The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-10-03

Cairo, ILL.,, Oct. 3-You have to be
on time to meet Roosevelt.
i Just as the steamer Cowling from
Padueah floated into the Cairo har-
Dor the steamer Mississippi with
President Roosevelt aboard was sight
ed. The engineer of the Cowling was
about to whistle for the landing
when the whistle was changed to the
first one to welcome the president.
When the sun peeped over the hori-
zon this morning its rays fell upon
the gala attire Of Cairo, splendid in
decoration and perfect in preparation
from the river front to the residence
section.
River craft from the steamboats,
tied at the wharf to the smallest
pleasure launch were decorated and
lfestoOned in honor of the visit of the
president of the United States.
Gaily decorated with officers and
men in uniform ten large river boats
were lined up at the wharf.
Standing at the head of the line of
boats was the Dick Fowler and John
Hopkins, the neatest and trimmest of
the lot. All arrangements had been
completed for the welcoming of the
president, and as the Mississippi
loated majestically into the harbor
at $3.50, the president was standing
alone in the bow of the boat, and as
he was recognized by the mighty
crowd a lusty cheer went up swelled
by the din of booming cannon. Shrek
ling whistles and changing bells.
Two little tug boats gaily be-
decked for harbor patrols had towed
a barge to the middle of the river on
which was a section of the Danville
battery which fred the presidents sa-
lutte of 81 guns.
At 9 O'Clock the president came
ashore and was greeted by Governor
Deneen and reception committee.
Seated in a laudeau drawn by six
beautiful white horses the president
was driven up the magnificent drive
way which had been built especially
for the occasion.
| All along the route to st. Mary S
park where the president was to
speak, thousands of people crowded
and strained their necks in an effort
to get a glimpse of the nations ruler
The park was reached without Incl
dent, the very best or order being
maintained by the police.
fso..co .f n,.lansa uFwatI
Mayor Parsons in introducing Gov.
lernor Deneen, who in turn introduced
the president, said that when Charles
Dickens made his trip through the
Mississippi valley he stopped at an
inn in Paducah. The landlord elated
over having such a distinguished
guest, proposed to Dickens to show
/ him the town. To be addressed In
such familiar terms by an inkeeper
lenraged Dickens which later brought
forth his criticism of the entire val
Hey.
The presidents reference to the i'm
iprovement of the rivers and harbors
brought forth tremendous applause.
During his speech he said he believed
that the coast line of the United
States should extend around
from the Pacifit to the At
lantic by way OF the Gulf of Next
co through the Mississippi to the
Great Lakes. To bring this about a
nine foot stage would be needed from
Pittsburg to Cairo. and he would ad-
vocate the use OF the governments
money for the purpose.
The presidents speech is as fol-
lows in part:
Men of Illinois. and You, Men of
Kentucky and Missouri:
II am glad to have the chance to
speak to you today. This is the heart
of what may be called the old west,
(which we now call the middle west,
using the term TO denote that great
group of rich and powerful statewhieh
literally forms the heart Of the coun-
try. 1t is a region whose people are
distinctively American in all their
Thoughts, in all their ways of looking
at HE; and in its past and its present
la.ike II is typical of our country. The
loldest men present can still remem-
Iber the pioneer days, the days of the
Iwhite-tilted OK wagon, OF the emigrsnt
land of the log cabin in which thai
emigrant first lived when he settled
to his task as a pioneer farmer. They
were rough days, days OF hard work
and the people who did that worl
seemed themselves uncouth and for
bidding TO visitors who could no
look below the surface. It is curious
and amusing to think that even az
genuine a lover of his kind, a mar
NORMALLY so free from national preju
dices as Charles Dickens. should hav'
selected the region where we are nov
: standing as the seat Of his forlorI
Eden" In Martin Chuzzlewit. Tn
! country he so bitterly assailed is nov
lone OF the most Fertile and produc