Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-09
PRESIDENT AT BANQUET
PLEASANT FUNCTION AT CHAR
LESION LAST NIGHT.
He Made a Speech Which Was APP
plauded to the Echo by
Guests.

A dispatch from Charleston, S. c., last
night says: The banquet rendered to Presi-
dent Roosevelt tonight at the Charleston
Hotel was a fitting close to day full OF
incidents and served to gather together
men prominent in the affairs of the state,
having solely IN mind a greeting to the
President which would prove the sincerity
and the warmth Of feeling existing for him
as the chief executive of the nation. The
banquet hall was a bower of roses, pinks
and smilax, artisticaIy arranged, while
loosely strewn over the tables were thou
sands OF violets, whose fragrance could
only but suggest that springtime had ar
rived. Over 800 specially invited guests
were present, and the President was at his
best. In a few well-chosen remarks Mayor
Smythe welcomed President Roosevelt to
Charleston, and the response was listened
to with the closest attention, and which
was interrupted by loud and continuous
applause.
The Presidents remarks were as follows:
The Presidents Remarks.
"Mr. Mayor and you my hosts and my
fellow American citizens: 1 should, indeed
be a but poor American myself If 1 were
not deeply touched and gratified by the
way you have greeted me today in this
your beautiful city; and Of course. feel at
home here. I think that an American
who is worth his salt has the right to feel
at home in every part of the United States.
Around this table I see many men who
took part In the great war. The war in
which the younger among us here took
part was a very little one, because 1t did
not have to be any bigger. But 1t had one
thoroughly good effect: 1t put the cap on
the structure that had been building while
We were almost unconscious of It, and it
taught US how thoroughly at one we were.
When We got through that war 1t did not
make bit Of difference to US whether 1t
was admiral who came from Vermont
or lieutenant who came from Alabama, If
the man had done his duty in such shape
as TO make US each feel an even more gem
erous thrill of pride in our common ma
tionality. The debt that we owed him had
little to do with the section from which he
came.
"And now a special word to you Of
Charleston and South Carolina. Just
twelve years ago when 1 first went to
Washington to take part In governmental
work L was Immediately thrown into sin
gularly close contact and intimacy with
South Carolinian. 1t was my good fortune
to work with him for three years. and for
the nine years since and for long as
shall continue to be in public life It will be
to me ever a spur to try to do decent duty
for the republic, because I have been
thrown intimately in contact with as fear
less and as high-minded a public servant
as this country has ever had, my old
friend, your former governor, Hugh
Thompson.
Pleased at His Reception.
'And from what I have known of you
and Of your representatives It was In no
sense surprise. but 1t was keen pleasure
to be greeted with the hearty and generous
hospitality, the more than hearty and gen.
erous hospitality which you have shown me
today.
The welfare Of any part of this coun-
frxr 90 IN, ~ in, {xI-
welfare of all, and 1 think, gentlemen.
that on the average, as we all tend to go
up, 1t seems to be little better to go up
uniformly rather than at sharp gait for