The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-10-30
Presidents Day..
A Great Day at the Atlanta
Exposition.

carried out without single accident t
mar the pleasure of the occasion.
After the troops we're reviewed b,
the President. Mr.. Collier, Preslden
of the Exposition introduced Presden
Cleveland.
The President spoke as follows:
MIR. President: Ga my own behal
aud for my co'aborers in the executive
branch of our government, who have
accompanied NE, | thank yo1 for your
kind words Of greeting. We are here
to congratulate you and your associates
upon the splendid success of the expo
sition you have set upon foot and upon
the evidences you have here gathered
chiefly illustrative Of southern eoter-
prises, southern industry aud southern
recuperatiou. but We are also here to
claim a shareiu the pride of 3our achieve
meut. No portion Of our couotryueO
wherever found can exclusively appro-
pirate the glory arising from these sur
roundings. They are proofs Of Ameri-
can genius aud industry, which are the
ioiut possession Of our people, aud they
represent triumpbs of American skill
and ingenuity in which all our citizens
from the highest to the bumblest have
a proprietary right While my fellow
citizens Of Georgia and her nelghborlng
States may felicitate themselves to the
fullest extent upon such evidences as
are berc found of the growth and pros
perisy of interests and enterprises 10
which they are especially coucerned,
cannot be deprived Of the enjoyment
afforded by the reflection that the work
that they have done emphasizes in tha
sight of the world the immense re-
sources aud iodomitable thrift of the
United States. 1t seems to me the
thought may be suggested as not inap-
propriate to this occasion that what we
see about US is the outgrowth Of
another exposition inaugura'ed on
American soil more than a century ago,
when new patton vas exhibited to the
civilized world, guaranteed ADD pro'ec-
ted by Constitution. which was or
dained and established by the people
of the United States with the declared
purpose Of promoting their general
welfare aud securing the blessings OF
liberty to themselves and their pos
terity.
The success which has attended this
exposition Of products and mao ufac-
lures is not altogether due to ;he
quality Of the soil or character of the
people i1 any of the contributing
States, but it rests largely upon the
fact that these States are members OF
a bene6cently governed nation, whose
natural resources and advantages ev-
erywhere have been developed and im-
proved by the influence Of free iusfl'u-
tious and whose people have been -'i'n-
ulated and encouraged by the blessings
Of personal liberty A contemplation
of the blessings vcuchsafed to US by
our government easily reminds Us Of
the Importance Of hearty and u"''ed
cooperation in it's support and pro-
lection. We should lovingly watch aud
guard it, not ouly because We are recip-
tents Of its precious gifts. out f"' its
own sake and because it has been put
10 our hands 10 sacret keeping to prove
to the world that man can be trusted
with self-goverument. We shall walk
iu the path of patriotic duty if remem-
bering that our free institutions were
established to promote the general vel
fare. We strive for those things which
bens6t our people. and if each OF us is
content to receive from common fund
his share of the prosperity TINS cootr'-
bused we shall sadly miss our duty and
forfei. our heritage if IL narrow
selGshneas we are needless o: the gen
ersl walfare and struggle to west from
the government private advantages
which can Only be gained at rhe ex-
oense Of our fellow couutrymen. hope
| may. therefore. be prrua;'ed IN con-
clusion to suggest. as mos' impor-
tan. lesson taught by this occasion. i.
the absolute necessity J.; our rational
health aud welfare. and cor sequeutly
10 our individual happiness as citizens
of careful Discrimination IN our sup
port of policies and in our advocacy of
political doctrines between those which
prompt the promotion Of the public vel
fare and those which simply seem to
serve selfish or sectional interests. Ii
we are to enjoy the blessings our gov
erument was framed to fairly and
justly bcstow. we shall secure them in
due time By cultivatiug spirit OF
broad American brotherhood and 10
ill IN thc