The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-10-31
A GOOD AUDIENCE
GREETS Mr.. WILLIS
ROOSEVELTS INHERENT
TRAITS MADE TO SHINE
Address Well Received by Medina
and Musical Numbers Add TO
Interest in the Program

A small audience greeted Ex-Gov.
Frank E. Willis at the Congregational
church Friday evening, to hear him
talk ON the wisdom of erecting a
to Theo. Roosevelt--wisdom
not in honoring Mr.. Roosevelt, but in
fitting memorial that those
who erected it, and their children to
follow after, should in this way have
written upon their hearts the big
things for which he stood.
The audience was small because,
primarily, there had been an error in
printing the time of the meeting on
the bills circulated. One of the speak
ers in apologizing for the small at
tendance stated that it was due to a
in one of both newspapers,
whereas a matter of fact neither
paper had given the hour, it not hav-
ing been known at the time.
The program Of the evening began
with several violin numbers by Mrs.
Babcock, with organ accompaniment
by Mrs. Randall. Sheriff Bigelow was
chairman of the evening, and intro
duced Rev. Caulk, of the Medina Epis-
copal church, who read a scriptural
lesson. There was singing by the
audience, solo by Mrs. Bigelow, fol-
lowed by Sheriff Bigelow introducing
Mr.. Willis, and his address.
Mr. Willis said he was happy to
have a part in the program Of the
evening. Said that the meeting was
but preliminary to the work in the
county, in which it was hoped large
majority Of the people of the county
would participate. In his eulogium
of Theo. Roosevelt the speaker glori-
fed him with the characterization of
the greatest man of the times"
Chief among his characteristics he
enumerated cardinal points positive
ness, defniteness, aggressiveness and
pugnaciousness," reading into his
definitions a high order of good and
greatness" in these definitive terms.
Expanding his meaning he went on to
tell Of the "great things" for which
MI. Roosevelt was responsible in his
own way and by and through his own
methods. He gave him credit for the
beginning Of the Panama Canal, the
humbling of the Kaiser, the curb
ing of the trusts, and many things
for which at the time of his disposal
did not give him opportunity to men,
ton.
The drift of the address by Mr..
Willis was that we as citizens of Me-
dina county should enter into the
building of this memorial to Theo.
Roosevelt in a spirit that will build
the community and inspire its citizen
ship into striving for the good things
for which the EX-President stood, and
the good deeds he did, and at the same
time overlooking any mistakes which
were the outgrowth of the frailties
of his human nature.
Mr. Willis emphasized Theo. Roose-
velt's stand for Americanism and
strove to paint a picture that would
inspire others along the same way.
He emphasized the needs Of safe
guarding our institutions, our liber-
ties and our beliefs. He told of the
insidious heresies that are being
taught in our own land, by Bolshe-
visits and l. w. WIS. and deplored the
laxness Of the republic. He recited
concrete examples of the death-deal-
ing character of these heresies.
The watchword of the Rooseveltian
life as he depicted it was right-ness,
vigilance, persistence, readiness to
fight for right. If these things can be
more completely impressed on Young
America by and through the erection
of this memorial, the speaker felt,
the effort put forth and the money
spent will have been a wise invest
ment.
At the close of the address the or
chestra played several numbers and
Mrs. Bigelow again sang and in the
closing exercises joined with the au-
dience in the final numbers.
The platform was handsomely deco
rated with flags, flowers and potted
plants, while a large photo of Theo.
Roosevelt was hung among the bunt-
ing displayed.
As the evening progressed people
began to come in by twos and threes,
evidently influenced by the error in
advertising the hour, until the audi
torium was comfortably filled.