OCR Text |
Show OPENING-THE GREAT FAIR. With a golden key, President Roosevelt Roose-velt at 1 o'clock yesterday opened the great Louisiana Purchaso Centennial Exposition; tho same act, tho pressure of the same battory Bet tho hells to ringing, the whistles to blowing, and awakened all Ihd Joyous demonstrations aprwoprlnto jto the magnificent occasion. occa-sion. If tho gold from which this key waa made, and nil the metal work, was from material obtained In tho vast ex panse whoso purchase tho exposiUon commemorates, then It was all Uie bettor bet-tor and tho moro appropriate. Tho exorcises on tho auspicious openr ing of this great exposition wero of an order bofittlng its high purpose. Tho opening touch was made by putting: to sorvlco the latest appliances of electricity electri-city and tho vast mechanical forces newly found and mado serviceable in tho work and to the purposes of man. Tho speeches wero of a noble character, nothing but elevation of tone, breadth, of mind, and a fervent patriotism was contained in any of them. They were all excellent In every way, and well worthy of tho occasion. The building, tho grounds, and In ' general tho wholo plan of tho exposition exposi-tion aro admirable; the architectural effect is grand, tho details aro splendidly splen-didly worked out Tho grounds are planned to givo tho greatest possible effect ef-fect in plealng tho spectator. The exhibits ex-hibits will be tho ripest product of the arts, tho sciences, tho mechanical ingenuity, in-genuity, and tho taste of all tho people of tho earth. This will surpass all former exhibits, as tho vast region whoso acquisition ac-quisition is " celebrated, surpasses in manner of acquisition nnd Jn Importance, Import-ance, tho annexations of any other peo-plo peo-plo in tho history of mankind. Tho acquisiUon of tho vast and enormously enor-mously rich region embraced In the great Louisiana purchase was tho turning-point in the career of Uiis Republic Repub-lic With the purchase, we know the mighty benefits and wonderful growth that followed. Without It, wo -should have had either Spanish or British control con-trol of tho Mississippi, with tho prob-ablo prob-ablo secession of Uie peoplo west of the Alleghcnics, signs of which -wero pronounced pro-nounced and would have multiplied if the people could not have procured freo-dom freo-dom of navigation1 to New rlcans, within tho Republic The United States would havo been confined to the original origi-nal colonies, nnd the war of borders would havo been fierce. ' But all difficulties were cleared away with the great purchase. The pathway to - tho mighty progress wo havo achieved was opened, and the flow of population over tho Appalachian chain camo on with a rush. The Mississippi States quickly took on the majesty of their independent places in tho Union. Tho Republic was mado great, from a timorous, tottering beginning, and its career was mado sure. The Louisiana purchase was the be ginning or expansion; it was not only mighty in itself. It was even mightier in settling the question that tho-'Nation could widen its boundaries, and occupy the whole region from sea to sea. It led totho acquisition of Texas, of all this region, and of tho Pacific coast. It led to the Gadsden purchase, and Anally to the triumph of Uie doctrine In tho acquisition ac-quisition of Hawalf, Porto Rico, and tho Philippines. That is, tho final triumph tri-umph to date; but we trust not for all time; for there Is yet room under the Eagle's wing for all of the Dominion of Canada, whose manifest destiny Is there to abide. So; great was the Louisiana purchase; It made us a Nation. And great is the Louisiana Purchaso Centennial Exposition; Exposi-tion; it kvJIl, wo trust demonstrate our superiority over all U10 "old nations of the world. |