The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-06-05
A MEDAL
TO FRISCO

oS1u FTduCISCO, June 0.-AuOluoI
manifestation of the historic good
feeling between France and the Unit
ed States was expressed today when
Ambassador Jusserand, on behalf OF
the French Government, presented to
the city of San Francisco a handsome
gold medal, comm emorative of the
restoration of the city from the de-
struction wrought by the earthquake
and fire of 1906. The exercises took
place in the Orpheum Building, be-
ginning at half past ten O'Clock this
morning. The medal was accepted by
the mayor of the city, who respond
ed fflttingly to the tribute of the
French nation.
Impressive as was the medal itself,
the manner and words in which the
French Ambassador presented it in
creased many fold the lesson OF the
day. That the feeling Of the repre-
sentative of the republic of Europe
for her sister republic in the West
was reciprocated by the citizens of
San Francisco was evidenced by the
applause that greeted the ambas sa-
doris closing remarks.
A1SCpt IAISo gill, NIL AhdyoI, hS
said, "and receive 1T you all, Ameri-
can citizens, in token that what once
was, still is; that we, French, con-
unue, as of old, TO feel with you in
your moments of happiness or of
anguish, and if / may be permitted to
appropriate the words Of Mr.. Elihu
Root, let me say in my turn, that We
have in France a feeling for Ameri-
ca; and a sentiment, enduring among
a people, is a great and subs;antia
fact to be recl1oned with. Long live
your city, and may continuous pros
perity be the lot of the American na
ton"
In explaining the origin of The idea
to present the medal to the city, the
ambassador reviewed the continued
Intimacy of the two nations. Since
the early days of American independ-
ence, no great event has happenel In
friendly echo in distant France" he
said. He told of the many express
ions of regard, given by both France
and by America to the other, finally
coming down to the time three years
ago when the United States present
ed to France a medal commemorative
of the way in which the European ma
ton received Franklin when he came
to tell the woes of the struggling thir-
teen states On the day Of the presen.
tation of the medal detailed news of
the disaster that had befallen San
Francisco was lacking. Jusserand
said that as he rose to accept the
medal the thought flashed through his
mind that the next token of friend
ship between the two nations might
commemorate the resurrection of the
city.
when I had thus spoken, on the
2Oth Of April, 1906, we knew but very
iInperfect1y, in the East, what was
happening in the West, but l knew
too we'll the American temper to have
any doubt as to what fight against
adversely your shores were then see
ing, and as to what resurrection they
would see later. The past life Of a
city, where pluck, energy, fearless,
ness are more common than even
gold in her banks, supplied the decis-
ion. All behaved as men and women
Of heart and honor. The page written
by the inhabitants of San Francisco
on the moving ashes of their dead
city is not one that any wind will ev-
er sweep away"
Mr.. Jusserand explained that the
sentiments he expressed upon the pre-,
sentation of the Franklin medal were
so we'll in accord with the French Re
public and San Francisco had been
so quickly resurrected that medal
" II hicS ar>t
and he had been ordered to cross the
continent TO present it.
"This work OF which one single
copy in gold has been made" con
tinued the ambassador, "is destined
to the American people and the town
Of San Francisco One side emblem
atically shows your city rising from