The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-08
Col. ROOsevelt's Own Character
ization of His Reception
On the First Day of His Trip
Into the South.
HIS NEW NATIONALIST
Is the Theme OF the Address at
Knoxville, Tenn.
Defends Himself Against At
tacks of His Critics.
HIS NEW NATIONALIST


his southern trip, which took him
across Virginia and part of Tennessee,
he received all the honors which the
south can pay.
The colonel talked new nationalism -
He brought into the south the doctrine
which he announced on his recent west
ern trip, and emphasized it. He de-
Tended it from the criticisms which
nave been directed against it, and said
that it was not revolutionary, but rath-
er was designed to put a stop to things
which might bring on a revolutionary
movement, if unchecked. He also nut
in a few words about his fight in New
York state, saying he was trying to
Improve conditions there.
TT is quite a job" he said. ''but we
are going to do it,
Knoxvtlle's celebration was held on
the grounds of the Appalachian expo
eition where Colonel Roosevelt spoke
in the afternoon and again at a ban
quet at night. 1t was a cold damn
day, with a good deal of rain, but the
weather did not keep the people at
home. All of East Tennessee poured
= out its people and several thousands
were here from Virginia
The Eleventh United States cavalry
from Chattanooga had it's hands full in
plotting Colonel Roosevelt through the
crowds to the steps of the exposition
hall to review a floral parade. AS the
AOAluGI pISSlUSIlI mounted the steps the
band played Dixie and the people
cheered. The presidential salute of 81
guns was given for him.
The colonel stood on the steps while
carriages, decked out with masses of
flowers, were driven through a lane in
the crowd.
An interruption.
The colonel had barely made a fair
start in his speech when he was in
terrupted by the sound of weeping
Some one Spied a small boy near the
grandstand who was sobbing violently.
The boy was led up the steps and de-
livered over to the colonel The boy
explained to him, between sobs, that
he was lost. The colonel led the small
freclled urchin to the front of the plat
form where every one could see him.
What's your name?" he asked the
boy.
"Eccles Nelson" said the boy.
Where from?"
Union county"
Colonel Roosevelt shouted out the
boys name and asked if his father
was in the crowd. No one claimed the
boy at first and the colonel shouted his
name again. Then he saw a hand wag-
ging above the heads of the people,
Come along" Colonel Roosevelt
shouted.
The crowd was so dense that the
elder Nelson could not reach the plat
form for several minutes. but Colonel
Roosevelt would not go on with his
speech until the boy was restored to
his father.
Colonel Roosevelt opened his speech
by complimenting the people on their
exposition. Then he discussed new
nationalism," and the navy.
Il have just come back from a trip
on the other side of the ocean, Colonel
Roosevelt continued. Visiting as I did
several different countries, there are
two things that struck me; in the first
place, that we have something to learn
THAT we have something to learn from
almost each country. I have not any
use for the man who has passed the
period where he cannot learn. My ex-
perience always has been that when a
man gets to the stage that he cannot
learn anything he is not worth knock
ing on the head. We have plenty of
things to learn and plenty of things
which we can improve on. have come
en contact with several of them, and
D am engaged in trying to improve my
native city and state of New York
IL is quite job, but we are going to
do it.
People Don't Stand Still.
cit is not enough to say that we do
not intend to do anything bad. People
that do not go forward go backward
They do not stand still They go back
ward unless they go forward, and as a
people we can keep ourselves, our citi-
Eenship, on a high plane of usefulness
and achievement only by applying to
the new things the old principles-the
old morality that enabled our fathers
an their days to achieve success for
our common land. Our people that
counted in the past, counted not by
sitting down and clarifying themselves
because their ancestors did we'll; they
counted by doing the job that they had
Instruments change Take an ex-
ample of the army. The men who
fought in the Civil war fought should
er-to-shoulder with muzzle loading
Inuskets. Our army today uses re-
peating rifles. It is folly. it would be
rank folly, today to decline to adopt
new weapons because the old ones
did well in the days of Grant and
Lee
There are two lessons from that. In
the first place, the folly Of refusing to
adopt new expedients in order to solve
the new problems, and next to re-
member that while the methods must
be different the spirit must be the
same.
ct is not necessary for us to have a
big army, but we must have a first
class navy. I am a profound believer
in peace, and I want to see a navy
kept up because I know of nothing
that proeures a stronger desire on the
part Of other people to keep at peace
with us That is common sense
speak softly and carry the big
stick. There are two sides of that
Always be cheerful. Remember it is
the sign of weak and foolish nature
to insult anyone else. Speak softly,
but have the United States navy as a
big stick always ready.
Must Keep With the Times.
Now, friends, what I have said of
the army applies in civil life. On the
one hand we can not solve our govern
mental problems of today unless we
approach them in the spirit of our fore
fathers, who solved the problems of
their days, and on the other hand, it is
simply folly to reject methods of gov
eminent because they were not
known to our forefathers. For instance
you viii meet worthy persons who OBJ
doct to the national government TAX