The Washington times., 1905-10-21
EVERGLADE STATE
GIVES PRESIDENT
ROYAL GREETING
First Visit to Florida
Occasion for Big
Gathering.
DELIVERS TWO SPEECHES
One Was to White and the
Other to Colored
Citizens.

Citizens.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Oct H.-Peopls
from all sections Of Florida and South
Georgia are in the city TO greet Presi-
dent Roosevelt on his first visit 10 Flor
ida
The train came In on time at 1870
this morning. Streets about the depot
were jam,ned with people who cheered
10 the echo
A regiment OF State troops was on
hand. Practically every civic orEaniza-
tion in the city was represented
Salute to President.
The governor of Florida, the mayor OF
TIE city and the citizens committee OF
one hundred escorted the President An
artillery salute of twenty-one guns and
a great chorus of factory whistles and
bells greeted the President as he left
the train
At noon the President made an ad-
dress 10 one OF the largest crowds ever
gathered In the city, after a reveiw Oh
the military and civic bodies
At o'clock the President and party
took luncheon with the members OF the
board Of trade
Address to Colored Men
The President also made an address to
colored citizens especially. After this
speech he was taken on drive to the
main points of interest about Jackson
VILE. He will return at 4:45 O'Clock.
when his train leaves for st. Augustine
Two speeches are to be made by MI
Roosevelt at St Augustine also. one az
Port Marion and the other at Masonic
Temple.
The Presidential party will remain az
ST. Augustine until Monday morning
Then he will start for Alabama he
VIII arrive at Mobile at 4:30 p. m, Mon
day. and after remaining there Tor Two
hours VIII go up to Tuskogee
The President has enjoyed his South
ern trip immensely. and is thoroughly
gratified at the cordiality OF ms re-
ception.
Presidents Speech
In his speech to the citizens OF Florsdz
he said:
Here in Florida. the first OF the Guf
States which 1 have visited upon tnis
trip. L wish to say special word
about the Panama Canal believe tnat
the canal will be OF great benefit TO all
our people, but most OF ali 10 the states
of the South Atlantic, the Gulf and the
Pacific sIope- When completed the
canal viii stand as a monument 10 this
nation: for it will be the greatest engl-
neeri-Ig feat ever yet accomplished IN
the world. II will be a good thlnS 1or
the world as a whole, and for the people
OF the iSthmus and or the northern
portions of South America IN pardc-
Because of our especial interest in it,
and because OF the position We occupy
on this hemisphere. IL is matter OK
special pride to us that our nation. the
American nation. should have UNDER
taken the performance or TINS world
duty A BODY OF the most enlhent Ell
g;neers in the world, both 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 10 announces
what their advice is, and also the action
taken upon their advice MeanWhiie the
work is already we'll under way. and
has advanced sufficiently FAR TO enable
me TO announce with certainty that t
can surely be accomplished, ana PROB
ably at rather less expense than was
anticipated But upon the last point.
as wen as upon the question of time.
no positive statement can be made until
the report OF the commission Of engi-
neers as TO the exact type OF canal has
been received.
Work Is Difficult.
The work is as difficult as IT is Inn
portant and 1t is, Of course. inevitable
that from time to time difficulties viii
occur and checks be encountered
Whenever such is the case the men OF
little faith at home viii lose that little
faith, and the critics who confound hys-
terra with emphasis will act after their
kind But our people as whole possess
not only faith, but resolution, and are
of too Write fiber to be swept one way
OF The other by mere sensationalism- No
he
than trivial and passing consequences,
Will infiict any permanent damage, or
cause any serious delay. The Work can
be done. is being, done. and VIII be
DIished Is a guaranty as 10 the future.
When any such work is undertaken
there are always many mere adven-
turers who flock to where II is going
on. and many men who think they are
adventurers. but who are IN reallty
either weak or timid, follow In their
now and then cause trouble in one way
or another. But every care VIII be
taken TO detect any misdeed on their
part and to punish Them as soon as the
nisdeed l. detected
Stragglers and Laggards.
As for the second class they will cause
trouble chiefly by losing heart. return
ing home, or writing home. and raising
a cry that they are not happy, and that
the conditions of life are not easy. or
that the work is not being done as they
think 1t ought 10 be done.
Now these men stand just as the
stragglers and Iaggards stand who are
ever TO be found in the rear OF even a
victorious army. The veterans OF the
civil war who are here present viii tell
you that the very rear OF an army. even
when It is victorious. Is apt TO look and
behave as if the victory were defeat.