Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-04-28
President in Iowa.
(By stafr Correspondent on Presidents
Train)

tBy Stan Correspondent on Presidents
TrainO
President Roosevelt put in a strenuous
day In his tour of Nebraska yesterday.
Starting out from Grand Island he travelled
on four different railroads, stopping at
seven different points, speaking to thou
sands upon thousands of Nebraska's men.
women and children
So far as temperature was concerned the
day was all that could be desired, although
until late in the after noon it's comfort was
marred by high winds and heavy dust. fol-
lowed by showers in Lincoln, wahoo and
Fremont, to be capped with most favorable
weather conditions upon his arrival in
Omaha.
The president was in the best Of spirits
from beginning to end OF the days ride,
exhibiting an exuberant lnvigorstion. re-
sultlng from the refreshing recreation he
had had in his outing in the Yellowstone
park. His face shows signs OF exposure
| TO the direct rays of the sun in the rari-
| fed atmosphere of the higher regions, but
! in physique and weight, those who know
him say, he never looked better. In every
! look word and action he exhibited unmeas-
ured satisfaction with the magnificent well
| come accorded him by the people OF Ne
braska. A welcome which shows that he
|
the people than any other president who
has visited the state without exception.
| Everywhere from the most lonely water
tank to the most populous city in Ne
braska he was acclaimed with unbounded
enthusiasm by all classes of the people.
Speaks of Prosperity. .t
In his speeches, which naturally partook
npre ~ less OF sanssness, ne dw'elt upon
three or four essential points bearing upon
good citizenship and national prosperity,
which he wished TO emphasize to the public
mind. What he said was suggested by
what he saw as the train tore him over the
fertile prairies and promising fields OF the
richest agricultural section of the middle
west. The rows of veterans of the civil
war. in which they had enrolled themselves
| under the flag for the union, called forth a
tribute to the patriotism that had pre-
| vented disunlon. The array Of Spanish
American volunteers reminded him Of the
fact that in the little" war which followed
Nebraska was among the FIRST TO offer it's
sons to uphold the prestige OF the nation
in the far east. The banks of school chill
dren inspired him TO new sermons on the
superior value OF the citizen who con-
tributes to the expansion OF the country's
population. His participation in The ground
| breaking for two new public libraries do
mated by Andrew Carnegie at Grand Island
and Hastings respectively called forth rOo-
ognition of the influence of the library,
school and church In the upbuldlng of the
moral character OF the people, which, in the
presidents opinion. counts for more than
material prosperity. And, finally. the gem
eral welcome OF the people suggested to him
various lines Of good ciizenship--the neces-
sity OF the individual cooperation of all
the people to produce the best results from
the operation OF good laws and honest
governmental administration.
signs of Nebrhskn's Greatness.
The conditions of the farm and neId
tempted him to congratuation OF the farm
ers of Nebraska on the advantages that
have accrued from the diversihcation OF
their. crops and especially from the culti-
walton OF alfalfa as supplementary to corn
and wheat. The transformation OF the
semi-arid region expected to follow from
the consummation Of irrigation projects now
in hand which we're pointed out and the
debt owing to Nebraskas senators and rep
resentatives in the United States senate
end house OF representatives in the enact
ment OF the irrigation measure acknowl-
edged. The frequent groups Of trees just
budding into leaf and blossom called forth
several tributes TO the enduring monuments
OF Arbor day, commemorating the lifework
OF the late J. Sterling Morton. Inter-
spersed with the speeches was much con-
versational repartee between the president
and his auditors who occasionally corrected
him or amplihed his statements and fire.
quently showed their approval by cries OF
I Right you are" That's a fact" and
"WeIl remember It,"
Reception Along the Route.
! The most striking. of course, was that
| accorded to Omaha, but Lincoln was not
far behind and the president in quitting
r the state capital Iook occasion to call out
the heads OF the committee in charge, and
the ofieers of the National guard and Uni
I versity battalion to tender them his per-
J sonal thanks for the successful arrange
= ments prepared for his coming.
In transportation facilities the president
and his party we're particularly fortunate.
They had the best OF the best railroads in
: Nebraska and except for additional stops
] inserted into the train schedule and one or
! two excesses OF time limits we're prompt
at every point. The president made glad
the hearts Of each train crew by receiving
, the members for a cordial handshake when
he finished the trip In their charge. II
. was by no means the least impressive feat
: ure OF the journey to see the begrimed
engineers and hremen and the dust COW
! cred brakemen emerge from the presi-
dents car wreathed in smiles IN recollec-
tion OF comforting words and appreciation
that the president had given them as they
, had passed through. On each Of the roads
the train was taken in charge by the high
, est local ofhcials OF the road-by General
, Manager Holdrege and Superintendent I'd.
Bignel for the Burlington-General Man
sger Bidwell, Superintendent Hannah. Gem