The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-05-27
MONDAY GREAT DAY
FOR COLLEGE
President Roosevelt in His Speech
Paid Tribute to Whitman's Part
in Saving Oregon.


Monday was great day in The his
| tory of Whitman college in some re-
spects the greatest day in its history.
/ It will be a long time before the stu
dents will forget the time when the
president of the United States visit
ed them and talked from in front OF
the Memorial building 70 the people
Of Washington and to the students
alone at times From early morning
everything was at a high pitch Of
excitement. Lessons did not count
for much.
When the president began to talk
about Whitman college and her pres
ident the students could not restrain
themselves from bursting out in a
cheer If every student in Whitman
college and academy could vote AMI
tomorrow were election day it is safe
to say that were Mr.. Roosevelt run
ming again he would get a practical
ly unanimous vote. He is all right.
He means what he says. Il like
him. are some Of the comments, and
among them all there is no note Of
dissent.
The keenest attention was paid to
every word which fell from the speak
er's lips And when the students heard
the speaker tell of Whitman as one
of the WORTHLESS who had been the
means Of causing the great country
now forming the states Of Washington
and Oregon to grow up and develop
under the American flag and when
they realized that the speaker was
the president OF the United States
and a great historian, they were thrill
ed with the thought that then and
there before them the great Whitman
controversy was being settled for
ever and that Teddy Roosevelt was
the champion Of Whitman.
President Penrose in speaking Of
the matter today said that he had had
the privilege OF speaking to Presi-
dent Roosevelt on the Whitman ques-
ton at Senator Ankeny's home. Il
mentioned to him. said Mr.. Penrose,
professor BoUne's attack on the
Whitman story and he said That is
all nonsense. There is undoubtedly
a tendency always TO symbolic under
one mans name what many people
cO-Operated to accomplish but Whit
man W III dIN aS u6StlNt IiOIIUl as
one Of Americas WOrthiest. "
Said Mr.. Penrise. Il found him a
staunch believer in the Whitman
story. | told him that DR. Pearsons
who gave us the Memorial building
from the steps Of which he spoke,
was the same man who had given 10
endOw Berea college for the Noun
tain whites Of Kentucky and Tennes-
see. which pleased the president very
greatly and he said. Give DR.. PearsOns
my very warm regards. He has done
a great work. | am very glad that you
have told ne about his being interest
ed in Whitman.
Il told Mr.. Roosevelt. continued
Mr.. PenrOse. about Dr. BrOde's trip
lets. all healthy boys and my own
twins and that during my presidency
eighteen children had been born to
the faculty OF the college. He
laughed heartily and shook M hama
in cOngratulatiOn, saying. Il will tele-
graph President Elliott of Harvard
who has been pessimistic along thar
line"
The president expressed himsel'
as greatly pleased with Wal!a Wal
saying: You have a charming cit
and | have enjoyed by stay greatly
Mir Loeb, his private secretary. also
spoke with warm appreciation Of the
way in which all arrangements had
been made and the sm0Othness with
which they were carried out Not
hitch Of any kind married the occa-
sion.
One of the leading editors of the
northwest said His speech in Walla
WaIla was the best that he has made
| in the northwest He had been with
he president for two weeks and he
declared that there could be no ques-
| tiCn that yesterday Mr.. JROosevelt
was the most eloquent and most inter-
ostiro than on any other occasion.