The daily Republican., 1902-11-20
MEMPHIS HAS
A BIG DAY.
Southern City Honors Favor
ite Son and Welcomes
Chief Executive.

tnouBn the IesuVltles III this city cele
brated the homecoming of Genera
Luke e. Wright, vice governor of thu
Philippines. it is no reflection upon the
warmth Of the welcome extended tC
him to say that President ROosevelt's
| presence was the OvershadOwing fea.
ture Of the day. Excursion trains were
run into the city, and a number of dis.
| tinguished people were present to par
ticipate In the celebration. Among
them were Governor Benton Mcmillan
and General Joseph Wheeler. The pro.
gramme was long one. Immediately
after the presidents arrival there was
parade through the streets to the
GayosO hotel, where breakfast was
rendered the president and General
Wright Jointly by the ladies' Of Mem.
phis. In the afternoon the president at
tended and spoke at two receptions
given IN honor of General Wright-one
at the Auditorium by white citizens,
the other at hall in the black section
of the city by colored people. Later
there was Colonial Danes tea at the
Gayoso, and the festivities closed at
night with an elaborate banquet, at
which the president delivered speech.
Including some brief remarks at the
breakfast, the president spoke four
times during the day.
Mayor Williams and Governor Nc.
MILAN made addresses Of welcome, and
the audience was very enthusiastic
when General Wright delivered his re-
sponse. He was greatly touched by the
compliment paid him by the presidents
presence and with the demonstration in
his honor. General Wright did not 20
deeply into the situation in the Philip
pines In his reparks, but he empha-
sized the fact that the administration
of the islands under both Presidents
Mckinley and Roosevelt had been of
an absolutely nonpartisan character.
The reception rendered by the colored
people was truly remarkable General
Wright earned their undying gratitude
during the two yellow fever epidemics
twenty years ago by remaining here
when most Of the whites had fed and
seeing that the sick were cared for. The
hall was packed, galleries and pit, to
the point Of suffocation, and the whole
spirit of the proceedings breathed ad-
miration for their friend. /
The presidents reception beggars de-
scription. The colored people became
almost frantic, jumping up and down
In their enthusiasm and yelling them
selves hoarse. AT the conclusion of the
presidents remarks the entire audience
Of more than 5000 united in singing
God Be With You Until We Meet
Again"
The events Of the day closed iittingly
with banquet. which was one of the
most elaborate affairs ever given in
this city.
The presidents address in part was
as follows:
1t Is real and great pleasure to come
TO this typical city of the southern Missis-
sppl valley in order to greet a typical
American, a citizen of Tennessee who de-
serves honor not only from his state. but I
Wright; ,,,
standard Of manhood from Tennessee. 1t
was one of the first two states created
west Of he Allegheny mountains, and it
ernlng community of American frermen
was established upon waters flowing into
the gulf The pioneers of Tennessee
were among the earliest in that great
westward march which thrust tho ma /
tons border across tho continent to the
Pacific, and it is eminentiy fitting that I
prominent a part in the further move |
mIent ment Of expansion beyond tho Pacific. I
EtOTal Nd
teen OF those years TeuuGsseeans sat In +
the White House. Hardihood and daring :;
and iron resolution are Of right TO be ex- !
pected among tho sons Of a state which :
nurtured Andrew Jackson and Sam ,
Houston and which sent into the Ameri. /
can navy one of the most famous fight t
ing admrals Of all time, Farragut
There is another reason why our Coun.
Try should be gIad-th it was General
era Wright foHght Win Win 'disiIT dsingushed s''i
served in the armies Of the Confedcracy |
during the civil war. We need no proof !
people. When the war with Spain came, -
the, sons of the men who wore the blue
and the sons of the men who wore the t
gray Wed with one another in the effort :.
TO get into tho ranks and face q foreign
foe under the old flag that had been car il
Zachary Taylor and Andrew Jackson !
General Wrights work has been ns diff a
hcult as 1t Was important The events OF y
the last four years have definitely decided ~
that whether we wish to or not we must
hereaftet play great part in the world. a
We cannot escape facing the duties Wa "
may shrk them # we are built of poor II
stuff or we may take hold and do them Z,
II we are At sons Of our sircs, but face y
thom we must whether We will or not. q
our {, ,,. duty & In the ihjlipp1ne Islands has il
have come upon us. We are there, and |
we can nc, more haul down our flag and IA
n bp Ia hpr cIu
sorry, that events forced us to go there
Is aside from the question. The point Is
that e si the insvitsbIs , result Of he var
Philippines and that We could not leave r
the islands without dIscredt The is Il
seTyss sns wS5e ThSy % '9 "i thsm
have been brie> period Of bloody chaos, $;
and then some other nation would have m
shirked it cannot be too often repeatei @.
that there was no question that the work >,
had to be done, An the question was IL
ernor Wright, it has been done well. " "
The American flag stands for orderly d.
soldiers was to restore and maintain order u
IN the tslands The army had the task to
The fullest and hearth est praise belongs to
our soldiers who in tho Philippines
brough! to triumphant conclusion a war
struggle In which the older men whom |
am addressing took part in the early
sixties but inconceivahly harussng and
difficult because it was wuged amid the
painless iungles of great tropic Islands
and against foe very elusive very
treacherous and often inconccivably cruel
great numbers of peace loving Filipnos
who gladly welcomed our advent
Crueties were committed here and
there. The fart that they were com.
mitted under well nigh intolerable provo.
cation affords no excuse for such cruel
Ties, nor can we admit as justihca tion I.