Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-09
AT THE AUDITORIUM BUILDING.


AT THE AUDITORIUM BUILDING
The President and Ex-Governor Make
Speeches.
Charleston. S. c., April 9.-At noon the
President proceeded to the reviewing stand
into the Auditorium, where the formal
ceremonies took place. Addresses were de-
livered by Captain F. w. Wagner, presi-
dent of the South Carolina Interstate and
West Indian Exposition Company; Gov
ernor McSweeney of South Carolina, Gov
error Aycock of North Carolina, Mayor
Smith of Charleston and the President of
the United States
Immedia tely after the addresses a very
handsome sword was presented to Major
Micah Jenkins, the presentation being made
by President Roosevelt. The sword was
handed to the President by Ex-Governor
Hugh S. Thompson.
Following is the Presidents speech:
Mr.. Roosevelt's Speech.
The President said:
1t is to me a peculiar privilege to speak
here in your beautiful city. My mothers
people were from Georgia; but before they
came to Georgia, before the revolution, in
the days of colonial rule they dwelt for
nearly IL century in South Carolina; and
therefore l can claim your state as mine
by inheritance no less than by the stronger
and nobler right which makes each foot of
American soil in sense the property of all
Americans
Charleston is not only a typical southern
city, it is also a city whose history teens
with events which link themselves to Amer
lean history as a whole In the early colo
NAL days Charleston was the outpost of
our people against the Spaniard in the
south. In the days of the revolution there
occurred here some of the events which
vitality affected the outcome of the struggle
for independence, and which impressed
themselves most deeply upon the popular
mind. 1t was here that the tremendous
terrible drama of the civil war opened.
With delicate and thoughtful courtesy
you originally asked me to come to this eX-
position on the birthday Of Abraham Lin
coin. The invitation not only showed a fine
generosity and manliness in you, my hosts,
but it also emphasized as hardly anything
else could have emphasized how completely
we are now a united people.
Wars Wounds Have Healed.
The wounds left by the great civil war,
incomparably the greatest war of modern
times, have healed: and its memories are
now priceless heritages of honor alike to
the north and to the south The devotion,
the self-sacrifice. the steadfast resolution
and lofty daring. the high devotion to the
right as each man saw it. whether north
erner or southerner-all these qualities of
the men and women of the early sixties
now shine luminous and brilliant before
eyes, while the mists of anger and hatred
that once dimmed them have passed away
forever.
All of us, north and south, can glory
alike in the valor of the men who wore
the blue and Of the men who wore the
gray. Those were iron times and only
iron men could fight to it's terrible finish
the giant struggle between the hosts of
Grant and Lee. To us of the present day,
and to our children and chdrens children.
the valiant deeds. the high endeaver and
abnegation of self shown in that struggle
by those who took part therein will re-
main for evermore to mark the level to
which we In our turn must rise whenever
the hour of the nations need may come.
When four years ago this nation was
compelled to face a foreign foe, the COM
pleteness of the reunion became instantly
and strikingly evident. The war was not
one which called for the exercise Of more
strength, and the strain put upon us was
slight indeed compared with the results.
But it was a satisfactory thing to see the
way in which the sons of the soldier Of
the Union and the soldier of the confed-
eracy leaped eagerly forward. emulous to
show in brotherly rivalry the qualities
which had won renown for their fathers.
the men of the great war. 1t was my good
general. gallant old Joe Wheeler. who
commanded the cavalry division at San
tiago.
Composition of Rough Riders.
In my regiment there were certainly as
many men whose fathers had served in the
southern as there were men whose fathers
had served In the northern army. Among
the captains there was opportunity to pro-
mote but one to field rank The man who
was singled out for this promotion be-
cause of conspicuous gallantry in the field
was the son of a confederate general ard
was himself a citizen of this, the palmetto
state: and no American officer could wish
to march to battle beside a more loyal,
gallant and absolutely fearless comrade
than my former captain and major your
fellow citizen, Micah Jenkins
few months ago. owing to the enforced
absence of the governor of the Philippines,
II became necessary to nominate vice gov
ernor to take his place-one of the most
important places in our government at this
time. | nominated as vice governor an ex-
confederate. General Luke Wright Of Ten
nessee. 1t is, therefore. an ex-confederate
who now stands as the exponent of this
government and this people in that great
group of islands in the eastern seas over
which the American flag floats. General
Wright has taken a leading part in the
out of the bloody chaos in which we found
the Islands. He is now taking a leading
part not merely In upholding the honor Of
the flag by making it respected as the SYM
bol of our power, but still more in uphold
ing its honor by unwearied labor for the es-
tablishment of ordered lberty-of law-cre-
atlng. law-abiding civil government-under
its folds
The progress which has been made under
General Wright and those like him has
been indeed marvellous. In fact. letter
of the generals the other day seemed to
show that he considered there was far more
warfare about the Philippines in this coun-
try than there was warfare in the Philip
pines themselves! 1t is an added proof Of
the completeness of the reunion of our
country that one of the foremost men who
have been instrumental in driving forward
the great work for civilization and humani-
ty in the Philippines has been a man who
in the civil war fought with distinction in a
uniform of confederate gray.
The Prospect Ahead
If ever the need comes in the future the
past has made abundantly evident the fact
that from this time on northerner and
southerner will in war know only the gen
erous desire to strive how each can do the
more effective service for the flag of our
common country. The same thing is true in
he vi 80 l.