The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

2oS SWINGING AROUND THE CIRCLE
this republic ttie freest and most mighty nation which has ever come forth from the
womb of time
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT KANSAS CITY
After President Roosevelt had witnessed the display of
ftreworks which closed the day's ceremonies, he spent a few
moments taking leave of the World's Fair officials and other
distinguished participants in the ceremonies of the day, and
was then driven to his train, which left at once for Kansas
City. He remained five hours in Kansas City, Mo., and was
the guest of Kansas City, Kans., just across the State line, for
two hours, leaving for the West at 4 p. m., Friday. In the
two cities the President was driven over a route fifteen miles
long, reviewed nearly thirty thousand school children, made
two speeches, one at the Convention Hall before the largest
crowd that the structure ever held, and partook of a luncheon
at the Baltimore Hotel.
The reception given President Roosevelt was intensely
enthusiastic and it was estimated that one hundred thousand
persons greeted him. The schools were closed, business gen-
erally was suspended, the Mayor having proclaimed it a holi-
day, and many residences and business houses were elaborately
decorated. Never before had there been such a general desire
on the part of the citizens to show their esteem for a distin-
guished visitor.
SPOKE TO THE BLUE AND THE GRAY
In the course of his speech at Convention Hall, the Presi-
dent spoke a word of greeting to his audience and then
addressed himself specially to the men who wore the blue
and those who wore the gray, both being represented in the
audience, and said:
I do not usually say anything about our being a reunited country, and in every
Northern audience wherever I see a group of men wearing a button of the Grand