The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-24

Jacksonville, fla, October 21.--Ihe
reception to President Roosevelt TO-
day was O. hearty one. Thousands
thronge4-the streets, on his line ol
march, and the President showed in
his manner mis- appreciation of the
good will that was manifested on
every side. So far as comfort was
concerned the day was ideal. A cool
north wind had begun to blow during
the night which prevented the de;iv-
cry Of the Presidents principal speech
in the open air before the Seminole
club as it was thought that the wlld
would make it, impossible for his vosce
to reach the assembled crowds. The
speech was delivered at the board or
trade auditorium, where it was listanl
ed to with great interest and frequent
! applause.
The President arrived here at 1920
this morning on special Southern
train. On it's arrival at the depot,
where thousands of cheering people
mittee of 100 leading citizens lined up,
mittee of 100 lading citizens lined up,
making a passageWay through the de-
pot to the street where carriages were
in waiting The special cOmmlttee
consisting of Gov. BrOward, MaN1oyr
Nolan, President Warner, of the board
of trade: United States Senators Ialh-
afeIro and Mallory and congressman
Sparkman, Lamar and Clark ana Edl-
tors Wilson and Carter, then proceeded
to the Presidents car and gave him a.
cordial greeting. The President looked
fresh and vigorous after night s
sleep, and expressed himself delighted
with being in Florida. The day was
all that one could wish for.
There were no formal exercises at
the depot and as soon as the PRESIDENT
and his party were seated i'll carriages,
General Lowell, the grand marshal or
dered the first Florida regiment Whlcn
acted as escort to march and the paraue
began through the principal streets
After driving through the principal
streets the President was taken TO tne
Seminole club, where he spoke briefly
on eOoicltizenship. He was then driven
TO the Jacksonville board Of trade
: auditorium, and luncheon was served
After luncheon the President made
his address.
The Presidents Address.
The President said:
Here in Florida. the first of the CUR
States which l have visited upon TINS
trip. I wish to say special word apou1
the Panama Canal. | believe that tne
canal will be of great benefit to all our
people. but most of all to the states
of the South Atlantic. the Gulf ana the
Pacific slope. When completed the
canal will stand as monument TO TINS
nation: for it will be the greatest engl-
neering feat ever yet accomplished III
the world. It will be good thing Tor
the world as a whole. and for the peo-
pie of the Isthmus and Of the northern
portions of South America in partlcu-
lar. Because of our especial interest
in it. and because of the position we
occupy on this hemisphere. it is mat
ter of special pride to us that our ma
ton. the American nation. should have
undertaken the performance of TINS
world duty. 4 body of the most emf
nent engineers in the world. botn
Americans and foreigners has been
summoned to advise as to the exact
type of canal which should be built
At no distant date I hope to be able to
announce what their advice is. and alsc
Meanwhile the work is already well
under way. and has advanced sufficist.
ly far to enable me to announce with
certainty that it can surely be accom-
plished. and probably at rather less
expenses than was anticipated. But
upon the last point. as well as upor
the question of time. no positive state.
ment can be made until the report o.
the commission of engineers as to ths
exact type of canal has been received
The work is as difficult as 1t is impor
& tant: and it is OF course inevitable tina
from time to time difficulties will oc
cur and checks be encountered. When
ever such is the case the men Of litt1,
faith at home will lose that little faith
and the critics who confound hvsteri;
with emphasis will act after their kind
But our people as a. whole possess no
only faith. but resolution. and are o
too virrile fiber to be swept one way o
the other by mere sensationalism. N
check that may come will be OF NOR
rthan trivial nd nos c;n