Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-04
is PRESIDENTS BUSY DAY
Puts in Time Making Speeches in Heavy
Rain.
FINDS NEW FRIEND At BLOOMINGTON
Mayor of that Town, n Former Dem
OcrRt, Announces Allegiance TO
Roosevelt, Because He's
an Ideal American.

at D CLOCK LnlS morning. anu WnGh He
concluded his address here shortly after 10
o'clock tonight he had spoken nine times.
Eight of his speeches were made in the
open air and several of them in transforms.
The hardest rain encountered today was at
Pontiac, where he dedicated soldiers ana
sailors monument. The downpour was so
heavy when his train arrived that 1t seemed
inadvisable for him to venture out.
II will leave it to you, Mr. Mayor" he
said to that official. 'if you say go we will
go" The mayor decided that the president
should go. and wearing a rain coat be
braved the elements
The most interesting feature of the day
occurred at Dwight. The mayor of this
place is a democrat. In introducing the
president he said:
1 consider you, Mr. President, the Ideal
American citizen. / am in favor OF the
course you have pursued and will support
you for reelection.
The president. responding to the introduc-
ton, said:
am pleased by the kind words the mayor
especially, Mr.. Mayor. coming from one
who is not OF my party; but the. whole
Americans that is enough platform for al
OF us to stand upon l prize more tnan !
by the mayor and assure you l shall do
my best to try to deserve them.
| The president also assisted in the open
| ing of a new hotel at Dwight. A wire was
run from the hotel to the rear platform of
his car and by pressing a button he
started the machinery in the building.
The places at which the president spoke
today were Freeport. Rockford, Rochelle,
Aurora Joliet, Dwight, Pontiac, Lexington
and Bloomington.
| President Dedicates Hall.
The feature of the visit of President
Roosevelt to Rockford today was the dedi'
cation of Memorial hall, $sO,OOO structure.
| The city was decorated in gala garb,
pictures of the president adorning the
store fronts and residences. Local busi-
ness men and manufacturers united in
movement for making the visit general
| holiday.
President Roosevelt reached Rockford
on schedule time, arriving here at 9l5
a. m. He was accompanied by Congress
man Robert r. Hit and John A Davis.
ae was officially greeted by committee
of six consisting of Mayor Charles E.
Jackson. Judge A II. Frost, Congressman
Charles E. Fuller and Messrs I. e.
Backhee, J. b. Whitehead and Walter
Van Alstyne of the county board. and
escorted by carriage to Memorial hall.
Arriving at the Memorial building Con-
gressman Hit introduced the president
to the vast audience confronting him and
he made a brief reponse after which came
the unfurling OF the\ flag over the Memorial
structure.
The president and party then re-entered
their carriages and enjoyed short drive
through the principal streets. first pass
ing in review before some 1000 school
children massed at a park adjoining the
Memorial building grounds. Each child
carried an American flag and the salute
given President Roosevelt was a most
inspiring sight The decorations for the
occasion were the most elaborate ever at
tempted in this city.
The throng in town was variously esti-
mated at from 10000 to $1,000.
Following the visit of the president and
his party there was public parade partic-
ipated in by local civic and military
organizations. During the afternoon came
the formal dedicatory exercises of the
hall. Department Commander Benson
Wood gave the principal address Of the
day.
Site of LincOIn-DOugIas Debate.
FREEPORT. ILL.,, June S.-President
Roosevelt and party reached here from
Dubuque at o'clock and Immediately aft
erward were driven to the site of the Lin
ment commemorating the event was un-
veiled in the presence of many thousands
from Freeport and vicinity. At the court
house the president was introduced by Con-
gresham Hit.
The president referred to the debate as
an event far reaching. He complimented
the Women's club OF Freeport who erected
the monument. At $50 the party was
driven to the depot amid cheers of thou
sands and left for Rockford.
President Roosevelt spoke as follows:
We meet today to commemorate the spot
on which occurred one OF those memorable
scenes in accordance with which the whole
future history Of nations is nodded. Here
| were spoken words that flow through inn
mediate time and that will flow through
that portion OF eternity recorded in the his
tory OF our race. Here was sounded the
Vulsing the nation, made II in fact what II
had been only in name, united and free.
ment, given by the women Of this city in
, commemoraton of the great debate that
= men whose deeds made good the words OF
Abraham Lincoln and the soldiers Of the
civil war cheers az qDDlausel.
The words wer> mighty, and had II not
I been for the words the deeds could not
$ have taken place, But without the deeds
breath It is forever 70 the honor of our
I nation that brought the statesman that
1 could pierce the clouds that obscured the
could see what the future inevitably held
And, moreover. that We had back OF the
. statesman and behind him the men tc
whom IL was given TO fight in the greatest
war ever waged for the good OF mankind
= for the betterment of the world.
Only a Moment TO speak.
have literally but a moment here
could not resist the chance that was offered
: me to stop and dedicate this monument
for great though we regard Abraham Lin,
4 coin, my cOuntrymen, the future will put
him on an even higher pinnacle than We
have put him. (Applause.) In all history
l do not believe that there Is TO be found
an orator whose speeches will last as en-.
| duringly as certain OF the speeches OF Lin.
coin. And in all history, with the sole eN
n ception of the man who founded the re-
e public, i do not think there will be fount
y another statesman so great and so single
" hearted in his devotion 70 the welfare Of
n his people.
We cannot too highly honor him Tn,
A highest way IN which we can honoE him /!
10 see that our homage is not only words
u that 10 loyalty Of words we join loyalty o
n the heart, and that we pay honor to IN,
!. I memory OF Abraham Lincoln by so con
Quoting ourselves by 50 carrying ourselves
| as citizens Of this republic, that we shal
q hand on undiminished TO our children ant
. ! our childrens children the heritage we re
n manship Of Lincoln IN the councils an,
q who made good the sOldiership Of Grant II
!. the field. Cheers and aDplause)
AURORA. H., June S.-Fifty thousan
!, people greeted president Roosevelt at Au