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Show 'MECKLENBURG CELEBRATION IS INTERRUPTED BY CLOUDBURST Causes Panic Before Stand on Which President Taft Is Reviewing Parade Chief Executive, With Thousands of Others, Is Drenched but Smiles While Rain Pours Down Speaker Comments on Declaration of Independence of May 20, 1775 of the state, and each year the anniversary anni-versary is observed." The President, who yesterday was the guest of Petersburg, Va., was met at the railway station, upon his arrival ar-rival here, by an Imposing committee of citizens and escorted to the Selwyu hotel. Arriving at the hotel, the President held a reception. Then, with scores of union and Confederate veterans for his escort, the President accompanied by Mrs. "Stonewall" Jackson, proceeded to" a reviewing stand from which he witnessed the passing of probably the most noted parade pa-rade ever held in this city. ' Large detachments of the national guard of both North and South Carolina Caro-lina were in the line. The industrial, colonial and floral divisions -were made up of handsomely decorated Moats. More than 200 farmers -were in lino on horseback. Many accompanied accom-panied by their wives and children, appeared In colonial costume. The President was expected to make two speeches during the day. Following luncheon at 2 p. m., he was , to address the ' people at 4 o'clock. I The governor Avas to introduce the President on both occasions. At 5:30, he will deliver an address especially to the negroes and to the students of Diddle University. From 8 to 9:30 this evening, he will hold I a second public reception. The Pres- j ideut will leave at 10:50 tonight for j Washington. ! Charlotte, N. C, May 20. A cloud burst broke over the city this afternoon after-noon and caused a panic in tho dense crowd gathered in front of the stand on which President Taft was reviewing review-ing the Mecklenburg celebration pa-j pa-j rado. No one, was seriously hurt. In the midst of the excitement and I the fleeing throng, one of the big industrial in-dustrial floats became entangled with a live electric light wire.-- The wiro sagged almost to the heads of the people beneath. To add to the turmoil and danger there was a loud report and a blinding flash not fifty yards from the reviewing stand. Just what caused the explosion is not known. The crowd scattered In all directions. direc-tions. Men and women rushed for the shelter of the President's stand and the President stepped to one side lo give as much room as possible. The tremendous downpour of rain was soon beating its way through the canvas roof of the stand and almost directly over the President's head, a great pool of water gathered, threatening to break down the covering. A man rushed rush-ed up, and cutting a hole in the canvas, can-vas, let the water down In a perfect I flood. This prevented any further i trouble than the partial drenching of I the President. Umbrellas -were of little lit-tle avail against the torrential rain. After the first mad rush for cover, the crowds were soon quieted. The electric elec-tric power was cut off and the excitement excite-ment was soon over. The' President did not seem to mind the experience In the least. He stood smiling while the rain poured down. Thousands of men and women V?re drenched to the skin , and many pretty costumes were ruined utterly. The parade was neacHs conclusian when the cloudburst came. The President Pres-ident remained until the last bedraggled bedrag-gled float went by. and then was driven driv-en back to his hot ol for a change of clothing. Charlotte, X. C , May 20. President Taft "and party arrived here at 10:15 a. m., from Petersburg, Va. Mr. Taft was greeted by an Immense Im-mense throng which had gathered at the Seithern Railway station. A heavy rain fell during the morning, but ceased just before Mr. Taft reached the city, it required the services of several companies of militia to keep the cheering crowds at the depot in check a the president alighted and made his way to a waiting carriage. Mr. Taft, accompanied by Captain Archibald Ar-chibald Butt, his military aide, was met at North Charlotte by a local committee. Interest in the President's visit to Charlotte at this time centered center-ed in the attitude he would take toward to-ward the Mecklenburg declaration of independence. Mr. Tart takes the position that, regardless re-gardless of the exact language of tho declarations made in May, 1775. a full vear before the signing of the Jefferson Jef-ferson declaration at Philadelphia. July. 177G. the fact remains that there was a declaration of independence on the part of the citizens of North Carolina. Caro-lina. "It is not so material as to the exact ex-act language used," said tlft? President todav. "The measure : of a declaration declara-tion for the principles of civil liberty and self-goernme r is not so much the abuse of the denunciation of tho former controlling power as the provisions pro-visions made for the futuro form of government. Tho impressive thing was that the North Carolina proposl tion Is tho sensible way the people of tho state, after deciding to sever relations with Great Britain went about the matter of setting up a government gov-ernment of their own They appointed, appoint-ed, select men, provided for their military mili-tary officers, their courts and forms of legal procedure. It showed not alone a desire for liberty, but the ability abil-ity to govern and a thorough knowledge knowl-edge of the subject. ' The President's participation marked mark-ed the culmination of a three days celebration of the Mccklenberg declaration dec-laration The declaration long has been subject of stubborn controversy. It. is declared by Its supporters to have i antedated the Tamous declaration of July 4. 1776. and has been denounced as a "myth." , "It Is claimed the Mecklenburg dcc I laratlon was signed May 20. 17. A bodv of colonists met at Mecklenburg near Charlotte, and resolving themselves them-selves Into a committee of safety, n is declared, they drew up a declaration declara-tion or independence. Unfortunately, for the discussion which has followed he original copy of the Mecklenburg declaration was said to have b en lost In a fire which destroyed the home of John McNltt Alexander In i whose keeping It was. Among Alexander's Alex-ander's papers, however, it is related that a copy of the original, signed by htm a8 a delegate and clork or the convention, was found. It was in 15-&. that the people of North Carolina first formally observed May 20. In IMO the legislature or the state appointed a committee to consider tho evidence obtainable concerning. the affair. The, committee affirmed the genuineness of : tho Mecklenburg roBolutlons. Today, tho date. May 20. is. emblazoned on ; the great seal of North Carolina, the declaration appears In the state hooks |