Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-11
WYOMING VALLEY, PA.
ROOSEVELTS VISIT TO WILKES
BARRE YESTERDAY A SUCCESS.
Speeches by Chief Executive, John
Incidents Of the Trip.

America and the members of the United
Mine Workers of America. He was given q
most enthusiastic reception. In fact, the
entire trip through New Jersey and Penn
sylvania to that city was a series of ovd-
tons Every station along the line of the
Lehigh Valley railroad from Jersey City
was decorated with flags and bunting, and
the crowds at the stations cheered the
President heartily. But his greatest Oval
ton in the Wyoming valley, where he
spent four very busy hours. The entire
valley from Shickshinny to Pittston took
holiday to do honor to the President. Mr..
Roosevelt in great good humor and
enjoyed the day much as the most en-
thusiastic total abstainer.
Wilkesbarre dressed for the occasion.
There was scarcely a building in the busi-
ness part of the city or a house along the
route over which the President drove that
did not display the national colors. The
greatest crowd that the municipality ever
had within its confines was in the city, and
st Is estimated that the number of visitors
was upward of 100000
The President arrived at o'clock in the
afternoon, and driven directly to the
speakers stand on the river common. Be-
sides the President those who spoke were
Cardinal Gibbons. Mayor kirkendau or
Wikesbarre. John Mitchell. president of the
miners union, and the Rev. j. j. Curran OF
Wilkesbarre. district president of the
Catholic Total Abstinence Union. Cardinal
Gibbons, Mr.. Mitchell and Mayor Weaver
of Philadelphia. who was on the speakers
platform but did not speak, were given an
enthusiastic greeting.
After the exercises on the river common
had ended. the President was driven about
the city, then to the Wyoming monument.
and from there to Pittston about eleven
miles north OF Wilkesbarre. where he
boarded his special train and left for Chau-
tauqua at T:20 pm.
President Mitchell's Remarks.
President John Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers introducing President Roose-
Welt at Wilkesbarre, said in part:
1.-THE visit Of President Roosevelt to the
coal fields as the guest of temperance So
cieties and the United Mine Workers of
America marks an epoch in the civic, social
and industrial history of this common
wealth This occasion is one of peculiar
significance to the men for whom l have
the honor to speak; 1t is one that will be
long remembered by them.
Imprinted indelibly upon the hearts OF
the miners Is the recollection of the long
contest they made and the great hardships
they endured in the year 1902; contest
brought to a happy termination through the
intervention and mediation of our distin-
guished guest. 1t is pleasure to say that
as a result largely of his efforts and mainly
consequence of his action, the condi-
tions of life and labor among the anthracite
mine workers have been materially i'm
proved. and't entire people of this COM
munity have enjoyed era of prosperity
unprecedented in the history of the hard
coal regions.
1t is equally important TO say that many
OF the bitter antagonsms and prejudices of
former years. both between the miners and
their employers, and even among the mine
workers themselves, have been slowly but
surely dissipated and the prospect of per-
manent and honorable Industrial peace
grows brighter day by day
Cardinal Gibbons Address.
Cardinal Gibbons address followed that
of the Presidents and he said in part:
"Mr. President, friends and fellow-citi-
zens: am sure that you are profoundly
grateful to the President of the United
States for his presence IN Wilkesbarre on
this solemn and suspicious occasion, and
your gratitude is emphasized by the con-
sideration that his visit to you is made at
a time when he is engrossed by the cares
OF state, and has grave foreign relations to
engage his attention.
He has held out the olive branch to two
great nations of the earth; he is dscharging
the blessed office of peacemaker, and he
brings the olive branch of peace and good
will 10 you. have no doubt that his visit
will be potent factor in cementing the
good relations between you and your en-
ployes.
Before the advent OF Christ manual la
Dor degrading. Our blessed Savior
came to blot out the primeval curse that
had been pronounced upon 1t. Ever since
he lobared at Nazareth in the carpenter
the workingman-he has sanctif1ed labor.
IF the office of President is ennobled
by the example Of a Washington and a
Lincoln; II the office Of a turist is ennobed
by the example OF a Marshall and fancy;
II the function Of a statesman is ennObled
by the example Of Burke and a Web
ster surely, the calling of a mechanic and
a workman is sanctihed by the example of
Jesus Christ.
In 1895 de Tocqueville a distinguished
French writer. published a work embody-
m nhGarN-a m
in which he pays a beautiful tribute to
our economic Institution, and the respect
In which labor is held in this country. He
says that in our land every honest EN-
ployment is honorable This is a proper
conception OF the dignity OF labor. The
workingman, whether he tolls with his
hands or his brains. Is bee in the social
hive. He is an Indispensable factor in de-
veloping the wealth and resources of his
country. He Is the benefactor. of his race
And is II not, my friends. glorious
feature IN the genius of our country that
the highest offices in the gift of the people
are open to the lowest? Benjamin Franklin.
abroad. was printer. Abraham Lincoln
welded an ak and handled the plow An
drew Johnson was tailor. President
Grant the son of tanner. and Presi-
dent Garfield drove mule that hauled a
canal boat
THE Presidents mission will be far
reaching in Its benefcent influence If he
strengthens here the good relations be-
tween the employer and employed. There
should be no conflict between labor and
capital. They should be united and insep-
arabic"
The Drive About the City.
1t was APO O'Clock when the exercises
closed After a short conversation around
him. the President announced that he was
ready tor his drive about the city.
The drive covered about twenty five
blocks. All the streets which the President
traversed were densely crowded and every
house was covered with the national colors.
His ovation from the beginning of the drive
to the end was splendid. A feature of the
drive. which pleased the President i'm
mensely, was the singing OF about 800 little
girls dressed in white. The President or
dered his carriage stopped, and while he
stood bowling and waving his hat to the
little ones they sang the Red, White and
Blue This was the signal for great
outburst OF cheering. Cardinal Gibbons
b. rode in the Presidents carriage until the
procession reached the rectory of st. Marys
Church. were the prelate left the President
After the party had covered the route