My Friends—We can tarry only for a moment, as we are already behind the regular time for leaving. I cannot, however, drive by this large assemblage of friends, gathered to greet us on the way, without expressing the delight with which I have looked upon these beautiful surroundings. My trip from Washington has been full of pleasures and surprises, but nothing has given me greater surprise and more pleasure than the drive of this afternoon through this magnificent valley of Riverside. I am glad you are interested in cultivating the children as well as the orange, and I trust that their young minds may be kept as free from all that is injurious as these fine orange orchards are of weeds and everything that is noxious. May their lives be as fruitful as your trees, and their homes as happy and full of joy as this land seems to be of the bright sunshine of God.
The distinguished visitors then proceeded through the city and reviewed the parade, at the conclusion of which the President, speaking without introduction, said:
My Friends—I am sorry that we can tarry with you only for a moment. We are now twenty minutes behind our schedule time for leaving. If we should stay with you longer we should disappoint others who are waiting for us at an appointed time.
We are grateful to you for your presence. I have enjoyed very much the ride through the valley. You are a favored people, and ought to be, as I have no doubt you are, a law-abiding, liberty-loving, and patriotic people.
[SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 23.]
Another typical gathering, full of California enthusiasm, greeted the party at San Bernardino. The Reception Committee comprised C. C. Haskell, Chairman; J. C. Lynch, Hon. Samuel Merrill, W. A. Harris, Joseph Brown, J. N. Victor, L. C. Waite, Richard Gird, W. E. W. Lightfoot, W. B. Beamer, R. J. Waters, Truman Reeves, Dr. A. Thompson, Col. T. J. Wilson, D. A. Scott, A. S. Hawley, J. J. Hewitt, E. B. Stanton, A. G. Kendall, Dr. J. P. Booth, W. H. Timmons, Wilson Hays, Geo. Cooley, R. B. Taylor, H. A. Keller, E. E. Katz, Lewis Jacobs, H. L. Drew, N. G. Gill, and I. W. Lord. Mr. W. J. Curtis delivered the address of welcome. In response the President said:
Mr. Mayor and Fellow citizens—I can only repeat to you what I have already had occasion to say to many similar audiences assembled in California, that I am delighted with my visit to the Pacific coast; that much as I had heard of the richness and high cultivation, what I have seen to-day in this great valley has far surpassed my expectations. You have subdued an unpromising soil and made it blossom as the rose; but better than all the fruits and harvests, and better than all the products of the field, is this intelligent population which out of their kindly faces extend to us a greeting wherever we go.
I am glad, coming from the far East, to observe how greatly our people are alike. But that is not surprising, because I find all through this valley many Hoosiers and Buckeyes I knew at home. It is not singular that you should be alike when you are really and truly the same people, not only in lineage and general characteristics, but the same men and women we have known in the older States. And now I thank you again, and beg you will excuse me from further speech, with the assurance that if it were in my power I would double the rich blessings which you already enjoy. [Cheers.]