Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-12
ILLINOIS DAY.
Barring Accidents to Two of the Soldiers, Everything Passed Off Nicely With
 Plenty of Speeches.


 Atlanta, Nov. 1.-The exposition city gave the Illinois visitors not only a hearty, but a real, welcome today. This is Illinois day, and the morning, which dawned cloudy, developed a misty rain at 10 o'clock. At o'clock this morning the Cook County Democratic club ar rived in special train. The Young Mems Democratic league of Atlanta met the Chicago club at the train. At 10 o'clock the club made a parade and the visitors received continuous applause along the line of March. One hour later the First Illinois regiment turned out and escorted Governor AltgeId, Mayor Swift and their party, Governor Atkinson, Mayor King and city and exposition officials to the fair grounds.
 The First regiment had S5S men in line, commanded by Colonel Turner. The reg iment made a striking parade and was greeted by cheers at every step. A great concourse of people followed the military. At the grounds the troops were reviewed by Governor Altgeld.
 A. s. Trude, president of the Illinois ex- position commission, was master of cer- emonies and he was introduced by Mayor King. Commissioner Glenn spoke for the governor and welcomed the Illinois vis- itors to the state. Mayor King followed and spoke for Atlanta. Governor Altgeld responded for Illinois.
 The governor spoke as follows:
 Our people have come here today on a mission of good fellowship. The people of the south have invited us within their gates, and we have accepted the invita- tion. The people of the south have held out a friendly hand and we have come down to grasp it. In a sense we are the guests, invited to see the creations and treasures of a host and injured gang of men; it is necessary to consider the con- ditions out of which they grew and the difficulties which had to be overcome; for this determines the character of the genius and the effort that was required This magnificent exposition becomes clothed with a mighty importance when we consider that thirty years ago the southern states lay prostrate. For four years the passion had been changed and the waters of bitterness and hatred had been dashed into a fury. Industries were dead and agriculture lay helpless The institutions of society had been destroy ed. There came a cloud of vultures sweeping down upon the land, who de- veloped methods of plunder that ancients knew not of. The goths and the vandals took what there was in sight. Cromwell in Ireland took only what his soldiers could carry, but these men, by means of issuing bonds and mortgaging the future, projected their slimy fingers a century
  ing generations. They loaded the coun- try with a burden of taxation under which prosperous people would have groaned. This was the condition of the south at the close of the war. Never be- fore in the history of the government was so difficult problem presented as the re-esta blishment of civil institutions in the southern states. Fortunately for the south she had men whose visions were not dimmed and whose spirit was x,<.f 6v-Rl 1xyf fI,a 1frrN Nf lntx ho. ings. By slow degrees they once more established order.
 Only a few hundred miles to the south of us lies the richest island of the globe blessed with all that nature can give it. For over a century a foreign military force has ruled and robbed this island. until today, instead of standing with civ ilized nations. and giving the world an exhibition of its products, as the south has done. it can only show to the world its bleeding heart and cry in anguish for assistance.
 My fellow citizens, the friends of ius tice have right to hope there will come a. time when our government will have enough regard for the principles of home rule-no disrespect for republican insti- tuttons-enough concern of our safety and enough Americanism in its blood to rest from its solicitude for corporate in terests just long enough to proclaim to all the world that monday robbery, noon- day outrage and monday butcbery of a helpless people, even though done in the name of law, must cease upon the Ameri- can continent and in American waters.
 People of the south, we have watched your career and we have watched your struggles, and we rejoice in your success es and those who have come down from our great state have come on a mission of friendship. They do not ask where you sell your cotton or where you sell yoCr supplies. They know that the great laws of commerce will determine these questions Our people are imubed with the idea that this great continent from the aurora tinted skies of the north to the warm waters of the south from the morning to the evening ocean, should be inhabited by great, intelligent, liberty loving justice loving. lawabiding broth erhood of man. This Is the spirit that has brought our people into your midst, and they will more than reciprocate your every act of friendship and your every ex- pression of fraternal sentiment. And as opportunity offers they will make every southern man feel that there is a welcome for him in the country by the great lakes
 Other speeches were made by Presi- dent Stewart Woodson of the Atlanta chamber of Commerce, President Ferdi- nand W. Peck of-the Chicago Southern States association, President Collier of the exposition and others.
 Just before the speaking at the audi torium began Major Sanborn and Lieu tenant Lumey of the First Illinois regi- ment were thrown by their horses Major Sanborn was badly hurt and was re- moved to the emergency hospital. His left leg was broken. Lieutenant Lumns;. was not seriously hurt.