and
possibly to scowl at Gen. Robert E.
Lee as he rode past on horseback.
When she saw his splendid face she
shrunk back saying. How I wish he
belonged to u.s. So thought the best
people of Charleston today, and thou
sands of them believed it true. when
they heard the president proudly pro-
claim his southern birthright at the
Auditorium later in the day.
The parade started from the st.
Johns hotel, the presidents quarters,
at 10 O'Clock, and was composed Of
marines, seamen, cadets, artillerists
and militiamen OF four states, under
command of Col. Charles NJ. Morris.
| u. S. A., Of the garrison at Sullivan's
Island. The men were in excellent
trim and the weather was ideal with
just enough crispness in the air to
make marching comfortable: The
route was through Queen, Meeting,
Calhoun, Rutledge and Grove streets to
the exposition grounds and almost
one hundred times the president stood
in his carriage and acknowledged with
smile and bow the enthusiastic
plaudits of the people. Passing a
| tallyho containing some Of Charles
tons Harvard alumni, decked with
the college colors, he was greeted with
the college yell and was evidently
very much pleased.
Arriving at the exposition grounds
the president went Immediately into
the auditorium and waited until the
head Of the column had arrived in
front OF the building. When notified
that the troops were ready to be re-
viewed he took his stand on a plat
form prepared for the purpose and
conducted the review Mrs. Roosevelt
stood at his left and nearby were
Mayor Smyth, Capt. Wagner, Gov
McSweenev, Gov Aycock and others.
The president was particularly pleased
with the appearance and march Of the
tackles aud made several compliment
arv remarks as various State troops
passed before him. The president
had been in Charleston more than a
hours and had been cheered and greet
ed on all sides, when appearing, but
the eliminating event Of the visit TO
Charleston and the exposition was
when he came into the auditorium
and bowed and smiled his acknowl-
edgments to the cheering which greet
ed him by 10000 throats.
The auditorium is a handsome
building and with It's flags and bunt
ing freshly arranged for Presidents
Day and with dais for the speaker,
the front of which was covered with
large flag, was particularly beautiful.
The audience heard each speaker with
most attentive appreciation and cheer
ed to the echo many Of the sentiments
expressed, but the president was Of
course the centre of attraction at all
times President Roosevelt's incisive,
clear cut words never fell on more
attentive ears. There was much in
what he said and more in his manner
of saying it. The president greeted
his audience as Americans" and