The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-11

Col. Theodore Roosevelt made an ad- dress at Capitol park yesterday shortly after the noon hour, in which he drove di- rectly at the things which are uppermosi in the minds of the people of Birmng- ham. He indorsed most emphatically the commission system of government, and at the same time spoke most vehemently wards f-government He said that he believed most intensely in the new south, hut he asked the people to retain the spirit of the old south
 At exactly 12:10 o'clock, Colonel Roose- velts party, jaded and covered with dust, drove up in automobiles on their return from Corey before the grandstand con- structed in front of the Confederate monument at Capitol park The colonel was greeted with hearty cheers by the crowd of several thousand persons who had gathered there to hear him, while the band from the Industrial school played national airs.
 Colonel Roosevelt, with others of the distinguished guests, was escorted by the committee to the platform. where he was introduced to the people by Hon. Sidney J. Bowie. MT. Bowie said that it was almost a sacrilege to go through the formalities of an introduction of Colonel Roosevelt when his slightest whisper was heard across the continent and his light est words flashed across the ocean. He termed him the "chief citizen of the world"
 Following is Colonel Roosevelt's address in full
 "Mr. Bowie, MT. Mayor, and you, my Fellow Citizens-It is a very great pleas ure to me to be here today as your guest. And, MT. Bowie, was profoundly touched by the words with which you introduced me. Nobody Is better aware than I am that l by no means deserve them; but have tried to deserve them, and you give me fresh reason for continuing to try. (Applause.)
 q want to say word of greeting in the first place to those who received me here, to the band of the Industrial school (Applause.) Good for you. (Applause) am mighty glad to meet you and greet you as among the future good citizens ot this state and country. Luck go with you. (Applause.)
 My friends, l have come down here to Birmingham not primarily to speak, for I would have been mighty glad if you had let me off the speaking; but because I wanted to see you and learn from you Birmingham is one of those cities whose growth illustrates and is in itself part of the extraordinary movement for ward of this country; and I believe firmly that RrmipQham while making equaed progress in material things, is going to avoid the pit into which many another city has fallen, of being so ab- sorbed in the things of the body as 10 care nothing for the things of the soul and the spirit. (Applause.)
 "I congratulate you on your wonderful material achievements. I congratulate you upon the way you are making this one of the great industrial centers of the lands; but I congratulate you still more because of the spirit I see evident among you, the spirit that all should remember, that though the machinery and the plant are mighty important, the thing that is most important is the welfare of the man and woman behind the machinery and the plant. (Applause.)
 You have got to have material pros perity You have got to have that as a basis. It Is with the community as it Is with a man. I do not have much use for the man who has lofty ideals, but has to subsist on charity himself. daughter and applause)
 q have no liking for the kind of patriot you meet at the crossroads grocery who can tell you how the country should be governed, and he himself lives at all only because his wife takes in washing. Daughter and applause)
 bay oot n he hla n own weight before you can help pull any body else's weight. (Applause) You have got to be able to do your work in the world yourselves and keep your wives and children. before you can help in the upbuilding of the state of which you are a part.
 Now. what Is true of the individual is true of the community. You must have the foundation the material prosperity but it Is only founda tion. and if you use 1t wrongly. if you build upon it mean shabby building, then you are simply the worse off for having had it. Upon the foundation of material prosperity you
 must build the superstructure of a high CT life. (Applause.)
 I believe intensely in the new south I believe in what 1t is doing; but I want it to be sure to keep the spirit of the old south in it. (Great applause and cheers.
 
 what our fathers did. but we have got to work in the spirit of our fathers or we won't get far along. (Applause.)
 l speak under the monument raised tc commemorate the deeds of the men whc wore the gray and who proved their truth by their endeavor in the great days that tried mems souls. (Applause.) O, my fellow citizens, how thrice fortunate We are that alone among the countries of the world here In our own country in the lifetime of those who fought in the great civil war we have reached condition we have reached state of mind that all good men in whatever part of the Union they live can feel the same pride in the great deeds done alike by the men who wore the blue and by the men tho wore the gray (applause and cheers) whc showed that highest of all wilngnesses the willingness to lay down their lives according to the light as God gave them 10 see the light. (Applause.) And though have met plenty of the veterans Of the civil war today, l see in the audienc, one of the men who fought in the same war that I did. Daughter and applause.
 Now, 1t was not our fault that there was not quite war enough to go around Daughter and applause.)
 A voice. ''Three cheers for the Colone of the Rough Riders (CheersD
 Colonel Roosevelt, (continuing): And
 had some Alabama men with me. to bt sure. A voice: Lots of 'em." CLaushtep.