The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-31
ACROSS KANSAS.
Colonel Rooscvelt's Journey Through
the short Grass Country.

TIE SIlOrC NIfiSS country.
! Horace. Kan, Aug. 31.-Through the
Iheart of Colorado, and into Kansas
Theodore Roosevelt Travelled on one of
the longest jumps of his western tour.
The people who turned out to see the
tex-president and hear his rear plat
form speeches were as cordial as those
who met him on former days of his
trip, although most of the days jour-
lney was through sparsely settled coun-
TRY and the crowds at many of the sta
ttions were smaller AS it was, how
lever, almost everybody who lived near
the various stations was on hand and
at almost every stop there was co.
Election of farm wagons which had
brought the farmers and their familles
Into town to see the traveller and hear
Mis- three minute speech. They stood
fup in their wagons and shouted with
all their might. They came dressed IN
their work-day clothes, which pleased
1.-THE colonel immensely. Many of the
men had on blue flannel shirts and
Jumpers and the women wore poke
fbonnets.
The scene at Sugar City. Col, was a
typical one. Sugar City is little vii
4lage not many miles from the Kansas
line where the people raise sugar
tbeets Perhaps 200 people had collected
at this small wooden. station. On Doth
sides of the railroad tracks the coun-
trvside stretched out in unbroken
Imonotony to the sky line Prairie dogs
fromped on the plains, an occasional
Windmill, and here and there lone
wooden building outlined Sharply
against the sky, were the only signs CO
civilization away from the little town
which clustered along the single track
of the railroad The noisy. enthusiastic
crowd of men and women, their faces
bronzed from exposure TO the pralrie
storms. yelled with delight as the cot
onel emerged from his ear. Half Z
dozen freight cars drawn up on the
siding were crowded with farm hahdS
who had climbed to the tops OIL them.
The others crowded eagerly AROUND lhe
rear end of the car.
His Talk at Sugar City.
.It's good to be here and to.see You,
men and women of the west" said the
colonel. his face beaming with pleas
ire II have been impressed in gong
through this region, with the develop
ment of your sugar beets ana allaiIa.
Won have made the country blossom
He paused to take in the picturesque
scene In the crowd near him stood a
farmer boy of OF 10. wearing blue
funnpers which were a good deal toe
large for him. and a sombrero of such
Immense proportions that about all the
colonel could see of his face was tho
frcckles on the end of his nose,
"Give it to 'em Teddy the boy
wider. He reached DOWN to shake tht
hov's hand. The youngster did not
reach him and he asked some one t.
lift him up. That done, he proceeds
with his speech.
"TJere I see an arm~ button" III
rsafd directing attention to veteran
Who stood a short distance from him
ssyou did pretty well to fight for thi
country It is worth fighting for
There are plenty of things that can b.
. i xx-iII oh for fh
as You did in the civil war. We viii
fight against corruption But remem
her this country gives us union o
men that are superior 20 many or tn
people of the world.
AS the train pulled out Colone
Roosevelt grasped some of the hand
that were eagerly thrust above tn
railing Of his private car. and thel
waving good bye, shouted;
THANK you very much, and hurral
for the pretty girls.
The "pretty girls had elistened t
his talk with evident eagerness, tn
nrettv faces before him in many in
stances encased in poke bonnets.
Train stacked With Melons.
There were similar scenes at a doz
,n places along the line of the rail
road during the day. Wherever h
stopped, the colonel talked to the PEG
ME about honesty and good citizenshi
ana was always cheered for what h
said. The people of Ordway Stoke
The entire train with watermelons an
cantaloupes grown on the spot The
had a sign at the station informin
everyone that Ordway is the best tow
in the Arkansas valley.
at know you people out here an
YOU know me- he said to the crowd
at Eads.
you bet we do.' the crowd shoute
back.
II trust you with all my heart" tn
colonel continued
And we trust you." the respons
came back. .f
The colonel wanted to speak longei
hui then the engineer blew his whisLl
and the train started to creep down til
long straight line of rails whic
stretched away into the distance unit
it came to a point at the horizon al
disappeared. Clifford Pinchot ar
James r. Garfield Travelled with co
Roosevelt all day.
The Roosevelt train stopped for