The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-06-25
PRESIDENT IN VIRGINIA
Mr.. Roosevelt Spoke at the Unlver.
sity Commencement.


Charlottesville, Va, Special.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt wound up his tour OF
the continent in a visit to the Univer-
sity of Virginia. This was alumni day
OF the University and the occasion was
made memorable by the presence OF
the President and many distinguished
men, some of them graduates OF the
University. The reception accorded the
President was a particularly warm one
and he was greeted with ringing cheers
when he arose to speak before the
alumni In the public hall and the stu
dent body at the luncheon rendered
him in the gymnasium, and they were
renewed several times during his two
speeches.
The address before the alumni as
ISOLATION, which was first ON the pro-
gramme. had been prepared by Judge
w. Gordon Robertson. OF Roanoke, and
was to have been delivered by him. He.
however, was detained at home by
illness and his address was read by r.
Walter Moore, Of Fairfax, a member
of the board Of visitors Of the Uniyer-
sity. Judge Morris then in a short
speech of welcome introduced the Pres
iGent. After the applause which greet
ed his appearance had subsidized. the
President delivered his address. The re-
ception accorded the President was
particularly demonstrative. The vast
audience sprang to its feet when he
was introduced, and the cheering n
hand-clapping continued for several
minutes. The President said it was 4
double pleasure foc him to be present
today. "In the first place" he said, be
cause the University Of Virginia is Il
among that limited number OF institu-
tons of learning to which, because OF
it's historical association, every Amerl-
can, proud of his country and his ccun-
try's history, must turn. In the next
place because l have just finished a
trip across the continent, which at al
most every step reminded me OF some
great deed done by a Virginian or a de-
scendant Of Virginia in that wonder
full formative period which has occu-
pied more than half Of this Republics
work"
The President said he would have
considered his first trip incomplete II
it had not ended with a pilgrimage 10
the University Of Virginia. He spoke
of the work of the early Virginians and
paid a tribute to Lewis and Clarke.
Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott
and other natives Of this State. VIZ
einia has a right to be proud" he said.
"of the character Of the public men she
has sent into public life. The Two
United States Senators from Virginia
are both graduates Of this University
and it is a genuine pleasure to be
brought into contact with them III
handling public affairs
The President spoke in high terms
of the University and the work 1t has
done. and said that when the white
House was restored to its original de-
sign, the architects came to Charlottes-
vile and studied the architecture OF the
old buildings in the University grounds
to get the right idea. He recalled the
fact that Edgar Allen Poe was a gradu-
ate of the University, as was also MS
friend, Thomas Nelson Page. He SAID
he had called upon a number OF uni
versity Of Virginia men to fill hlgh
public offices and that they never fallea
him. He concluded his address as fol-
lows:
1.-THE University Of Virginia has
stood for much in our national lie.
You stand for the production OF schol-
arship; for the production OF men VINO
arc to do we'll if ever the need of call
ing upon them for their services may
arise, but above all the University OF
Virginia stands for the production OF
men who are to do each mans duty IN
the world. Every American who re-
ceives a university education, who re-
1eiyes a good school education, IS by
the receipt Of that education just SO
much a debtor to the State. Every man
graduated here has owed the STATE
something for the education which ne
has received. A good American never
owes anything that he does not seek
to repay. (Applause). And the man
who is content to go through lie, oW-
ing his alma mater for the education
for which he has made no adequate re-
turn. is not true to the ideals OF Amer
lean citizenship. (Applause). He IS
honor bound to make such return. he
can make it in but one way. He a re-
turn what he owes to mis- alma mater
only by making his alma mater proud
of what he does in service rendered 10
his fellow men. (Ap0lause). or course
he first thing a university man, like
other men, must do is to pull his own
weight. You have got to do that hrst:
passing through this wonderful n
beautiful State Of yours, | am struck
not merely with its fertility and beau
ty, but with the steadily increasing
prosperity. We must remember that
no man is to be excused II he fails to
DC his part in keeping up that prosper,
ity. | am the last man that would
preach to any audience mere money
getting, but certainly l wish to preach
TO every audience that no man is to
be excused II he declines to do small
things that each day demands n not
want to wait until some nance LOT
heroic action. The man who wishes to
be a hero must begin by being a good
every day citizen. (Applause.) Then
II the opportunity offers for heroic &C
ton. let him seize 1t, let him grasp II,
let him write his name imperishaDly
.mong the names written among the
- khnk N