The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-04-03
WITH ROOSEVELT
IN CHICAGO
The President Makes Great Hit on
the Threshold of His
ri Tour.
How an Attempt to Use Him Was
Made by the Politicians
.i and Baked.
Special to The Journal.

Chicago April 3.--For the first time
since since he became president, Theodore
Roosevelt is now in the great middle west
at the threshold Of a tour which would
overtax the powerful endurance of a less
muscular frame than his. He came to
Chicago yesterday, and. coming, con-
quered. For day the city forgot that it
was in the midst Of an exciting municipal
campaign, and all her people, regardless
of party, turned out to do him honor. it
was a reception worthy of the man and
of the great west whose commercial CEN
ter Chicago now is
4 The first event of the day was the visit
4 to Northwestern university, which, ten
Efyears ago. conferred upon the president his
first LII. D. degree. This was before the
world knew him, or would have cared
8sabout him if it had known. He was then
s "a young man of "a years, and was just
Il swimming his spurs in literature as we'll as
n in public life. He had recently changed
SEthe ranch life of the Dakotas for a larger
Nand more active field of usefulness in
New York city; and Northwestern uni
#yersity with a rare foresight which is now
her pride, singled him out for the great
est honor she could confer. This explains
why the president went first to Evanston
after reaching Chicago yesterday morn
ing.
After a lunch at the Auditorium, where
he was the guest of the city's best-knoWn
men, he went in the afternoon to the Uni
versity of Chicago, where Dr. Harper, as
president of that great institution. con-
ferred upon him another LII. u. degree.
These two events stand out most promln-
emily Il yesterdays program In the
evening came the notable address by the
president at the Auditorium theater
An Attempt to Use Him.
But for the presidents tact and practi-
cal way Of looking at things, the Chicago
visit would have been failure; ndeed,
he would not have come to the city hao
the original program ideas been adhered
to. 1t was the thought Of the Chicago
republican machine that the visit, coming
/, five days prior to the municipal election,
could be turned to the advantage OF the
republican candidate for mayor, Graeme
Stewart, and arrangements were made
accordingly. Only republicans were to pc
members of the reception committee and
only republicans were to be invited to the
banquet.
Senator Hopkins, Billy Mason's sue
cessor lives at Aurora, Chicago sub
urb, and he entered heartily into the
plan. Being in Washington at the time
he conferred with the president, care
fully keeping from him. however, all
knowledge of the Interior motive the
politicians had in view, and wired the
Chicago leaders that everything had been
fixed at the White House. The seVera
large republican clubs of Chicago, which
i were to manage the affair, were jubilant
and all Chicago republicans seemed to be
happy.
1t remained for two or three Washing
ton correspondents, who have the presi-
dents confidence. to unfold to him the
plot. He quick to see the point anc
telegrams were hurried to Chicago tina
Is Mayor Harrison and other leading demo
81 Hats must appear on the several com
SAshittees and be assigned conspicuou:
places on the program of entertainment
There was protest at first, but wher
it became known that unless this were
done the president would cut Chicago GU
of his itinerary and proceed from Wash
ington without stop to Milwaukee, thu
local republicans capitulated-. b. 1t was wei
3 that they did, for while the presiden
was insisting that no practical politics
should be injected into his visit Mayo
Harrison was being interviewed in thu
(. Chicago press in way that completed.
justified the position the president hat
taken. Not only would the original re
ception plan have shown bad taste, blu
it would have harmed the candidacy o
Graeme Stewart and harmed the presi
dent also
In it's amended form the program wa
satisfactory to everybody. Mayor Harri
son, as mayor, had the chief part of loca
honor. and the day was a very pleasan
one for the president and his party, a
we'll as for the people of Chicago.
A Tremendous Trip.
"a. The president will visit TWENTY-FIVE
states while he is away, and will trave
$4,000 miles-a distance equal to NOR
* than half the circumference of the globe
He will be away from Washington sixty
Fl six days. It is the longest and most in,
ia portant trip president ever has take1
a5 and only a man of Mr. Roosevelt's perfec
s physical condition could endure it.. H
& has not undertaken this great journey a
the head of political party, but as tn
@55 be an electioneering junket. While an in
II evitable result of the trip will be tn
Strengthening of the republican position
his chief aim will be to receive and t
impart light upon great public question
which rise high above any mere politics
party and concern the people as whole.
#!s If the opening day of the tour may
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