The San Francisco call., 1910-06-19
WELCOME At HIS
OYSTER BAY HOME
Roosevelt Talks to His Neigh
bors and Is Happy as
a Boy
Once Again Declines to Be In
terviewed on Any Matter of
Public Moment

OYSTER BAY, n. Y, June 1S.-Theo-
dore Roosevelt is back once more
among his neighbors. He arrived in
Oyster Bay from New York at o'clock
on a special train over the Long Island
railroad, engaged by the Roosevelt
neighbors' association of Nassau coun-
ty, 400 members making the trip with
him. The whole town was out at the
station and the cheering throng almost
kept the former president from his feet
as he stepped to the ground. Bowing
and shaking hands with his old friends,
he walked through the mud to the tall
park, where a grandstand had been
erected. About 5000 persons gathered
on the green. Five hundred high school
pupils were the first to do the honors.
They sang Home Again Then Will
liam j. Youngs, United States district
attorney, delivered the address of well
come.
TALKS TO NEIGHBoRS
Colonel Roosevelt replied as follows:
My Friends and Neighbors:
nope need not say how glad am
TO see you and be with you again.
My trip began the 23d of March
year ago, when you bade me good
by at the station, and this is the
ending, when I get through speak
ing. 1t is good to see you again at
the station and walk UP behind the
band.
enjoyed hearing the children
sing, and I hope that there are
some children present from the
tended.
! am glad to see you all again
men, women and little oysters.
"A normal school
time in a state of semiwarfare with
his elders, and | suppose | was no
exception to the rule, but those
who knew me as a small boy seem
TO have forgiven me by this time.
L can't say how much these home
comlngs to Oyster Bay have meant
to me in the last dozen years.
know you all, and | do not think
there is one among you with whom
l am not on good footing. / never
forget the welcome you gave me
when | came back from the Span
1sh-American war.
ENJOYED HIS TRIP
| have had a most interesting trip
and enjoyed it very much, lions and
everything. Perhaps l enjoyed it a
little more on account of the lions
| started at the headwaters of the
Nile, where the people are in a state
of savagery, and finished up at the
most highly civilized capital in the
world; | enjoyed everything. Africa
Europe and their rulers.
But this is not the occasion to
talk Of my trip. Some day | shall
tell you all about it, This is merely
greeting, and | wish to thank you
all.
1t touched me deeply to have so
many of my neighbors come to New
York to take part in the welcome
and the parads. But it touched me
more deeply TO see you all here; to
live among you again as | have for
the last 40 years; to take up my
duties.
The first duty of man is in his
own family. Before a man can
aspire to reform nation he must
turr-hiS attention to the folks at
home
DECLINES INTERVIEW
One newspaperman, after the speech,
sought an interview.
There is nothing more that l can
say" replied the colonel. "One thing l
want now is absolute privacy. i want
to close up like a native oyster. will
go to New York Monday to. attend my
boys wedding and L will go to the city
Wednesday to see about my editorial
duties [ hope you representatives of
the press will not come up TO Saga
more hill, because l have nothing to
say
After it was all over Colonel Roose-
welt walked down the main street for
a distance, just to see how it looked
He inspected the new opera house, then
went to his own home on Sa agamore
hill.
With Colonel Roosevelt, in his private
car on the train were Mrs Roosevelt,
Congressman and Mrs. Longworth,
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and his fiancee,
Miss Alexander; Miss Ethel Roosevelt,
Kermit. Quentin and Archie Roosevelt.
W.-Emelen Roosevelt, Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts, and Representative
Cocks from Roosevelt's home district.
Senator Lodge spent the night at Sag
amore hill.