The great States of the South will be in discontent with the old condition that made them simply agricultural States, and will rouse themselves to compete with the older manufacturing States of the North and East. [Cheers.] The vision I have, all the thoughts I have of this matter embrace all the States and all my countrymen. I do not think of it as a question of party; I think of it as a great American question. [Cheers.] By the invitation of the address which was made to me I have freely spoken my mind to you on these topics. I hope I have done so with no offence or impropriety. [Cries of "No, no!" and cheers.]
I would not on an occasion so full of general good feeling as this obtrude anything that should induce division or dissent. For all who do dissent I have the most respectful tolerance. The views I hold are the result of some thought and investigation, and as they are questions of public concern I confidently submit them to the arbitrament of brave and enlightened American suffrage. [Applause and cheers.]
[SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, APRIL 20.]
The President and his party passed their first Sunday at Galveston, leaving the Island City at midnight and arriving at San Antonio at 11:15 Monday morning. A special committee, consisting of Hon. C. W. Ogden, Chairman; Col. C. M. Terrell, S. M. Johnson, J. S. McNamara, Mrs. Ogden, Mrs. Johnson, and Miss Eleanor Sullivan, escorted the party from Galveston. The Alamo City was profusely decorated in honor of the visit, and a great throng greeted the President's arrival. He was received by the Hon. Bryan Callaghan, Mayor of the city, at the head of the following committee of leading citizens: Gen. David S. Stanley, U. S. A.; Col. J. P. Martin, Col. W. B. Wright, Col. H. B. Andrews, Maj. C. C. Cresson, Hon. W. W. King, L. M. Gregory, B. F. Yoakum, C. W. Ogden, H. D. Kampmann, J. S. Alexander, W. J. B. Patterson, A. W. Houston, Reagan Houston, Richard Wooley, Jr., R. H. Russell, N. Mackey, George Dullnig, J. V. Dignowity, J. S. Thornton, F. Groos, H. P. Drought, D. Sullivan, Charles Hugo, Rev. Dr. Giddings, C. K. Breneman, W. H. Weiss, Frank Grice, Alex. Joske, Henry Elmendorf, Robert Driscoll, Paul Wagner, J. Ronse, J. E. Pancoast, Adolph Wagner, George H. Kalteyer, Charles J. Langholz, C. B. Mullaly, R. H. McCracken, A. G. Cooper, Dr. G. Graham Watts, Dr. J. P. Ornealus, Dr. Amos Graves, and A. T. Wilson. Mayor McDonald, of Austin, and Hon. L. L. Foster also participated in the reception.
A rainstorm interfered with the parade, and the public reception was held at the Opera House, thousands being unable to enter. Mayor Callaghan made the welcoming address and introduced President Harrison, who spoke as follows:
Mr. Mayor and Fellow-citizens—I very much regret that frequent speaking in the open air during the past week and the very heavy atmosphere which we have this morning have somewhat impaired my voice. I am sure you will crown your hospitality and kindness by allowing me to speak to you very briefly. I sympathize with you in the distress which you feel that the day is so unpropitious for any street demonstration, but I have been told by one wise in such matters that this rain is worth $5,000,000 to Western Texas. That being the case, it greatly moderates our regret. It has come to be a popular habit of attributing to the President whatever weather may happen on any demonstration in which he takes a part. I suppose I may claim credit this morning for this beneficial rain. [Applause.] I generously assure you that if it is worth as much money as my friend has estimated I shall not take more than half that sum. [Laughter.] In visiting for a little while this historic city, I had anticipated great pleasure in looking upon the remains of an earlier occupancy of this territory in which you now dwell. Our glance this morning must be brief and imperfect, but the history has been written and the traditions of these martyrdoms which occurred here for liberty are fresh in your minds and are still an inspiring story to be repeated to your children.
I remember in my early boyhood to have heard in our family thrilling descriptions of the experiences of an uncle, whose name I bear, in some of those campaigns for freedom in Texas in which he took a part, so that the story to me goes back to those dim early recollections of childhood. I am glad to stand where those recollections are revived and freshened, for they were events of momentous importance to this country, to this State, and to the whole Union. I rejoice that you have here so great a commonwealth. The stipulations under which Texas came into the Union of the States, and which provided that that great Territory might be subdivided into five States, seem not to attract much attention in Texas now.
Indeed, as far as I can judge, no man would be able successfully to appeal to the suffrages of any hamlet in Texas upon the issue that the State should be divided at all. [Cheers.] The great industrial capacities which you have, the beneficent climate that spreads over much of your vast territory, the great variety of productions which your soil and climate render possible, give a promise for the future of a prominence among the great States of the Union that seems to me can scarcely fail to bring Texas to the front rank. [Cheers.] You are only now beginning to plough this vast stretch of land. You are only now beginning to diversify those interests, to emancipate yourselves by producing at home in your fields all of those products which are necessary to comfortable existence.
I hope you will soon add, indeed, you are now largely adding, to this diversity of agricultural pursuits a diversity of mechanical pursuits. The advantages which you have to transmute the great production of the field into the manufactured product are very great. There can be certainly no reason why a very large part of the million bales of cotton which you produce should not be spun in Texas. [Cheers.] I hope your people will more and more turn their thoughts to this matter, for just in proportion as a community or State suitably divides its energies among various industries, so does it retain the wealth it produces and increase its population. [Applause.]