New-York tribune., 1905-10-25
STATE RESTS ON HOME.
Montgomery Speech De0oted to
Eueryday Duties Of Citisens.

Montgomery. Ala, Oct. 24.-Amid the booming
OF cannon, blowing of whistles and the cheering
of many thousands of people, President Roose-
velt arrived here promptly at noon from Tuske-
gee and became the guest of the people OF the
first capital of the Confederacy. The general
reception committee. headed by Governor Jelks,
Mayor league and Judge J. B. Castor, met the
partv At the station the police had difficulty
I'm keeping the thousands back. Surrounding
4be station and sidewalks a crowd of sew
eraI thousand. The route of the parade was
through the principal streets to the Capitol,
where a platform had been erected in front of
the historic old building and within a few feet
of the spot where Jefferson Davis took the oath
of office as the first President of the Confed-
erecy The welcome to the President was cord
ial and enthusiastic. Ths President seemed
pleased with his reception
The President spoke briefly. He expressed ap-
probation Of the hearty welcome, He spoke of
the building o, the Isthmian Canal and what 1t
meant to the people or the South ana also OF
the cotton question. he said:
Governor. Colonel Wiley and you. fellow
Americans and fellow citizens; l cannot suft-
cfently express the pleasure feel in being here
and being greeted win more IN than an a Iavlsl ~
warmth of hospitality as you have greeted me;
and OH my friends, oh; my fellow citizens,
think what q privilege is ours, think what 1t
means for this nation that there IS no place In
the Union whero the President OF the Union can
feel more at home, feel more that he is in
deed the President Of ell the Union. Of a re-
here under the shadow of the first Capitol of tha
Confederacy. Poor. indeed. would be the soul
OF the man who did not leave Montgomery n
better American than he came into IT, after nav
ing been received I have been received.
You will not begrudge me saying a special
word of greeting to the veterans or the great
war Here again, think how fortunate we are.
There Is no other people of which history tells
which having passed through such war we
have passed through now, after forty years.
finds only that the flag which has been rent
asunder is once again whole. without seam
but finds all her people challenging theirs the
right to claim their part in the heritage in the
glory bequeathed TO every American alike, by
lean who wore the gray in the great Civil War.
Here I have come TO your mighty and beauti-
full State, with It's wealth of agriculture. its
wealth of manufactures, and more than ever /
impressed with the solidarity or our interests
a people. As the Governor pointed out, tbs
greatest and most important single export OF
our people IS the export of cotton; that is the
most imortant crop among our exports. ana
the whole nation is concerned in the welfare
of the cotton growers. 1t is not only important
for Alabama and the rest of the Gulf states; ft
is important for the entire Union, because lt is
the cotton crop which determines the balance
or trade as being in favor of this nation; The
trade of the entire nation and the national gov
ernment are bound to do everything possible in
the interest of the cotton growers TO preserve
your markets. to do everything that can possi-
bly, be done to see that the demand for cotton,
the natural demand for cotton abroad is kept
up and is met here under fair conditions by our
own people
Probably no State In this Union is more in
lefesteo III .is building OF what is 10 be the