Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-24
PRESIDENT IN MOBILE
Enthusiastic Welcome Ac-
corded Him Last Night.
SPOKE TO BIG AUDIENCE
ON THE PANAMA CANAL AND A
STRONG NAVY.
Declared It Was the Duty of Ameri-
cans to Stand by and Protect
Great Waterway.

There was a general closing of all bushes.
houses, and along the route of the process
| sion from the union station to the stan(
| on Bienville Square, where the reception
ceremonies took place, residences and stores
were covered with decorations of lights ant
bunting in the national colors. The side
walks and streets along Government stree
were packed with humanity, and at McGil
Institute, Barton Academy and one or two
other points hundreds of school childrer
were massed. singing national songs as the
procession passed Cheer after cheer wei
coined the nations chief.
A stand was erected in Bienville Square
which, when the President arrived, was
| filled with 10000 citizens. The area wa:
brilliant with electric lights, while live oak!
formed a canopy of sSeen.
The President reached the stand at
o'clock, where he received by a recep
ton committee of 500 citizens. His sea
was On an elevated dais, in a chair which
was built by the students of Technical
school in Japan. Back of the chair Wa:
an enormous stuffed bear, eight feet all
bearing in its mouth a floral independence
bell and above it's head a white dove holding
d streamer on which was the inscription
Blessed is the peacemaker.' The beal
was killed in hunting exuedition by his
majesty Alexander II of Russia in 1857, &C
cording to the inscription on bronze plat
on the base of the monument and was pre-
scented by Gar Alexander to The Duke OF
Ozuma Comte rYanfantando, Duke de
Buenevito and ARGOS Prince d'Ebodie.
The house of Ebodie became extinct in the
sos and the effects in the palace of the
prince were disposed of by public sale. The
bear was purchased by Hannis Taylor, then
minister of the United States at Madrid.
Presented Badge.
Oliver J. Semmes, son of the confederate
han tod
to the President and pinned on the lapel of
his coat handsome souvenir badge as the
gift of the people of Mobile. In delivering
the badge, Judge Semmes said:
Mr.. President, L ask your attention for
a moment. | have been delegated by the
people of Mobile to present to you this
token, a symbol of their fealty as citizens
of the United States. Though. itself of lit
tie intrinsic value, yet in sentiment it rep
resents the loyalty, the worth and the
honor of as brave chiva re and noble a
people as is to lie found on the face of God S
green earth. We proud citizens of a proud
republic feel and believe that you. as the
head of that republic, will by your broad
views and judicious actions SO unite in
bonds of friendship all sections of our loved
country that Americans will advance TIL
they become the foremost of nations, and
may without . misgiving defy a world in
arms. Should this awful necessity ever
arise, then the sons of the south VIII be
found mighty armed camp. Take this lit
tie reminder. and when you look upon II
amid your arduous and multifarious duties
feel and know that the people Of Mobile
have buried the past and look without feai
to the future. recognizing that you, as is
shown by your later utterances, are the
President of the north and the SOUTH oul
whole country.
Welcomed by Col. Russell.
Judge Afford, chairman of the committee
bay1 i,1fr he
dent. who was briefly and warmly welcomed
by Mayor p. ]. Lyons, who paid high trib-
ute to him as a man, statesman and pa
triot Tie formal welcome was then deliv-
cred by Col Edward Lafayette Russell, who
SAID .:{onr Gaming among rs has been sourc,
of inspira ton to our people, who are ia
miliar with your record a soldier and 9
citizen. Your wise craftsmanship, coupled
with your public acts and public declara
tons, have given them confidence in YOU
sincerity of purpose and patriotism. Since
YOU have been President you have demon
strated by your administration of our fed
eral affairs that you are loyal and devoted
to our free institutions, coined out of blood
sacrifice and treasure of our ancestors. Suct
is the faith of our people in you as a pa
triot that they believe you would cheerfully
surrender your life rather than endanger
the sacred trust that has been confided tC
your patriotic keeping.
The Presidents Speech.
President Roosevelt was cheered as he
arose to speak. He said:
81 cannot sufficiently express my appre-
citation of the magnificent greeting that you
have given me today. The man would be
but a poor American who could meet you
| here. my fellow-citizens, without being
| stirred and feeling that he must even more
| than before strive to do all that in him lies
| for our common country. know that the rest
| of you will not grudge my saying that most
| of all am touched by the sight of men who
| wore the gray in the great parade here TO-
| day.
II have just been presented by Judge
Semmes with a beautiful badge. l passed
| by the statue of Admiral Semmes we
| drove up hither. Admiral Semmes had under
| him on the Alabama one of my uncles and
| 1t was another uncle that built the Ala
| bama. The judges sister, the admiral's
| daughter, is the wife of that distinguished
ex-confederate. who by his rule as governor
of the Philippines has held aloft the record
of American rule for integrity, efficiency
and firmness.
United Spirit of Patriotism.
1.-THE last time 1 came through this beau
tiful, historical city Of yours I was going
with my own regiment to the Spanish war
and In that regiment l think there were
more men whose fathers wore the gray thar
there were men whose fathers wore the
blue But they marched In that spirit SYM
sbolized by your marching today. carrying
the United States flag, for they recognized
but one spirit of emulation. the emulation
to strive which could do most for the flag
of our common country
'In speaking before the citizens of this
great seaport of the gulf l naturally wish
to say word about the Panama canal.
| hold that as a matter of public policy
whatever helps part of our country helps
the whole And 1 did my best to bring
about the construction of the canal in the
| interest of all our people. But II there was
any one section to be most benefited by it
| 1t is the section that includes the gull
states. Originally was for the Nicaragua
| canal. but when Congress acted abode by
/ the decision Of Congress- 1t became EVIL
1 dent that we should either have no cana
l or the Panama canal, and am for a canal
IL we had not acted as we have all chance
OF building that canal would have vanished
flor half CENTURY to come. and, as It is WI