The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-19
ROOSEVELT AGAIN
ON NATIVE SHORE
Everyone He Meets Is Greeted
With CHEEKY Words
A LONG, TIRESOME DAY
RoOsevelt's Welcome Is Compared With
Those Extended to General Grant,
Admiral Dewey and Will
liam }. Bryan
A LONG, TIREsoME DAY

New York, June 1S.-Theodore Roosevelt
set foot on home shores today for the first
time in nearly 15> months and received a
rousing welcome.
Mr.. Roosevelt bore with his usual buoy
ancy a day full of fatgues and priva-
lions, and at 4:40 o'clock this afternoon,
after a family reunion at the home of
Theron Butler, a grandfather of his pros
pective daughter-in-aw, Miss Eleanor
Butler Alexander left the city he had
surveyed the same morning from aboard
ship, and afterward reviewed thousands
Of marchers all for his welcome home.
Long Island tonight is en- fete. Tomor-
row he will rest.
As a private citizen he was the same
outspoken vigorous man of past record
the city has known him to be for years
in various offices he has held to the high
est within the gift of the people.
Mr.. Roosevelt had an expansive smile
for everybody, a CHEEKY word for the
boys" and greeted every one affection
ately of his old command of Rough Ri
ders.
Lyman Abbott he called partner ia
cob Riis was plain Jake Assembyman
Jimmy Oliver was greeted by his nick
name, Paradise" and others in like man
ner.
The weather was hot and sultry, but
the skies were fair during the marine
parade. The exercises at the Battery and
The march up Broadway and Fifth ave
nue. to Central park was carried through
with precision and punetuality. Then 1t
rained A torrential thunder shower, ac-
eompanied by high wind that did much
damage swept suddenly down on the
homeward bound visitors. but cleared
again shortly before o'clock in plenty
of time to give his eager fellow citizens
of Long Island ample chance to see him
standing on the rear platform of his spe-
cial train as he waved them a welcome
Within a generation the nation remem-
bers three great welcomes before this of
todxv One was to Gen. L. S. Grant in
San Francisco after his triumphal tour of
the world, following the expiration of his
Two terms as PRESIDENT: the second was to
Admiral Dewey on his return from his
capture of the Philippines islands, and
the third was to William j. Bryan after
a tour of the world. The welcome to
Grant was the most tumultuous; that to
Dewey was the most elaborate and state
ly, but the welcome to Roosevelt was shot
through with a dramatic expectancy
WHICH lO1S dSO IOuiiu poPhioi N~Pi NN''iSi'
in the typical phrase "the return from
Elba."
Grant on his return was still political
possibility, but as events proved fore
doomed to defeat Admiral Dewey was
a hero, not a national leader. Bryan,
prominent at his party. had been before
the people, had never been entrusted by
them with executive responsibility.
Roosevelt had been something Of all
things. all these men--statesmen, soldier
and sailor, too.
Born in the east he had made an
especial friend of the west. Therefore
his welcome today brought men prom
inent in all walks of life from all parts
of the country Therefore 1t was national
The first speculation now turns on what
share Roosevelt will take In an acute
political situation within his own party.
On that score speculation must rest un-
satisfied The colonel had positively de-
clared bis intentions by wireless the
night before day Il shall have nothing
whatsoever to say In the immedNte fu-
ture about politics." and he kept his
word today.
1t was the policy he had announced
on his departure for Europe, which he
mas reiterated on his return to civiliza-
ton and to which he had steadfastly adj
hered in all his addresses before the
learned societies and universities of Great
Britain and the continent
There was nothing in the only speech he
made here today that could be construed
as applying specifically to- this or that
phase of immediate state or national
issues. That he will be importuned to
take hand in the New York campaign
this fall is foregone conclusion, but
by his own declaration he will not COM
NIT himself to any adoption of opinion
until he has acquainted himself at first
hand after long conferences with those
best informed of Just how the political
land shapes itself on subjects germane.