The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02
President acI&inIey Pressed "A Button
Began 10 Turn.
EXERCISES NOT ELABORATE
PARADE OF SECRET SOCIETIES AND
MILITIA FROM TWO STATES.
Addresses by President Thomas, Gov.
Taylor, Director General Lewis
and Othcrs-Attendance Large.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, May f.-Following a
cold dreary night that cast gloom over an
entire city, where all the people were anx-
iously hoping for a typical May morning.
bright, warm and beautiful, on which to
celebrate the actual opening of the Tennes
see Centennial Exposition, came a day sur
prising and delighting to expectant thou
sands. A bright, cloudless day dawned, but
cold, with chilling north winds blowing.
The effects of the rain during the night
vanished, the wind dried the earth, and
when the citizens parade, including the
knights of Pythias, the Tennessee Guard,
Company A, Ohio national Guard, of Nor
man, o., the sponsors and maids of honor
Of the Essenic Order, with brass bands and
flying colors, marched along the decorated
streets, the throngs forgot the cold and
wind and dismissed their forebodings.
At s o'clock the gates of the Tennessee
Centennial Exposition were opened
and the people began to arrive.
BY II o'clock, the hour fixed for
the exercises in the Auditorium,
that building. holding 5000 people, was
filed. The brief. simple but impressive pro-
gramme was carried out before one of the
most brilliant gatherings ever assembled
in Tennessee. On the platform were the
exposition officers and committees, Gov
ernor Taylor and his staff. the chief justice
and associate Justices of the Supreme
Court, members of the woman's board, the
mayor of Nashville, United States Senator
W. B.. Bate, Hon. j. W. Gains and hun
dreds of prominent citizens.
President J. W.. Thomas. at II o'clock,
with a historic gavel, raped for order and
the Right Rev. Thomas f. Gailor, coad-
jutor bishop of Tennessee, offered prayer.
MAJOR THOMAS'S ADDRESS.
After America" had been played in a
most impressive manner, Maj. j. w.
Thomas, president of the Tennessee Elk
position Company, arose and was received
with cheers and applause. He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen-On June 1, 1896,
these grounds and the buildings erected
thereon were dedicated to the honor and
glory of Tennessee, in commemoration of
an event which TRANSFERRED on June /, 1896,
and as tribute to the men and women who
endured the hardships, and braved the dam
gers of frontier life in the wilderness west
of the Alleghenies, that they might found
this great commonwealth. They loved the
banner of our country, with its little clus-
ter of fifteen stars; and the lapse of one
hundred years has not impaired the honor,
integrity or patriotism OF the people of
Tennessee; for we love the same banner
with Its glorious constellation of forty-hve
stars, representing forty-hve sovereign
States, which together constitute the great
est nation in the world.
""rh OBJECTS OF this centennial exposition
are to commemorate the past, present the
advantages of the present and inspire hope
for the future-the past, the present, the
future of Observation-Disclosures so laudable
that the enterprise has received the APP
proval of the government OF the United
States, Congress having appropriated $780,
600 that the general government might be
properly represented by "a grand object les
son, showing the progress of the Nation
during the past 100 years. 1t has also been
approved by the authorities Of the State of
Tennessee, the Legislature having appro-
nriafp6 Rk1 mn in order fhaf fha history tho
products and the resources of the State
might be properly presented. The county of
Davidson and city of Nashville, realizing
the honor and advantage of having this
grand centennial jubilee within their bor-
ders, have donated $3.50. 900; and other cities,
counties and states, corporations, firms and
10000 individuals have augmented these APP
propriations and donations until a grand
total of $1,000, 900 has been expended in pre-
pairing for this exposition.
Men in all ages have celebrated great
events by holidays, triumphal professions,
and as Tennessee was the first State admit
ted into the Union formed from territory
coded to the general government, it is APP
~propr1ate that we celebrate our centennial
anniversary by having a great exposition,
showing the world that we have kept pace
with our sister States and other nations
in the progress of the age-in all the tri-
umphs and glories of civilization. While
this celebration is prompted by reverence
Tor the past, 1t is also prompted by a de-
sire to so advertise and proclaim our adj
Vantages that thousands from other States
dnQ Otner nations Will come to see what
we have accomplished and realize the mar
velOus wealth of our undeveloped resources.
The past century has not been one of
continuous peace and prosperity. but there
have been periods of differences and dam
gers that tried mems souls. vet there has
been more of prosperity than of adversity.
the improvements of the century have been
wonderful, and as we stand upon the van
tage ground of the present and look back
to the pioneer days of Tennessee, we are
proud of the record and achievements of
the past. and rejoice in the advantages of
the present, and 1t is hoped that the youth
of the land Will so study these ADVANTAGES
as illustrated in the grand object lesson of
this exposition. that they will be inspired TO
undertake still greater achievements and
strive to reach perfection's heights. which
are respondent with the glories reflected
from the eternal hills wherein dwells the
Author of all wisdom and all power. who
rules over the d~estinies of men and nations.
and whose blessing we invoke upon orr
exposition, our state, our country and upon
Loud and continuous cheering followed
the conclusion of President Thomas's re-
marks, and the band struck up The Star
spangled Banner, amid tumuituous cheer
ing and waving of hats and handkerchief
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR TAYLOR.
The next address was by Hon. Robert I.
Taylor. Governor of Tennessee. AS he adj
vanced toward the front of the platform the
crowd rose as one man. and it was several
minutes before his Excellency could proceed
with his address. He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen-The first century
In the history of the Commonwealth of
Tennessee, glorious with> the deeds 81
heroes and rich with achievements in ali t6a
arts OF peace, has been SarneTed in eternitv.
and as 1 stand here to Join you in this iu6i,,
lee the stirring scenes OF a hundred eypnt-
full years pass in review before me 500
the blue smoke curling heavenward from
the rude cabins of the pioneers and herr
the first song of civilization along the banks
or the Watauga; l see the red glare on fhe
sky Of night proclaiming the approach of
torch ana tomahawk: L see the peerIass
Bonnie Kate like a frightened mountain
TaWn OutStrlpping the painted warriors i'm
her race for life, and amid the flames and
smoke from Decherd rifles. which bafne The
savage foe, / see her scale the parapets OF
the beleaguered fort and fall fainting into
the arms of John Sewer; l see a thousand
coonskin caps gathering at Sycamore
shoals and a thousand rifles rejecting a
thousand sparkling images of rising sun; /
see a thousand stalwart mountaineers sud-
denly vanish into the forest, and now / see
them emerge around the base OF Kings
mountain, and, winding upward towards it's
summit like a serpent of fire, they pour
their whitening Volleys into the faces of the
of autumn: the battle is won and the tide
OF the revolution is turned. The scene
changes, and now l see the ak cleaning in
the hands of these sturdy men: the forest
falls ana fruitful fields spread westward
from the mountains TO the Mississippi: a
new state IS carved from the heart of the
wilderness, the sixteenth star glorifes the
flag Of the Union and Tennessee is born.
The years roll on and the young republic
Of civil liberty gives birth 10 a new re-
public OF thought. Men like Jefferson and
Jackson rise up and reyolutioniZe the DO
lin. and Fulton, and Morse. and Howe. aud
Hoe. and Whitney and BeIi ard Tesla and