Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-30
President Crowded Engineers
and Hack Drivers to Make
Great Speed
POLITICAL CONFERENCE HELD
Shaw, Hepburn, and cummins cIoseted
With the President-Eastern News
paper Men Believe That the Presi-
dent Showed Unusual Interest In
Iowa and In cummins.
Special to Times-Republican.

dental journey thru the state of Iowa,
accomplished without accident or UNI
toward incident, most probably inn
pressed itself upon the president of the
United States in a way that will do
him and the people Of the state good.
President Roosevelt saw Iowa in
smiles and tears, or smiling thru its
tears, with rain clouds bending low and
pouring forth their Nfe and again with
sunshine gliding all the hilltops-but
best Of all he saw Iowa people in a
mood much to his liking. Before de-
parting from the state he became pro-
fuse in his compliments to the people
OF the state, and he was sincere and
earnest. That the president thorough
ly enjoyed his Iowa trip is certain.
1t was lively one. The engineer who
pulled his train to Keokuk was one
who had charge of an engine when
President Harrison went thru the coun
try some years ago. He declared that
the two trips were entirely different.
Harrison insisted on slow travel and the
train men had instructions that unusual
precaution was to be taken to avoid
jarring the train; but Roosevelt's train
was yanked about by double headers
with the sole precaution of safety and
speed. But that was what Roosevelt
wanted. In the long drive thru Des
Moines, more than six miles, 1t became
necessary to put the whip to the horses
and part OF the time his carriage was
taken along with the horses on the
dead run.
go it, go 1t; that's the way I like 1t. y
shouted the president to Gov. Cummins
and bringing his hands together with
d pop.
That was the spirit Of the whole
journey and 1t was the same whether
on the train or in carriages.
But / believe" said Gov. Cummins
just before leaving the state at keokuk,
that what Impressed President Rcose-s
welt in Iowa more than anything else,
was the Iowa people themselves There
was spontaneaty in the reception given
him and genuine earnestness. AL
along the way the people came out
to see the president of the United
States. They gathered by the side of
the tracks and waved their hands and
showed their colors. AT Des Moine,
there was great demonstration be-
cause it was a demonstration OF the;
people of Iowa themselves, and this
was true of all the other cities and
towns of Iowa. 1t was the enthusiasm
of the people that caught the eye OF
the president. He smiled and bowed,
stood up and looked about him. and
seemed completely overjoyed at the Sit
.uation. He remarked often on the man.
ifest warmth displayed by the Iowa
people toward him and his gratitude
found expression in many ways at
testing his sincerity"
A note of disappointment was fire.
quently heard in the comments of those
who travelled with the president across
Iowa. AS one of the party expressed
lit: Roosevelt ought to have better
prepared his speeches for this occa-
sion: ought to have had something dis
tinctiye to say at each place that would
long be remembered in association with
that place, ought to have done less
preaching and had more of anecdote
his addresses in Des Moines, Oskaloosa,
repetition but slightly varied as to man
ner of expression. To those who heard
his several speeches this did not seem
appropriate. No set'speeches We're pre-
pared in advance and given out to
the newspapers, the president spoke
What came to his mind first. In only
few cases did he make use of local
incidents to give color to his addresses.
His happiest illusions We're to the Old
soldiers Wherever he spoke they were
in the front seats and they We're ap-
.preciatiVe of what the president had TO
say Of them and for them. and reeog-
nizing this, in nearly every speech the
president spoke of war and peace and
the lessons the armies of the nation
taught to the American people. But the
speeches were disconnected and hard
to report, and many were disappointed
because of this fact. While not wish
ing to be quoted as criticising. many
discussed in private what the president
might have said and done.
In the matter of decorations for the
visit of the president, Keokuk far out.
stripped all other OF the Iowa cities,
and Keokuk was extremely fortunate
in having fine morning for the event.
The Keokuk people hung out more
bunting by far than Des Moines. Great
flags were waving in the air and all
the way along the line to the beautiful
Rand park the streets We're gay. Os-
kaloosa had the best arrangement for
keeping back the crowds and making
the journey pleasant. Des Moines
turned out the most people and shouted
loudest.
To the railroad men and the secret
service men a presidential trip is not a
play spell. The railroad men did hard
work The plans for the running of the
special had to, be made carefully. In
some cases it involved days of hard
labor planning for the arrangements.
Every person on the lire was on the
anxious seat. AS superintendent Given
said when the presidents train pulled
into keokuk, "There, that takes load
off my mind" 1t had been the thought
of most of his waking hours for many