The presidential party reached Houston at noon on April 18 and were greeted by an enthusiastic assemblage estimated at 20,000. The welcoming committee, headed by Mayor Scherffius, comprised the following-named prominent citizens: Hon. Charles Stewart, Geo. A. Race, J. W. Temby, Maj. R. B. Baer, A. K. Taylor, Col. John T. Brady, W. D. Cleveland, D. C. Smith, C. Lombardi, Dr. E. F. Schmidt, Capt. J. C. Hutcheson, T. W. House, S. K. Dick, W. B. Chew, James F. Dumble, R. B. Morris, James A. Patton, Jr., A. P. Root, W. V. R. Watson, G. W. Kidd, G. C. Felton, H. W. Garrow, Geo. E. Dickey, F. Halff, John F. Dickson, E. W. Cave, Charles Dillingham, A. C. Herndon, J. W. Jones, D. M. Angle, Geo. L. Porter, Rufus Cage, F. A. Rice, Dr. D. F. Stuart, and President Mitchell, of the Commercial Club. Many prominent ladies of the city participated in receiving and entertaining the ladies in the presidential party.
Congressman Stewart introduced the President, who spoke as follows:
My Fellow-citizens—Your faces all respond to the words of welcome which have been spoken in your behalf. We have been not only pleased but touched by the delicate and kindly expressions of regard which we have received since entering the State of Texas. I remained up last night until after midnight that I might not unconsciously pass into this great State, and I was called very early from my bed this morning to receive a draught of welcome, before I had breakfasted, from another Texas audience. You have a State whose greatness I think you have discovered.
A stranger can hardly hope to point out to you that which you have not already known. Perhaps Virginia and Kentucky have been heard to say more about their respective States than Texas; but I think their voices are likely soon to be drowned by the enthusiastic and affectionate claims which you will present to the country for your great commonwealth. [Cheers.] You have the resources in some measure—in a great measure—of all the States gathered within your borders; a soil adapted to the production of all the cereals and grasses; and to this you add cotton, sugar, and tobacco. You are very rightly diversifying your crops, because the history of intelligent farming shows that as the crops are diversified the people prosper.
All is not staked upon the success of a single crop. You do well, therefore, to raise cotton, sugar, and tobacco, and I am glad you are not neglecting cattle, sheep, hogs, corn, and all the cereals. We have been trying to do what we could from Washington to make for you a larger and better market for your enormous meat products. [Cheers.] We have felt that the restrictions imposed by some of the European governments could not be fairly justified upon the ground stated by them. Already the Secretary of Agriculture—himself a farmer, who has with his own hands wrought in all the work of the farm—has succeeded in procuring the removal of some of these injurious restrictions, and has announced to the country that exportation of cattle has increased 100 per cent. in the last year. [Cheers.] I beg to assure you that these interests will have the most careful attention from the Government at Washington and from our representatives at foreign courts. It is believed that we have now by legislation a system of sanitary inspection of our meat products that, when once put in operation and examined by the European governments, will remove the last excuse for the exclusion of our meats from those foreign states.
Our time is so limited that I can scarcely say more than "thank you." We cannot at all repay you for this demonstration of welcome, but let me say that in all your prosperity I shall rejoice. I do desire that all our legislation and all our institutions and the combined energies of all our people shall work together for the common good of all our States and all our population. [Great cheering.] You have great resources of a material sort, and yet above all this I rejoice that the timely forethought of your public men has provided an unexampled school fund for the education of the children.
These things that partake of the life that is spiritual are better after all than the material. Indeed, there can be no true prosperity in any State or community where they are not thoughtfully fostered. Good social order, respect for the law, regard for other men's rights, orderly, peaceful administration are the essential things in any community. [Cheers.]
[GALVESTON, TEXAS, APRIL 18.]
The President and his party, accompanied by Governor Hogg, arrived at Galveston on the afternoon of Saturday, April 18, and were tendered an ovation by the hospitable residents of the Island City. The distinguished travellers were met at Houston by a committee of escort consisting of Chairman Leo N. Levi, George Sealy, Julius Runge, R. B. Hawley, W. F. Ladd, Col. R. G. Lowe, Maj. C. J. Allen, Aldermen C. M. Mason and T. W. Jackson, D. D. Bryan, J. W. Burson, Mrs. R. L. Fulton, Mrs. R. B. Hawley, Mrs. Aaron Blum, Mrs. W. F. Ladd, and Mrs. C. J. Allen.