Cary T. Grayson Diary

Cary T. Grayson Diary

Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938

WWP17222

1919 September 12

Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia

English

FRIDAY, It had been intended that the Special train would leave the Great Northern tracks and proceed to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, via the Inland Empire Route. However, as a result of the war, the Inland Empire tracks had deteriorated somewhat and the officials did not want to take the chances of having a very heavy train run over the line. In consequence, the train was halted at Wallace, Idaho, and Coeur d’Alene was reached by an automobile ride of twenty-five miles. It had rained during the night -- the first rain for many months -- and it was still cloudy when the President left the train. The run through the country was very pleasant, and when Coeur d’Alene was reached a good crowd was on hand to greet the President. The meeting here was held in a big circus tent that had been erected on the shores of Coeur d’Alene Lake. There was no auditorium in the city, but because Idaho was the home of Senator Borah, the chief opponent of the Treaty of Versailles, it had been felt essential that the President should make an address in the city. Governor(insert name) presided at the meeting. He is a Republican but he declared himself as favorable to the Treaty in general. He and Mrs.had been compelled to go all the way to Spokane, Washington, from Boise in order to reach Coeur d’Alene and preside at the meeting. But he told the President that he considered the time well spent. The President again repeated his strictures on the Boston Police for their strike, and also attacked all radicalism that savored of violence. Returning to the train a start was made for Spokane at 12:00 o’clock, and the latter city was reached at 2:00 in the afternoon. The 21st Infantry of the Regular Army acted as the President’s escort through the streets of Spokane. It was somewhat of a coincidence that this particular organization should be on duty here inasmuch as in the days just before the Spanish American War this regiment was stationed at Plattsburgh, New York, and was known throughout the service as “The President’s Own,” because of the interest that President McKinley took in it. After a lapse of twenty-one years, the regiment, which had been “The President’s Own” near the Atlantic, was the President’s Guard near the Pacific. The President was escorted to the National Guard Armory, where he delivered an address, in which he followed rather closely the lines of his Coeur d’Alene speech. The crowd, as usual, was demonstrative and apparently well pleased with his arguments. Spokane was left at 4:00 o’clock for a night run to Tacoma, Washington.

Diary