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Show I ROOSEVELT TALICS : ON GOOD! WADS TO " j SI L0U15 PEOPLE, j ST. LOUIS, April JO. Preeiderjt Roosevelt Arrived here yesterday to participate in the dedication ceremonies ceremo-nies of the Louisiana Purchase exposition. expo-sition. . . When the President's train arrived President - Roosevelt, accompanied by Gov. Dockery of Missouri, who had Joined the train at keokuk. Ia., stepped off the rear end. President Francis of the Louisiana Purchase exposition seised the hand of the President and gave him an Informal welcome to St. Louis. Mayor Wells, President Carter of the national commission and other members Cf that body, the reception committee of the World's fair and military mili-tary officers shook bands with the President, and after this brief and. Informal In-formal reception he was escorted to the carriage in waiting. Mayor Wells, President Carter and Secretary Loeb accompanied the President In the carriage, car-riage, which was at once driven off to the good roads convention. Greeted by Crowd. : The hall was packed with a crowd which bad been waiting patiently for hours, when, at 5 o'clock, the President arrived to address the National Good Road association. The President said: "The Influence .of nations which have not been- road builders has been evanescent. Rome, the most powerful of the older civilizations, left her impress' im-press' on literature and speech; she changed the boundaries of nations, but plainer than anything else left to remind re-mind us of the Roman civilisation are the Roman roads." At this point In the President's speech the crowd rose as one -man and cheered, waving handkerchiefs handker-chiefs and hats. "Merely from historical analogy,' the President continued, "this country, which we believe will reach a position of leadership never equalled this country, I say. should to act that posterity, pos-terity, will Justly say when speaking of us, "That nation built good roads.' " Necessity of Good Roadi. The President declared that good roads were probably the greatest agency for regulating the flow from the country to the city of young men and young women. A long line of liquid morass Is not pleasant," the President continued. "It means In many Instances practical Isolation to the farmer. When the girl or the boy cannot take a turn on a bike even to a -neighbor's because of rough roads well, it is a situation not likely to make farm life attractive." In conclusion the President spoke of the benefits to the country districts of the trolley line, the telephone and the rural free 4elivery. From tha Odeon hall the President was escorted to St Louis university, where he . was welcomed by. Cardinal Gibbons,.. . . ; After Inspecting the various departments depart-ments of the university, the President repaired to the residence of Mr. Francis Fran-cis for dinner. Ia Music Hall. At 10:10 o'clock, which Is ten minutes after the President's usual bed time, he appeared at the Music hall. The time had been set at o'clock, and fully 3000 people were present, but they waited patiently while the expected guest was detained at the residence of President Francis. The Music hall meeting was 1 under-the auspices of the Gen. Frana Slgel Monument association, and In beginning his speech the President said: ,rftrhlle in St.- Louis I could not deny myself the pleasure of saying a word or two. in appreciation of Gen. Slgel and , the cause for which he fought. It was my good fortune during the recent session ses-sion of Congress to sign a bill tor Gen. 1 Slgel's widow. Gen. Sigel was one of , those who saved Missouri to the Union. In the Civil war Gen. Sigel and others of his hlghv stamp set a standard to which we must rise in these times of peacej" From-the Music hall the President and tarty drove to the residence of President Francis, where the President Bpentjtbe night. Cleveland Arrives. Grover Cleveland arrived over the Baltimore Sc. Ohio Southwestern at 5:50 o'clock.. As he .alighted from the train he was warmly greeted by President Presi-dent Francis, who had driven rapidly to the station, after greeting President Roosevelt at Forsythe Junction. The members of the committee crowded around, and Mr. Cleveland was unable to proceed for several minutes, so thick was the throng about him. A passage was finally cleared, and, with President Presi-dent Francis, he walked through the .aisles formed by the crowd, and. entering en-tering a carriage.' was driven to the residence of President Francis, where President Roosevelt Is also a guest. - |