The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-04-17

From he Charlest on NeWs anu Con-
rier OF last Thursday we take the fol
lowing. cOndensing to suit the prr-
pose OF the GOLD LEAF:
They said throughout the city last
night that it had been the greatest
dav Charleston had known i'll half a
century, and few people will be found
this morning to gainsay the verdict.
Ii was a great day OF a truth for the
old city itself and for the Exposition
which it has builded with 50 much
travail and i'll such high hope great
day for he State OF South Carolina
OF whose resources and enterprise
that undertaking is such Il wort ny
exponent; aye, IL great day for the
nation, when n President OF the
United States. standing upon soil
which shook wit Ii the crash OF guns at
Fort Sumter thirty odd years ago,
lifted his strong right arm to Heaven,
and with face tense with carncstness
and emphasis and sincerity, declared
the reunion OF the sections too well
established II truth to borrow con
victiOn OF mere hollow reiteratiOn.
The cheers which leapt to every lip i'll
response to the sentiment will echo
today throughout the length and
breadth OF the land. \ great day
most OF all WAS it for the South when
its people heard the President OF the
Republic paying magnificent tribute
to the valOr, tn" manhood, the deeds.
the patriotism. ii YOU will, OF the men
who wore til" grry-drclaring their
achievements an inspiration to pos
t"rity and a glorious chapter III the
nation : history. No One in the
sound OF his voice misunderstO or
miscOnstrued the uttrrances of the
President. AfcrVid national patriot
ism breathcd in every syllable OF the
memorable speech which he delivered
at the Auditorium As the sunlight
strcamed about his figure. erect and
striking. iii the presence OF his vast
audience, every fibre OF his being was
embodiment OF ecOnvictiOm hat
this is. and always has been. an
imdiviSible Union OF indeStructible
States. There was no Scintilla OF
question that he believed us believed
the men who wore the blue in the
great herculean struggle that proved
the cOuntry's strength. but he had
the courage the hardwood. the love
OF truth and fair play. to say. as nO
other man who has occupied the
place he now occupies has ever said
tI,,t I, ,.,.,,.I ,f l., h., Il
the COnfedcracy is Il record OF which
the people OF the whole nation can
and should Join with those OF the
South in being proud. SO when hey
.,aid throughout the city last night
that it was the greatest day in a hall
century OF Charleston's hist DRY they
meant more than mere self-congratu-
lation upon the successful accom-
plishment of Il civic pageant. In the
calendar OF the Exposition it was
written ''Prcsident Day Thccvent
has proved it would have been more
truly descriptiv" to have called il
The Nations Day, for it will give Il
tone and temper to national thought
which will 90 far and wide and deep
But, after all, President Roosevelt
more typically represents current
national thought than any other
man who has occupied the White
House i'll recent years-sO the naming
OF the day was significant and de
ScrlptIve after all.
The parade which preceded the
President = great speech ut the Audi
forum and the exercises which mark
ed the celebration in his honor in the
city and at the grounds fully realized
the expectations of the city that
sought to do him honor and of the
thousands upon thousands OF people
who witnessed and participated il
the brilliant SpeCtacleS OF the OcCaS-
ion. Three Thousand uniformed men
representing almost every branch o.
the State and National military ser
vice We're i'll line when President
Roosevelt : carriage escorted by
United States marines and the Char
lesion Light Dragons. fell in ut tn,
head of the column.
The side streets poured endless
streams OF humanity into the main
thoroughfares along which the Presi
dent was to ride i'll trillmphal progress
to the Exposition grounds-a good
natured, eXpectant, cheering multi
tude greeting him all along the route
Smiles. cheers, the waving of flags
the tlutter OF handkerchief. the doff
ING OF hats. greeted every revolution
OF the wheels OF his carriage From
curb stone to house top the expires
siOns OF good will came: and SO CON
tinuOuS We're they that his hat was
kept i'll perpetual motion acknowl
edging the welcome accorded him.
MILITARY FEATURE OF THE PARADE
The military parade was the dis