Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-30
ST. LOUIS WELCOMES
Roosevelt, With Governor
 Cookery, at Mound City.
GOOD ROADS IS THE COUNTERSIGN.
Iron Mountain Staters I'm Convention at Odeom Hall Acclaim His Ex- cel1ency, Who Speaks on Im-
 proved National Highways.

G~AA%ASSs MO SPOAR&B Oh
 proved National Highways.
 ST. LOUIS, April 3O-When Presi- dent Roosevelt arrived to participate in the dedication ceremonies of the worlds fair, it was expected generally that he would leave his train at Union station, and a dense throng had con gregated there. But to avoid just such an assemblage arrangements were made to have him leave the train at Forsythe Junction, three miles from the center of the city.
 His train arrived at Forsythe June tion at APO D. m, where he was met and escorted to the good roads conven- ton in Odeon hall for brief address. Members of the national commission of the worlds fair, a reception com mittee headed by President Francis and crowd of spectators were pres ent to welcome him. For an hour be- fore his train arrived troops of militia and squadrons of police were stationed about the point of disembarkation to prevent a crush AS the presidential train arrived President, Roosevelt, ac- companied by Governor Cookery of Missouri, who had joined the train at Keokuk, stepped off the rear end.
 President Francis of the Louisiana Purchase exposition seized the hand of the president and gave him an in formal welcome to St. Louis. Mayor Wells, President Garter of the national commission and other members of that body, the reception committee of the worlds fair and military officers shook hands with the president, and after this brief and informal reception he was escorted to the carriage in wait ing. Mayor Wells. with two prominent officials, accompanied the president in the carriage, which was at once driven off to the good roads convention.
 Just as the carriage started a middle aged woman rushed through the line of officers, wildly waving her handker chief and vociferously cheering the president. She attempted to reach in and seize his hand, but the quickening pace of the horses prevented, and, al- though she ran after the vehicle, still cheering and waving her handkerchief, for the distance of half block, she was finally distanced and lost in the crowd.
 The military companies and a pla toon of police had been waiting two blocks away, and as soon as the line of | carriages appeared a slower march was taken up to cover the three miles to Odeon hall. People were congre- gated along the streets and wildly cheered as the president passed. He continually doffed his hat in acknowl- ! edgment. The hall was packed with a crowd which had been waiting patient ! ly for hours. The president spoke of good roads in tones which showed, as we'll as his words, that he was thor oughly in earnest. "
 1 Roads" he declared, ."tell the great ness of nation. The influence of the nations which have not been road builders has been evanescent Rome, the most powerful of the older civiliza- tlons, left her impress on literature ans: speech; she changed the boundaries Of nations, but plainer than anything else left to remind us of the Roman civili- Eation are the Roman roads"
 At this point in the presidents speech the crowd rose and cheered, ! "0NAAS dllu udlS. l Merely from historical analogy" the president continued, this country, which we believe, will reach position of leadership never equaled-this coun- try, I say, should so act that posterity will justly say when speaking of us, 1 That nation built good roads,"
 The president declared that good roads probably were the greatest agen- cy for regulating the flow from the country to~ the city of young men and young women.
 "A long line of liquid morass is not pleasant" the president continued. "It means in many instances practical iso- lation to the farmer When the girl or the boy can't take a turn on bike even to a neighbours because of the roads-well, it is situation not likely to make farm life attractive"
 Tn conclusion he spoke of the benefits to the country districts of the trolley line, the telephone and the rural free | delivery and closed with the assertion l that good roads were proving the greatest benefit of all.
 FToa 0deon hall the president was