THE PREFACE E757 764 In the fall of 1902, President Roosevelt decided to make a tour of the country, and, during the trip, to deliver a number of political speeches. He started from Washington July 3, stopping at Oyster Bay, his summer home, for a time. Resuming his journey, he met with an accident at Pittsfield, Mass., September 3, an electric car running into his carriage and throwing him to the ground. He sustained apparently simple bruises and the trip was continued, but at Indianapolis it was found that one of his legs was in such a condition, due to an injury incident to the accident, that, by the advice of the attending physician, the President returned to Washington. Subsequently he announced that, at the earliest opportunity, probably in the following M313245 spring, he would carry out his original plan. He did so, and left Washington April 1, 1903. His traversing the Republic from the Atlantic to the Pacific and return, in indirect lines, visiting many states and addressing tens of thousands of people upon the important topics of the day, suggested this compilation of the more important incidents of the journey, together with the speeches of the President. 12 AUTHOR'S PREFACE Not since the time of Napoleon has there been a man of affairs on the world's stage who has attracted the attention of all nations and classes of people as does Col. Theodore Roosevelt. He is picturesque, aggressive, courageous and honest. The stirring events of the past few weeks, in his triumphal march through Europe on his mission of peace has called renewed attention to these same triumphal marches in the United States, when he went among the people to learn their views and expound his doctrine, while President of the United States. The most notable of these journeys was in the spring of 1903, when he went from the Atlantic to the Pacific and through the south and southwest, being received everywhere by the acclaim of the multitude, regardless of political affilia tion. The journey, and the speeches which he delivered make a most interesting and thrilling chapter in the history of our country. No citizen of the Republic can be well informed on public affairs who is not intimately acquainted with the events of this historic trip. The pages of this book have been carefully compiled, so as to cover in a most striking, yet accurate manner, every event of Col. Roosevelt's journey, and so well has this been done that the result has received his personal indorsement. ADDISON C. THOMAS. 14 PUBLISHER'S PREFACE The publishers, in placing before the people of this country and foreign lands, feel justified in saying that they take personal pride in this book. They feel, that in many respects it is a remarkable production, as it not only gives to the present generation the work of an illustrious citizen of the United States, but that they are preserving for the future generations the thoughts as expressed in words of a man whose deeds and vigorous work make an example worthy to be followed by the youth of this country and the world over. The preservation of the records of this man's travels and his public utterances on all the great questions of the day, national and international, is an opportunity seldom had by a publisher, especially as the work has not only received the personal sanction of the President of the United States but bears his autograph and contains his letter of thanks and appreciation to the author. It may |