Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-12

particularly by sons and half-sons of
that proud and languid race which first
subdued the wilderness of the Pacific
slope, the president looked up into the
tower of the old mission church-the
Church of the City of Our Lady the
Queen of the Angels-where swung
and doomed the bells hung there by
sturdy fathers when Los Angeles was
a squalid village.
On this same circle about the Plaza
the president was greeted by a hundred
or more Chinese with their little chill
dren and their wives. A band dis
coursed sweet strains of heavenly dis
cord as the parade passed and the Ce-
lestials waved their flags and yelled a
hearty welcome to the "big boss man.
President Surprised
Countermarching down Main street.
the president looked straight at the
picture framed by the dingy Temple
block-a pyramid of singing children
with waving flags, then turned to the
right and went down Spring street
through the heart of the city that has
grown up in ten years to a first place.
More than once his glance swept up
from the faces of the cheering people
and he gazed with interest and evident
surprise at the towering size of some
of the buildings on ground marked by
barley fields or small homes when he
last visited the city.
Turning at Ninth the cavalrymen led
the way into Broadway. At the cham
ber Of commerce a moments pause was
made. then the long procession wound
up the hill, where a great siren-tiXed
on the top of the county's power plant
al the ourthouse-screamed raucous
welcome, and so to the Los Angeles
high school. Thousands of school chill
dren were banked along the latter end
of this particular stretch of road, some
of them with flags or pennants, some
be-sashed and be-ribboned in gay col
ors, one crowd of them armed with
flowers which they used to shower the
president.
AS his machine paused at the top
of the hill in front of the high school
building the president ordered his car
stopped and stood up in the tonneau.
Instantly a cheer that would have put
most colleges to shame split the air.
Under trained leaders the massed
crowd of boys broke into the ear-split-
ting "Ricky-co-ax" Of high school boys
for the past fifteen years.
When the noise was stilled the pres
ident said:
- OunR people, L am Sldu tlldl was
a BILE to come to you here today This is
nation and this is a day where the
greatest opportunity is that of the
young man and the young woman. If 1
! could say anything to you today which
would impress on you the duty you
owe to your country and your state-if
I could increase in you, by the smallest
degree, that patriotism and civic pride
! that leads every American to do his or
her duty by his fellows and his nation
I should feel that l had not come to you
in vain.
Here a great state is affording you
an. opportunity denied some-eVcn In
these days-the opportunity to make of
your talents the best possible use. That
boy or girl who fails to improve such
| gifts as he has neglects in that degree
his duty to others, but more important
still, his duty to himself. Strive to fill
your place, strive to be your best strive
to attain each day to that mark of per-
fection possible to you, and your future
will be one of blessing to yourselves, to
your state and to your country"
Fife and Drum Corps
Countermarching once more, passing
between the banks of school children
again and returning down Broadway to
Second street, the parade turned up
| Second street, passed the Union League
! cluD-Wnefe PTeSlQenL ldIL rose and
bowed to his partisans crowded there
wheeled into Hill and went down that
street. In every window there were
smiling faces, and on every hand rose
| cheers and cries of welcome and good
feeling. At Central park long rows of
veterans and their sons and grand
children were passed and in the middle
of the line a fife and drum corps re-
played the airs to which men in blue
marched out under another president
| in 81.
From this point the line moved a lit
tie more rapidly, although throughout
the entire eight miles of the line of
march the streets were banked with the
people and every available window was
crowded. In the street farther out long
| lines of automobiles with a few car
riases were parked along the edge of
| the roadways also.
On Hope street the boys and young
men of the Young Mems Christian as
sociation were turned out in a novel
fashion. A class of perhaps 200 young