New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-01
4 DAY TO BE REMEMBERED.

Yesterdays pageant in the streets OF this
| town was one to be remembered for hundred
years. As a military parade it has not been
equalled since the final review OF the tri-
| umphant Union armies in Washington at the
close Of tho war. The lowest estimate OF the
number of uniformed men in line is 10000
and it was not easy for the bewidered spec
tators who watched the passing files for five
hours to believe that there were not 100000.
From alf-past 0, when the column was head
ed by General Schofield, until in the evening,
when the closing platoons of the Grand Army
approached Central Park the soldiers were
marching. 1t was On apparently endless array
| of regulars, National guardsmen and battle
Scared veterans passing rapidly before the
eye with ceaseless variations Of color and an
unchanging appearance of discipline and mar
tal bearing. There were no gaps in the line
and few hats on the line of march, and it was
not a slow moving pageant that wearied the
patience and disappointed the expectations OF
the enormous throngs of spectators thanking the
military hosts from Wal-st TO Central Park.
1t was a magnificent spectacle that fired the
blood OF the coolest and least imaginative
looker-On. That vista Of cleaning bayonet,
varegated color and serried ranks stretching
as far as the eye could carry up and down
fifth-ave. or Broadway between solid walls OF
eager and delighted humanity was something
to remember for a lifetime. II was enough to
mako the suriest and crustiest sightseer CRATE
full for the privilege of being an American.
The military parade was a triumph of or
ganization from beginning to end. Never be-
fore in the history of the city or Of the century
L.. n, 10 of nil nd nod
splendor been arranged with equal perfection
and orderiness. The column started prompt
ly; there were neither bitches nor mistakes in
the programme and il the hour was late when
the las. division occupied he upper reaches Of
Fifth.ave. it was because the procession itself
was one of unexsmpled proportions II eyi.
dence were needed to convince any one that
Americans have an original and positive talent
| for organizing great town shows, it was fur
| nished yesterday in the impressive and success
| full results which attended months Of panstak-
| ing labor ON the part of military aids and Cen
tennial committees. The arrangements for tho
| comfort and pleasure Of the sightseers were a.
complete and satisfactory as for the festivities
| Of the day. Never before was there 80 vast q
concourse Of spectators in an American city
| to witness q patriotic pageant and yet there
was universal satisfaction over the facilities
offered to all classes for witnessing and enjoy
ing the wonderful pageant
The memorial services in the churches SUI
fered in consequence Of the pressing demands
made upon human endurance by the elaborate
ceremonies OF protracted day Of festivity and
rejoicing. An exception is to be made in favor
Of the public thanksgiving at St. PauPs. where
President Harrison occupied Washington
place, and where only one in ten thousand Of
curious if not grateful sghtscers was allowed
entrance. The crowning literary event Of the
Centennial feast was Mr.. Depcw's Grafton at
the Treasury Building. Americans have grown
so accustomed to thinking Of him a. the prince
Of after dinner speakers that they are surprised
whenever he essays the more serious functions
OF historical analysis and criticism and rises to
| the full stature OF an orator and philosophical
thinker. His Bartholdi Statue address was q
| revelation of his intellectual resources and
patriotic appreciation of the significance OF a
historic occasion. Equally impressive, albeit
| less pretentious in FORM was his Grafton at
Chicago on Washington Birthday. But 1t was
not perhaps until yesterday that he displayed
bis unrivalled fitness TO speak for Americans
In the American manner whenever National
theme of profound interest commands the at
tention of all sorts and conditions of men. The
highest tribute that can be paid to his mastery
speech is that he succeeded in investing trite
and familiar subject of National contemplation
with freshness and vivid suggestiveness 1t
was an grafton worthy to be remembered with
the magnificent military pageant as character
istic of what ia best and most invigorating in
American civilization and patriotism after a
hundred years Of progress.