The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-08
PRESIDENT IN
 SAN ANTONIO Is Accorded a Tremendous Ovation. HOME OF HIS REGIMENT The Rough Riders Constitute Body Guard. Busy Day for Roosevelt, With Review of Troops, Receptions and Speech
 makins-Tribute to General
 Joe Wheeler.
HOME OF HIS REGIMENT

San Antonio, Tex, April With the city covered with patriotic emblems, display of flags of all sizes, Iikenesses Of the President in many windows and the streets and plazas filled with cheering throngs of people, Theodore Roosevelt could not mistake the hear ty welcome accorded him in San An tonic today. Enormous crowds of peo pie greeted him along the route of the procession from Fort Sam Houston to Alamo Plaza, where an address of well come was delivered and a response made. The people felt that they had as their guest not only the President of the United States. but a man toward whom the people of San Antonio feel especially friendly on account of the fact that 1t was here the regiment was organized with which his name has be- come a synonym.
 The President was delighted with the reception accorded him. He was kept busy lowing right and left, acknowl- edging the outburst of enthusiasm. It is approximately seven years since President Roosevelt left San Antonio with his Rough Riders. NO human being dreamed that after that would return as President of the United States" he said last night in a short address at the depot.
 It was a busy day for the President. It began with the reception at the train. This formality was soon over and the President and party proceeded to the parade ground of the post, where the troops in Fort Sam Houston were reviewed.
 A Great Ovation.
 This interesting ceremony over, the start was made for the city. From the moment the procession of troops, carriages police and Rough Riders af ha of Grayson Street until the President en- tered the gates of the fair grounds to go into camp with the Rough Riders, he was the recipient of the greatest ovation ever witnessed here.
 The most spectacular scene of the day was at Travis Park. The Presi- dents reception here by 5000 school children was the most inspiring feature of the program. All the way the crowd cheered- and the children sang America" while band played the na- tional air. On Alamo Plaza, within the shadow of the old Alamo. which the President in his speech said had seven years ago filled him with a determine tion to do nothing to reflect on the heroes who died there, he was greeted in a manner which profoundly touched him. His arrival was the signal for a burst of cheers which lasted untll after he had taken his seat on the
 
 arose to respond to the address of wei come by City Alderman Kirkpatrick. The Presidents speech was frequently punctuated by applause. He made characteristic address. He was pleased that San Antonio agreed with him ID his ideas on race suicide. He noted with satisfaction the attentions Texans are having to education. The law or inc worthy life, the effort in cause worthy of striving for. was his theme. His reception throughout Texas had touched him. While l thought was a good American when I came to rex as" he said, T am going away from Taxas A much better American The President spoke as follows:
 ROOsevelt's Speech.
 4Nfr Mayor, MT. Kirkpatrick, and you'
 rov Fellow Americans of the Mighty
 Commonwealth:
 sI thank you for the way in which 1 have been greeted today. fou can bardlv imagine how much it means to me to come back to San Antonio in this way and to be received as you have received me. (Applause.) l know that the rest of you will not grudge my saving a special word of acknowledg- ment to two sets among your cltlzens: first. to the men of the great war, 10 the men who wore the Blue or wore the Gray in the days that tried mems souls. My fellow citizens, infinitely more important than any President, in- fnitely more important even than the reception to any President, is what IS symholized by seeing the men who fought in the Union Army and the men who fought in the Confederate Army standing mingled together, fellow Americans, one in devotion and honor and loyalty to the country. shoulder to shoulder as fellow citizens of the mightiest republic on which the sun has ever shone. Indeed, the man would have poor heart, poor spirit who would not be thrilled by such meet ing as this, by such a sight as you ac- cord me today you of the Cray you of the Blue, all one under the flag Of a reunited country. (Applause.) suppose you must know 1t, but l want to tell you that 1t was of course the memory of the valor, the sacrifice, the endurance you displayed in the great war that made us of the younger gen eration feel that when the lesser war came we wished to emulate your course. The regiment which I had the honor to command and which was raised and orgaized in this city. took part in what were only skirmishes compared with the campaigns in which you did your shares, and all that we claim is that while it was not given to us to have the chance to do great deeds, yet we
 
 spirit was not altogether lost.
 Praise for Wheeler.
 This regiment served under men who had themselves fought in the Civil War both under Grant and under Lee. The commander of the cavalry division was that great, gallant ex-Confederate sol dier, Major General Joseph Wheeler and our brigade commander was an ex- Union soldier who entered the Union Army as a private and to whom, for my great good fortune, it befell me to sign a commission as Lieutenant Gen eral of the army of the United States, Lieutenant General Young, Afterwards at San Juan the cavalry served under General Sumner from whom took my orders. I am going to tell you just one anecdote of General Young. Be- fore the war began I told hiT T " going to do my level best to
 it. and that I wanted to get
 for some fighting. He said: