Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-12-02
The President at St. Louis
An Elegant Banquet Given Him.
Incidents of His Visit, etc.
Correspondence OF the Spectator ]

1
Correspondence OF the Spectator
| Virginia Bldg, Worlds Fair,
st. Louis, Nov. 26.
am just back this Saturday night,
ii p. M, from the notable banquet
given by the Louisiana Purchase Elk
position to the President OF the United
States. 1t was great social junction
which will 60 on record as a famous
affair. at which there were gus invited
Iguests from almost every nation OF the
earth and state of the union. The
guest was Theodore Roosevelt, Presl
dent and President-elect. The only
speeches were by President Francis OF
the Exposition and President Roose
welt of the United States, and yet three
hours were pleasantly spent, and when
you know that the COST of the spread
was $40, 1000, or SIS per plate, and there
was a famous band furnishing The
music for $500, you will hardly be sur
prised. The occasion was brilliant
one and the company looked to be fine
and distinguished, and was RECALLED
with some or 10 courses, which were
served in what seemed to the humble
| writer TO be imperlallstic style, Well
becoming the imperialistIc guest. The
walters outdressed 50 per cent OF the
| audience, your correspondent lnclud.
ed, and the menu was sumptuous. L
will not undertake to detail the cours-
es, as some souvenir tiend stole my
menu card on which 1 was making
notes, but prominent in my recOllec-
tion is quail, one to plate, medallion
of beef, blue.pOint oysters, delicious
consomee, rare jumbo. of ices, Bra
lillian coffee and cigars fit for king, to
say nothing of champaign, etc.
The banquet hall was magnificent,
located in the heart of the Tyrolean
Alps, the Alpine snow not admitted,
lighted overhead with electricity akin
to Alpine lightning, and on. the long
tabl es, every feet, an electric bulb
shining inside of an artificial
vase of colored lilies. While there were
tit led nobility from foreign lands, ino
tabl Q men from many States, Virginia
had only two private! citizens officially
present, Hon. G. w. Koiner. President
of her State CommIssion,s and T.a q.
Morton, the Virginia Host at the Fair,
SO that Augusta bad the only Virginia
representatives present, and they
didn't say anOthlng,.. just laughed
but when the band played Dixie they
felt at home and cheered, so did |
everybody else. -
The vis-a-vls of our little party was |
one of the. ninety directors of the ex-
position and his wife. who told us that |
each director had, in preparing tor the |
fair, given his bond for $40, 900 towards
the expense fund and after meeting |
the other day Of the executive com
nit tee, each had his note returned him
cancelled. 1t was not needed .sand |
Worlds Fair stock, hasagone up. l
also learned from Mr.. M. A. e. Levy,
brother of the man who owns Month
cello, who sat at our elbow, that the
Alps company has taken in $960.000
during the fair, and that Creation"
had cleared $50, 900.
Gov. Francis, in introducing Mr..
Roosevelt, said meaningly, 1.-The YER
dict OF this November election was
the result of-various causes" and
here he paused with seeming embar-
rassment, The president smiled and
the big audience laughed long and loud
Zone particular factor, if not the
one." continued Mr.. fran
els, was the personality Of the sue
cessful candidate This statement
met much applause, but the Democrats
were quiet.
1 will not repeat the Presidents
speech. 1t was short and to the point
and you will have seen it in the papers
before this reaches you. His voice is
not pleasant, something of squeak in
it, but he speaks with great delibera
tion and makes himself heard while
everybody listens. He has spent the
whole day on the grounds, driving
rapidly from place to place and walk
ing through the large buildings, from
which the crowd was always expelled
before he entered, much to their dis
gust, as they stood in the cold waiting
A mounted escort of police cantered
before bis carriage and squadron of
regular U. s. cavalry galloped behind.
I suppose he viewed most of the State
buildings. When saw him approach
our Monticello, there were but few at
the building, no other Vlrginian pres
emit, so standing on the portico l rails
ed my hat to do the hOnors for the
Home of jefferson. but Teddy went
me one better" Rising from his seat
he raised his hat and made profound
bow. There is no discounting his
pOliteness, but be is as undignified as
boy. As he passed through cheer
ing crowd some enthusiastic Republi-
can gave huerah for New York, the
President called back, What's the
matter with Missouri ?'' She's all
right, said the man. and the crowd
laughed and cheered again. Imagine
Thomas Jefferson, Cleveland or Nc
Kinley involving in that sort of by
play with man ON the side walk. But
L suppose that is part of the popular
personality of the man.
Monday, a. m.
The crowd was big one at the Fair
today, the best of the November days
and it paid to have the president come,
Americans delight in hero worship.
But the best thing tue President did |
here was to endorse the action of this
government in observing the Sabbath
law here by remaining on the grounds
in bis car till one minute past midnight |
before starting for Washington. The
whole country will honor him for it.
Slower Happenings.