Semi-weekly herald., 1907-10-07
THE PRESIDENTS
MEMPHIS ADDRESS

Memphis. Tenn. Oct. 4.-With the
greatest demonstration in the history
or the city. President Roosevelt was
welcomed to Memphis today. and ad-
dressed the Lakes-to-the-Gulf Deep
Waterways convention this afternoon.
In addition to the president. Memphis
is today the host of over score OF
governors, the inland waterways com
mission. United States senators and
representatives. 1900 delegates repre-
sentlng the vast commercial interests
OF the Mississippi valley and thou
sands o. other visitors. intent upon
catching even a glimpse OF the ma
tion's chief executive.
The boats bearing the presidential
party. the governors and the water
ways commission were met by ileet
Of every available craft in the river
trade so far south as Vicksburg, which
formed convoy to escort the vessels
into the harbor. Every boat was elab'
Grated decorated and formed a most
remarkable and impressive spectacle.
At the wharf the president and other
DISTINGUISHED guests were met by re-
cepiion committees and escorted In
carriages. through gaily decoca' "a
streets lined with cheering thousands,
to the auditorium.
Arriving at the wayerwdys conyen'
tion hall, Governor Patterson welcom'
ed the president on behalf of the state
OF Tennessee The president was in
troduccd by President Kavanaugh
His speech In full follows;
Under any circumstances | should
welcome the chance OF speaking al
Nemphis In the old historic state OF
Tennessee, rich in its glorious past
and In the certainty of an even great
er future; but | especially congratu-
late myself that | am able to speak
here on an occasion like this, when
meet not only the citizens OF Ten
nessee, but many of the citizens oil
Mississippi and Arkansas and OF other
states MS well; and when the chief
executives OF so many states are gath
cred to consider subject OF mo-
mentous interest to ALL The Missis-
sippi valley is a magnificent empire
in size and fertility. 1t is better
adapted to the development OF inland
navigation than any other valley III
either hemisphere; for there are 10000
miles of waterway now more or less
fully navigable. and the conditions are
SO favorable that il will be easy to
Increase the extent of navigable wa
terways to almost any required degree
by canalization. Early in our indus
trial history this valley was the seat
OF the largest development of inland
navigation In the United States, and
perhaps you will pardon by mention
Ing that the first steamboat west OF
the Alleghenies was built by Roose-
welt. my great-grandfather's brother,
In 1911, for the New Orleans trade.
and in that year made the trip from
Pittsburg to New Orleans. But from
various causes river and canal trans
pOrtation declined all over the United
States as the railroad systems came
to their full development. 1t is our
business to see that the decline Is
not permanent; and It is of interest
to remember that nearly century
ago President Madison advocated the
canalization OF the Mississippi.
In wealth of natural resources no
kingdom of Europe can compare with
the Mississippi valley and the region
around the Great Lakes, taken to-
gether and in population this huge
fertile plain already surpasses all save
one or two of the largest European
Kingdoms In this empire peculiarly
stalwart and masterful people finds 1t
self In the surroundings best fitted
for the full development of its pow
ers and faculties. There has been n
great growth in the valley of manu-
featuring centers; the movement is
good II IT. does not go too far; but
/ most earnestly hope that this re-
gion as "a whole will remain predomi-
nantly agricultural. The people who
live in the country districts. and who
I'LL the small or medium-sized farms
on which they live. make up what Is
on the whole the most valuable asset
in our national life. There can be
jnst as real progress and culture In
the country as in the city; especially
III these days OF rural free delivery,
trolleys. bicycles. telephones. good
roads, and school improvements. The
valley of the Mississippi is politically
and commercially more important than
Tny other valley on the face OF the
globe. Here more than anywhere else
viii be determined the future of the
United States and indeed of the whole
western world; and the type of civil.
zation reached in this mighty valley,
in this vast stretch of country lying
between the Alleghenies and the