The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-27
FIRST SPEECHES IN MAINE.
Brief Addresses to Throngs at Bidde-
ford and Old Orchard.

PORTLAND, Me, Aug. 26.-President
Roosevelt came into Maine this afternoon.
after having visited many places in the
other New England States, and before his
departure tomorrow night he will have Wis
tied every congressional district in the
State, the principal city in each district
and the home city of each of Maine
United States senators. 1t was a beautiful
day and the air was cool and bracing. At
every stopping place along the line a great
crowd had gathered and the President was
accorded a genuine down East welcome
The first stop after crossing the State
line was at Biddeford, and il brief
one, during which the President spoke,
prefacing his remarks by saying: 1--WE all
of us know Maine and l am glad to be on
a pilgrimage thither. When 1 get to Maine
| feel as though / did not have TO teach
citizenship, but TO learn it. You have raised
a good many things in Maine, but the
things raised best are the men and women"
The tenor of his remarks was that with the
people rest the responsibility for good laws
and the honest administration of them.
At Old Orchard, where the train made its
next stop, thousands of persons from York
and lower Cumberland counties had gath
cred. The halt was a brief one, only twen-
~ minutes, but the President, after receiv-
ing a tumultuous greeting, spoke briefly
before the journey was continued. The
President said:
MY Feuow-citizens, Men and Women of
Maine-It is indeed a pleasure to me TO
have the chance of visiting your great and
beautiful State, and L thank you from my
heart for the greeting which you have eX-
tended TO NE. In almost every meeting !
see men like you pointing to a veteran),
like you over there, and you with the boy in
your arms there who wear the button that
shows that in the times that tried mems
souls you proved your truth by your en-
deavors- In those days Maine was les
son to all for the way her sons bore them.
selves in war. Since then, and now, she is
a lesson to us because of the high average
OF citizenship that shows within her bOr'
ders. and L think that it is the same reason
in the one as in the other. The fact
is that here you have remained on the
whole true to the old American theory of
treating each his worth a man
without regard to the incidentals of his
position. Now, you over there (pointing-)
He was in the great war. Yes. When you
went TO war and moved into battle you
took an immense interest in what the man
on your right hand and your left did, but
you did not care in the least whether they
were bankers or lumbermen farmers or
what, IL they stayed out. [Cries of that Is
right. That is what you wanted. lCheers
and cries of God bless you-'l
What you wanted was 10 know that the
man had the right stuff i'm him. IA voice
That is it, j And if he had you were for
MN IA voice, Yes, sir: J, and If he did
10 have the same principle in citizenship.
You have got to apply the same principle
IN civil life that you made succeed in the
days when you fought because the Nation
called TO you in her direst need. The state
can do much, but it can't begin to do
! everything. The state can do something for
! all of us, but not much do
for the state IA voice, 'Amen.'l and not as
much as each man can and must do for
! himself That is what is going to count in
! the long run. IA voice, That's business. I
| The government, national and state, can
! mighty easily spoil chances for all of us.
/ Bad laws will work badly enough, but ii is
! hard by the best Of laws TO do more than
/ shape conditions as 10 give each man a
\ square and fair chance, and then he has got
! to work out his future for himself. 1t is a
much easier thing to tell them perfectly
plain, homely truths. 1T is easier thing
| to make the promise, but ii is a much
/ uglier thing afterward TO carry out the
| promise, and on the whole il is not worth
while making a promise if you have got to
| feel ashamed of yourself for breaking il
/ afterward LCrieS of Good
! "Of course, we are not to be excused If
we do not get through the Nation the best
| laws than can be obtained. Good laws can
do something, but must never deceive
| ourselves into the belief that the law will
do more than let the man, after a law has
been put upon the statute books work out
| his own salvation"
| The train then left for Portland Senator
| William u FRYE having ioipad tho Marty