The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-12-03


there was to be any fighting he was
geing to be IN it. So he organized, with
Col. Wood, the Rough Riders, and his
history in Cuba you know. Why he
was not shot, as [ frequently told him,
I never could understand; he must
have made an excellent mark for the
Spanish sharpshooters, for he could
not keep out of the fight. Then he re
turned, and his feIlow-citizens of New
York made him governor OF the state,
and there he maintained the highest
ideals of the public duty, and was
drafted-for he did not want to accept
the candidacy for the office-into the
position of vice president as running
mate for Major Mckinley. And then
when the hand of the assassin sent woe
into all our hearts, he, by law, was
called forth to take up that awful bur-
den, for it must have seemed to him an
awful burden to succeed the great man
that he had to follow, and to pledge
himself, as he did, to carry on that
great mans policy.
I have described to you a man of
great ability, a man who, with the
highest ideals, was necessarily we'll
fitted TO discharge the onerous and
delicate duties of chief magistr ate of a
nation. He was nomin ated, and they
said that the convention was the cold
est ever held. Well, there may have
been a lack OF heat on the part of some
gentlemen taking part in that conven-
ton, but it didn't indicate lack of
enthusiastic support on the part of
the people who sent those delegates
there.
And now that he has been tri-
umph antly elected. he has announced
not only that he will not be candi-
date, but that he will not accept
nomination in 1908. and I don't need
to assure you that he means what he
says. The American people believed
that he was man with the courage of
his convictions; that he meant to do
right, and that whether he made mis-
takes or not, they could trust him in
the long run to carve out right path
They believed that he was a typical
American and he loves all the coun-
try. He doesn't love one part of the
state Of New York, from which he
came, or the state of Montana, or
Idaho or Wyoming, in which he spent
a part of his life, but he loves the
whole country.
He was charged with being wrong
headed, tyrannical aud obstin ate, and
altogether dangerous man. Now, I
want to testify personally upon one of
those points. I never met man in
position of authority who had less
pride OF opinion than Theodore Roose-
welt. [ never met man who was so
amenable to argument. He thinks
aloud, is direct in his methods and
quick to form judgments. but when
reason is presented to him, though he
has announced different conclusion,
he has no pride of opinion which pre-
vents his changing and reaching the
right conclusion. Then, when he has
made up his mind, he has the courage
of his convictions, and bravery suf-
fcient to meet any issue.
] am glad to say that he is going to
make a visit to this part of the coun
try, and | ask you to listen to him as
he talks to you face to face; and I
ask you, when he has talked TO you
thus, to say whether you think he is a
sectional man or has any sectional
feeling or animosity; ask you to look
through all his writings-and was
there ever acandid ate who has written
SO much upon every subject, at every
time of life?-and find a single line that
indicates hostility or sectional feeling
toward the south. [ am not here with
mand ate from him, but I am here to
say that the attacks upon him from
this region of the country have only |
saddened him, and that [ know there |
is in his nature, in his courage. in his |
dash and in his love Of strenuous I
life, that which appeals to the south |
ern nature, and that which I know will |
find sympathy in every one of your
hearts.
The speaker then turned to the sec
ond part of the toast and paid a glow
ing tribute to the bravery and eff
cheney of the army, recounting its
in Cuba and the Philip
pines, and explaining the necessity for
maintaining its present numerical
strength, which is about 81, 900 men,
all told. The twenty-f five leading har-
bors of the country, now almost i'm
pregnable to foreign ships, and the
other exigencies OF the service require
3 force of $4,000 artillerymen alone,
while the responsibilities of the nation
n the West Indies, in the east, in
anama, in the islands Of the Pacific
and elsewhere, demand that the present
military force shall not be depleted.
Call it big stick,'' he smiled, "or
sall it what you will-tS ~ country re-
luires that which will enable it to-
its dignifed position among
he nations of the earth.'' The secre-
airy closed his speech with humorous
difference to the army and navy and
toast TO them both, wav-
ng his glass and bowirs to Admiral
Y alker, who was seated Sat his side.
The other formal toasts and those
Who responded to them were as follows:
'Our Guests, Paul Capdevielle, for
he city of New Orleans.
"The Canal, Judge Charles E.
lagoon, counsel Isthmian Canal Com
lission.
THE State of Louisiana Newton
J. Blanchard, governor of Louisiana.
New Orleans and Its Future, !" j as.
:. Hayden.
"The United States" II. C. War
10th. /
The addresses were all admirably
onceived and effectively delivered,
nd we regret that it is impraetible
} reproduce or even review them at
We shall take occasion at
Their times to quote and discuss some
the information impaired and prop
sitions advanced by the distinguished S
~ bows l.