The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-03
Thousands Struggled to Hear
Roosevelt at Chicago
And Got No Nearer to Him Than
the Street.
ON MONROE DOCTRINE.
Stands by the Established Pol
icy of the Country
Regarding European Interior
ence With Western Affairs.

Chicago, Ill, April 3-Six thousand
people in a hail. the seating capacity OF
which is but 5000, gave encouragement
TO President Roosevelt when ne step
ped upon the stage of the Auditorium
last night The great building has held
many thr0ng, but never one that was
more unstinted in its applause for any
man than the crowd that filled it last
night From the first floor to the roof
A was packed to its utmost capacity.
Every seat was occupied and, although
the aisles were kept cleared, all the
space in the lobbies and on the stair
ways leading to the hall from the lower
floor were jammed with hundreds of
men who were utterly III able to hear
q word of the presidents address. All
that came to them was the roar of ap-
plause from within and with such loyal
lungs did they accept their cue that
several times they were giving vent to
cheers when those on the inside had
died away and the president had re-
sumed his address. Twice during the
evening Chief of Police O'Neil was
compelled to send word to the patriots
without the door that they must cheer
in better time or he would be compelled
to clear the stairway.
In the street outside for more than
an hour before the time set for the
opening Of the presidents address small
assemblies of policemen were kept
busy. Thousands of persons filled Wa
bash avenue in the rear of the Auditor
jun. TANNED Michigan avenue in front
of it and blocked to the best of its
ability Congress street, which runs al
the side of it. The officers were stretch
ed i'm double line along the walks inn
mediately adjoining the building and
no person who could not exhibit ere
dentials emitting HIM to admission to
the hall was permitted upon the walk
The jam at the doors of the hall Tor
thirty minutes preceding the time al
which the president was to open his
address was of character to test the
patience OF the police without ana
within.
members of the local committee. ap-
reared on the platform. he was met
with great enthusiasm. the vast crowd
rising TO its feet. and experimenting its
hearty cheers with waving programmes
and fluttering handkerchiefs. The
president acknowledged his reception
with repeated bows, and took his seat
between Franklin MacVeagh. the chair
man of the committee. and Mayor Har-
lison. AS soon as his voice could be
heard Mr.. MacNeagh in a few words
announced that the nations chief ex-
ecutive would be made welcome to tho
city by Mayor Harrison. who then spoke
briefly. extending to the president a
hearty welcome and expressing the
pleasure felt by the people of Chicago
at his visit and Offering to him their
best wishes for a happy and pleasant
trip during his two months of vaca-
lion
The president bowed his thanks to
Mayor Harrison and TO Mr.. MacVeagh.
who introduced him TO his audience and
expressed his pleasure at the cordial re
ceDtion extended to him on the first
stoa Of his long trip. and then turning
directly to the audience in front of him
proceeded in his peculiarly energetic
manner to deliver his address.
lie had some difficulty in commenc-
ing. for the reason that the cheers that
had greeted his first appearance in the
hail burst forth with renewed vigor and
Il was several minutes before he was
able to proceed.
At the conclusion of the address there
was renewed and continued applause
and while the greater part Of the audi
ence was leaving the hall the president
was holding an imprOmptu reception on
the platform where all the members of
the committee that could be seated with
him on the platform and many men of
offer their congratulations on his ad-
dress
The president spoke as follows
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen.
To-day ] wish to speak to YOU, not
merely about the Monroe Doctrine. but
about our entire position in the west
ern hemisphere-a position so peculiar
and predominant that out OF it has
grown the acceptance of the Monroe
Doctrine as a cardinal feature of our
foreign policy; and in particular 1 wish