The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1906-02-15

attended at the White House was a
recent one when the Missouri congress
sional delegation accompanied deiega-
tlon from the state university to invite
President Roosevelt to speak to the
graduating class OF that great aud
growing Institution of learning June 9.
Senator william Warner introduced the
visitors. Hon. Gardiner Lathrop of
Kansas City. president Of the board of
curators, and Walter Williams did the
speechmaking for the visitors. and
President Roosevelt replied in his own
behalf. It's the first time on record
when President Roosevelt did not do
at least three-fourths OF the talking,
but Lathrop and Williams went at him
so directly that he never broke in on
them, but waited delightedly till they
were through. and then made most
felcitous response. wish I had a
verbatim copy Of the presidents
speech and Of Lathrop's. Both were
ideal In character. hut. not having
theirs, hereby give that Of Mr.. VIII
llams. He said.
Missouri has never. Mr.. President. voted
for Republican nominee for president
except when her hands were tied, and
that one time Missouri voted for YOU
Missouri voted for Douglas when only
one other state did so. She voted for
Horace Greeley after he was in his grave
year ago Missouri sent messenger
with her electoral vote to Washington
The mysterious stranger asks YOU to re-
turn his call
Missouri has had many great men in her
history men born upon her soil or adopt
ed into her citizenship She has had none
greater than the great Missourisn. Old
Bullion. In the American Craftsmanship
Series the life of this great Missourian has
been written by another American states.
man. like Thomas Hart Benton. sturdy
steadfast, sincere. The state OF Benton
invites to her university commencement
the writer of the life OF Benton.
Few presidents have known the west
none so intimately yourself. Before
you became president of these United
States you had lived In the west and
written OF 1t from kno VII edge gained frat
hand In writing The Winning Of the
West you won the west The west in
vites you to it's chief school.
Missouri has ever admired the men who
do things She is the only state in the
federal Union which sent her fun quota
OF soldiers to the Union army and at the
same time her full quota of soldiers to
the Confederate army, keeping the states
quota fun in both armies and that with
out draft. conscription OF forced enlist
ment. The children OF that generation
students of the Missouri university, went
as volunteers to the Spanish American
war in larger number in proportion TO en-
rollment than the students of any other
educational Institution in the land. 1t ig
this Missouri which invites you. Mr. Pres
ident.
You cannot know Missouri unless you
come to the interior OF; the state, She has
but three great cities. and these three are
upon the borders OF Kansas and Illinois
The real Missourian dwells In the small
town or upon the country farm. He
wishes to see the president at his home
and give Missouri welcome.
In the east the great schools are under
private control. Harvard and Yale and
Cornell and Princeton. In the west the
great schools are the state universities
owned and controlled by the people, parts
OF the public school system Of the com
monwealth 1t Is the university OF the
most p0pulous. state of the Louisiana
purchase which asks you to Its COM
mencement. You have honored private
colleges and universities by your pres
ence. No president OF the United States
has an honorary degree from any educa-
tional institution between the Mississippi
river and the Pacific slope. We ask the
present president. who has broken. old
precedents In other worthy regard, to es-
tablish new precedent in this respect
and receive the degree or LII d. at our
hands Eminently appropriate Ii seems to
me that the man who has done SO much
for the west should permit the west thus
to show its regard for him.
Between the Father of Waters and the
summit OF the Rockies the largest uni
versity in point of student attendance is
the Missouri university at Columbia. II
has threefold foundation. First 1t rests
upon the gifts Of the people. Nearly sew
enty years ago the people of Boone coun-
ty, numbering a scsnt few hundred gave
3l20,000 for It's establishment. one man,
who could neither read nor write. heading
the subscription list with 5000. Second,
1t rests upon the wise bounty of the fed
erai government OF which you, Mr.. Pres
ident, are the head. Third, 1t rests upon
the liberality of the state of Missouri. the
capsheaf OF the public school system.
founded upon and supported by the gifts
OF the people the grants OF the nation and
the appropriations OF the state, which bids
you to its commencement.
The people OF this country can do you
no more honor. They have elected YOU to
the highest position In their gift. We ask
that you give the people. through state
university, return IN the stimulation of
education which your presence and help
ful words would bring about. 1t would
be a fair return for Missourl's apprecia-
ton; IL would be her welcome opportunity
to show you this further token Of her
high regard
Psrtsanship has no place in the ad-
ministration of the Missouri university.
The president OF its board is distin-
guished Republican, elected by board
OF curstors, 4 majority of whom are
Democrats. 1t is no partisan invitation
that present. Il ID the invitation Of the
students, teachers and officers OF the
Missouri university. the invitation Of all
the people OF the state.
Come TO Missouri, Mr., President, and
the hospitable greeting OF great free
state win be yours.
A Rising Statesman.
Hon. James Il. Lloyd OF Missouri Is