The Dickinson press., 1903-04-11

presidential special. Senator McCumber
and a few other n. ID. people were. along.
Sheriff Goodall got on here and went to
Medora.
Tuesday was the fourth time sRoose-
welt has visited Dickinson, but the first
time as president. His first visit was
when he, single handed, brought three
captives in from Kildeer mountains and
turned them over to the sheriff. His
second visit was on July 4. 1886, and the
third on September Is, 1900. when he
shook hands with the people and dis
tributed the Rough Rider buttons which
were so much in evidence Tuesday eve
ming. 1t was Sunday and Mr.. Roosevelt
did not make a speech then.
In looking over the Press files it is
noted that DR.. V. H. Stickney was mas.
ter of ceremonies at the time Roosevelt
was here in 1886, and Yankee Thompson
and c. S. Langdon were members of tho
committee who got him to come.
President R~oosevelt's visit to Dickin-
son calls to mind the first Fourth of July
celebration held in the place, in 1886,
nearly II years ago. when Theodore
Roosevelt was the orator of the day.
He was then stopping at his cattle
ranches-the Elk Horn and Maltese
Cross ranches-near Medora. The SET
tiers and cowboys came from great dis
tances and took unusual interest in the
speaker.
From the files of the Dickinson Press
are taken the following extracts from
Roosevelt's speech July d, '86:
1--WE are o doing in the Northwest
exactly what our forefathers did in the
east, when that famous Declaration of
Independence vas decided by those
great men of America-building up free
homes for themselves and families, but
under different circumstances. Here we
have a grand country, a territory that
will make one of the grandest states IN
the union. The hardships Of pioneer
lite in Dakota are not what they were in
1916. Then we we're a people Of $780,
900, not a people having great political
influence. We were a people of the
coming years, considering our prospec-
tive political influence, and what was
true of our forefathers then in the east is
true OF US now in the west. 1t is not what
we see, but what our children are to see.
and we, the people of today, may not see
Dakota IN all her glory and grandness,
but the people of coming years will wit
ness the power and glory of this country
in its %fulness."
OF the duties Of American citizens,
Mr.. Roosevelt said in part:
"We, grangers and cowboys alike,
have opened a new land; we are the
pioneers, and as we shape the course of
the stream near its head, our efforts have
infinitely more effect in bending it in
any given direction than they would
have if they we're made farther along.
In other words, the first Corners in a land
can, by their individual efforts, do far
more to channel out the course in which
its history is to run than can those who
come after them; and their labors, wheth-
er exercised on the side of evil or on the
side of good, are far more effective than
if they had remained in old settled com.
munities. So it is peculiarly incumbent
on US here today t so act throughout
our lives as to leave our children a herr
tagc for which we will receive their
blessing and not their curses"
In conclusion MI. Roosevelt said:
II do not think there are any people who
should feel the pride Of citizenship, in
the states, as those who are building up
the great state of Dakota. l am myself
at heart as much 4 westerner as an east
erner; am proud, indeed, t be con-
sidered n of yourselves, and l address
you in this rather solemn strain today
because of my pride in you, and because
your welfare, moral as we'll as material,
is SO neal my heart.
"
r. ~->,r-v~