The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-29
President Baldwin of the Long Island

President Baldwin Of the Long Island
railroad.
Under smiling skies. the president
stepped from his car. and While the
cannon crashed out its salute, and the
people cheered, he was escorted by the
reception committee to the town hall.
The march to the hall was between lines
of school children. each child waving a
( tiny American flag. Business houses
and residences throughout the town
were handsomely decorated with flags
and bunting, and scores of large Amer
lean ensigns swung across the principal
streets.
Arrived at the hall President Roose-
welt unveiled the civil war trophy gun
presented to the people of Oyster Bay
by the navy department. Then, stand
ing on chair placed on the steps lead
mig to the hail. he delivered brief ad-
dress to the crowd of his friends and
neighbors massed in front of the build
ing. The president said:
My friends and ueighbOrs: I thank
you heartily, more heartily than I can
express, for your coming out to greet
me today. I wonder if some of you re-
member. what 1 shall never forget, the
way that YOU came out to greet me,
nearly five years ago, when 1 got home
from Santiago (cheers). ] thought some
of you would remember it.
Since I last saw you I have been
across the continent l have Travelled
from the shore Of the Atlantic ocean,
across the Mississippi valley. by the
side of the great lakes. over the Rocky
mountains to the shore of the Pacific,
and the thing that has struck me most
in that journey of nearly $1,000 miles,
right across the continent, has been the
essential unity of our peOple-that Wher-
ever an American president goes, here
in the United States, he feels himself
to be a home among those who feel as
he does and who have the same ideals
to which he can appeal.
ADd coming back to YOU
whom ] know so we'll. The older among
you l have known for some 80 years and
over. and my children are now growing up
here, just as / grew up and hope they
will do better in keeping out of mischief
And, naturally, it pleaSes me very greatly
TO have you show me the feeling that you
have shown this afternoon, and Of which
YOU have given evidence so often before.
When get back here am not the presi,
dent 1 am your old neighbor and friend
and in welcoming all of you 1 want to say
I am particularly pleased to see here the
children. As YOU know I believe in chill
dren, and | am very glad that the children
of Oyster Bay seem to be all right IN quail
ity and also in quantity.
II shall just say again. my friends, my
neighbors. those with whom ] am knit oy
heart. and I am deeply touched by your
greeting me this afternoon"
At the conclusion of the speech the pres
ident entered the hall and greeted Mrs
Roosevelt and his children, who had been
in waiting there for him. While he was
holding an informal reception in the hall,
the school children were drawn up in front
of the building and under the leadership CT
the bands sang an original song of vel
come to the president. Attracted by the
singing. the president appeared on the
steps. and. to the delight of the children,
requested them to repeat the song II
was repeated with VIM the great crowd
of the children's elders joining in the cho-
rus Mrs. Roosevelt stood in the en-
trance to the hail during the singing.
Earlier in the afternoon Mrs. Roosevelt
had been escorted to the hail by the chill
dren and a great procession Of residents
not only of oyster Bay. but of all OF this
mart of Long Island She then reviewed
the procession from the steps of the hall.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies at
the haH the president and his family en-
tered carriages and still under the escort
Of the committee drove to their homes at
Sa gamore Hill.