The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-09-13

and presidents have been going an
coming, in I'LL their greatness, Fl
these many years. they have had bu
little personal experience the Oh
with the other. We believe that n
president, while occupying the ca
ecusive chair. has ever made any
thing like a trip on the Mississippi
river Somehave cussed the stream
and some have taken inagnifcan
short excursions for few miles al
and down its water; but to the bes
OF our recollection no president ha
yet stayed With the river long enough
to turn ~ half dozen bends.
Mr.. Roosevelt will break THU
precedent en- Oct. |, when be vii
board a river steamer at Keokul
and linger with its meanderings al
the way down to Memphis. Til.
trip will occupy nearly four days
which is,loRg enough for the presi
dent to get acquainted with the
river, and which will commemorate
the first extensive Mississippi river
tnp ever taken by ruling president
Of the United States.
No doubt Mississippi river i'm
proVement will begin almost before
the trp is ended; for the president
has a way Of assimilating himself,
as it were, with conditions in order
to get a knowledge Of them. 1t is a
rapid method, but very often proves
an accurate one, and once the pos
season OF this knowledge, he says
things about conditionsthat have a
tendency to set somebody at work
utilizing them.
Mr. Roosevelt, it is expected, viii
make a speech on the deep water
channel while stopping over in st.
Louis. 1t is thought this speech
will enter into the details of the
projected undertaking in even
more pronounced manner than will
his address in Memphis. Here he
Will be In attendance upon a deep
waterways convention Of far larger
proportions and OF deciding more
Importance than any former conven-
ton IN the interest Of this subject.
His Memphis address, therefore, it
is thought, will be Of a more general
nature, not only covering the deep
water channel from the lakes to the
gull, but also taking into considera-
ton the waterways generally Of the
country. ""
st. Louis is already prepared to
receive the president and the other
distinguished visitors with all due
eclat. But the'St. Louis event, in
the nature Of things, is only a siddI
station--a sort Of landing. The
real destination of the president and
his party is Memphis therefore it
behooyes this city to be ready with
a welcome and reception at least
equal, if not superior to that which
st. Louis is prepared TO give.
1t must be remembered, too, that
he presidential party will be largely |
augmented during the trip from St. |
1ouis to the Bluff City, Where St.
Iouis is called on TO entertain hun
ireds, Memphis is face to face with
he problem Of receiving and well
oming thousands.
To the south Of the city, Missis-
ippi has agents Of the deep water.
rays convention busily engaged
eaching the people the many ad-
antages Of such an undertaking.
n response to these teachings, Mis-
lssippians are signifying an inten-
on of marching on Memphis. Mr..
lex Scott Of that state, one of, the
for Mississippi, insists
nat, besides those who attend from
is state with no particular inten-
on of participating in the conven-
on, there will be fully a thousand
his fellow citizens, who will line
p for the march upon the conven-
on hall. ''A
Arkansas has not yet reported;
1t the citizens of that state are
ike enthusiastic over this measure,
I'd Memphis may as well prepare
receive as many from the westI
from Mississippi, Alabama, Geor- h
a and Tennessee are all preparing
add to the crowd, and as the prc-I
ANNE from St, Louis down to
80, pk.r "a n..o,,. l.--J