Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-13

! secretary Of the association the director-gen-
| eral, VINO has spilled his blood in the defense
! OF Texas and who fought with Custer in the
/ Panhandle: Col. Hurley Of Fort Forth : said
| 10 be walking cyclopedia OF Texas statistics.
| These gentlemen will speak ana can entertain
you better than / can. We are not here Tor
the purpose Of missing money for Z Trti.. church
Of which YOU nave all doubtless had expert, nee
out much harder task. ] believe the fun =
VIII be raised and that Texas exhibits will taxi,
M premium III all departments. Even Il 4
baby show is held there Texas is sure Of taking
hFSt Prize Ladies and gentlemen. l thank YOU
for Your attention.
When Mr.. Browning closed his address
the chairman introduced Hon John L.
Dickinson. secretary or the Worlds fair
commission. He stepped Ia the center of
the stage amid wild applause, and spoke as
follows;
After an absence Of two years from nv native
state during which time I have been actively
engaged in Worlds tair work il i extremely
gratifying to me that this gathering or rep
reSentatlve men and women Of Texas should
turn.
Two years ago ! left Texas on Il mission
which then believed and still believe TO be
for the benefit OF every citizen of this great
state. The United States had practically de-
clded to celebrate the four hundredth anniver-
S2ry o. the landing Of Columbus by holding an
International exposition. which should De q ;
lar m advance Of all previous celebrations OF the
KIND as we believed TnlS great repup Mic 10 he in
advance Of the nations ri the earth in every
thing that pertains 10 human happiness and
prosperity the question Fl thai time was
which of the great metropolitan cities should
nave the honor OF entertaining visitors who
should come 10 witncs, or take part in our great
celebra ton. The interests OF the state Of Texas
demanded that this honor should be accorded
10 the West, ana that either Chicago or -.
Louis should have the preference. MY hrSt con
nectlOn with the World Columbian eXpcSil! ton
Was IN the way 10 secure 10 Chicago the honor
OF being the exposition city. The result You all
know, and whatever assistance NAV have rem
Qered IN furthCrlnC that result am not here to
speak Of. Chicago won. ana | think everybody,
III IeNaS al least IS more than satisfied with TIT.
verdict OF congress.
Those Of YOU who have visited the great III
land metropolis on The shore Of Lake Michigan
VIII require no word from To Justify that
verdict. But to those who have not had the
pleasure of seeing Chicago need only say that
that city occupies Il position to-day among
American cities such as We ail hope Texas will
occupy among the states of this republic in the
near future. II i pal Texas in itself.
Expansive. progressive teeming with riches
thoroughly democratic in the broadcast senSe Of
the word, the open-hcarted iiDeraIity Of its
people can find no better simiie than the
boundleSs prairieS and bursting patriotism Of
our great Lone Star state Like Texas. Chicago
has been much maligncd by the Slanderous
tongues of ignorant people; but like Texas.
Chicago has pushed TO the front ana will CON
tinue TO advance no matter what obstacles may
lie in its path. IN short, SO similar are Chicago
and Texas in their magDiticenCe and their mag
nItudt that am prompted 10 say that next to
Delilg ClJlIcn OF the great state OF Texas there
Is no title would be more proud TO ackuOw-
ledge than being d citizen OF Chicago.
little over a year ago | was honored by
Governor Ross with an appointment as q mem
her OF the Worlds Columbian commission TO
represent, in part, the state of Texas. When
the commission was being organized. the sub
lect OF elccting its officers naturally came up
Tor discussion. For president II was deemed
necessary TO select one who should recprOcatc
the question OF honorS with the commission,
one who would honor the commission by accent
h. no han. NF-...iNv
tender. Such a man was found in the Hon.
Thomas w. Palmer, cX-member Of the United
States senate and formerly minister to the
court or SPAIN lndhearted. rOGd-gaugId.
philosophical American citizen. Then the
question arose as To vice-presdent. ana after
giving due recognition to different sections OF
the country 4 number Il gentlemen were
elected. whose names OF themselves constitute
a guaranty OF the success Of the exposition. Next
on the list OF officers came the Secre1arysEip.
10 which was elected. Among the reasons put
forward Big friends OF mine when my name was
mentioned for this position the fact that
represented Texas. and that honor should var
rant my being elected 10 the position
OF course il was understood that when il
came to a friendly rivalry between the various |
states as to which would have the finest sx-
hibit at the Worlds fair, there would nc no
question as 10 where Texas would be fouud-in
the front rank. OF course. Before-a word had
been said about how much each state would be |
likely 10 appropriate for Worlds fair purposes !
Texas had been spoken OF as sure TO spend at
least million dollars on its exhibit This was |
not mere idle outside talk. or the Roasting of |
some over-patriOtic citizen OF the Lone Star !
state. II was the generally accepted opinion OF |
the national commission, and when they voted |
for me as their secretary they had one eye on |
what Texas would DO for the exposition and |
the other on my fitness. Now. while am able |
to plead absolute innocence Of setting forth |
such q rumor, yet at the same time I must |
plead guilty to allowing these reports to 20 |
that Is. ii there be any guilt in |
not cOntradicting them. When Appealed to. aS !
have been many times. as to what Texas would /
do in the way OF q state exhibit, have always |
declared that she would do her duty. That Is |
all. And, moreover. have 9lwayS been he |
lieved
At a recent meeting of the national commls- |
sion the commissioners from each state were |
asked TO make statements as to what progress |
had been made in their respective states in |
Worlds fair matters. California reported that |
$4,000 had bCen appropriated by the lecisla- |
ture ana that more than double that amount !
raised SIj0,U.O through its iegislatrr Colo
RADIO has already appropriated sItGHH and !
means TO double that amount Illinois will APP
propriatc Sl,OuOuUC, and the new state of Wash |
ington has already appropriated sloJ,Ot SeV-
pral states were reported rs not having appro-
priated anything for Worlds fair purposes
and in the ma jority of these states some apol-
Ogy had been forthcoming for the want Of ac- |
ton on the part OF their respective legislatures
The newspapers had commented rather dis !
on the inaction of these legislatures
hence the necessity Tor an apology. Not so.
however, with Texas. When it was discovered
that constitutional objection existed to any
lppropria ton, confidence in the people OF this
state was sufficient 10 prevent any unfair com
nentS when cur legislature adjourned without
taking action. That confidence still exists. and
/ is for you. men and women Of Texas. to prove
hat il is well founded.
That our great state should be in the front |