The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-05-06

sary by having a great Exposition,
showing the world that we have kept
pace with our sister States and other
nations in the glories of the age-in all
the triumphs and glories of civilization.
While this celebration is prompted
by reverence for the past, it is also
prompted by desire to so advertise
and proclaime our advantages that
thousands from other states and other
nations will come to see what we have
accomplished and realize the marvel
GUS wealth of our undeveloped resour-
ces.
The past century has not been one
of continuous peace and prosperity,
but there have been periods of differ
ence and dangers that have tried mems
souls, yet there have been more of
prosperity than advArsity. The i'm
provements of the century have been
wonderful, and as we stand upon the
vantage ground of the present and look
back to the pioneer days of Tennessee,
we are proud of the record and achieve
ments of the past, and rejoice in the
advantages of the present, and it is to
be hoped that the youth of the land
will study these advantages, as illus
trated in the grand object lesson of
this Exposition, that they will be in
inspired to undertake still greater
achievements and strive to reach per-
fection's heights, which are resplen-
dent with the glories reflected from the
eternal hills wherein dwell the Author
of all wisdom and all power, who rules
over the destinies of men and nations,
and whose blessings we invote upon
our Exposition. our State, our country
and upon the nations of the earth.
From pole to pole, from zone to zone,
over trackless ocean from land to land,
may the angelic anthem reverberate:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men,"
The band then played: my Coun-
try, 'Tis of Thee" and Gov. Taylor
was introduced. He was received with
enthusiastic cheers and applause. Gov.
Taylor, in his happiest vein, delivered
the following address,
4 GOV. TAYLoR's ADDRESS.
Gov. Taylor never had a grandel
ovation than he received when Presi
dent Thomas presented him to the peo
pie. When the first burst of applause
had subsided someone shouted "Oul
Bob" Then the 1900 people rose an(
shouted. Gov. Taylor was frequently
interrupted by applause. He said
Ladies and Conference.-The frs
century in the history of the common
wealth of Tennessee, glorious with deed
of heroes and rich with achievements il
all the arts of peace, has been garneret
in eternity; aud as stand here to ioil
you in this Jubilee, the stirring scene
OF hundred eventful years pass in re
view before me, | see the blue smok,
curling heavenward from the rude cab
ins of the pioneers. and hear the frs
song of civilization along the banks o
the Watauga ; / see the red glare on tn,
sky of night proclaiming the approach
of torch and tomahawk ; I see the peer
less "Bonnie Kate" like frightened
mountain fawn, outstripping the paint
ed warriors in her race for life, ant
amid the flames and smoke from Dech
J erd rifles, which battle the savage foe
1 see her scale the parapets of the be
leagured fort and fall fainting into thu
arms of John Sewer see Thousand
} coon skin caps gathering at Sycamore
Shoals, and thousand rifles rejecting
a thousand sparkling images of rising
sun 1 see thousand stalwart noun
taineers suddenly vanish into the fores
and now I see them emerge around thu
; base of Kings mountain, and winding
upward towards its summit like ser
pent fall like the leaves of autumn ; tn
, battle is won and the tide of the revolu
ton is turned. The scene changes, ant
now l see the ak cleaning in the hand
of these sturdy men the forest fall
and fruitful fields spread westward
from the mountains to the Mississippi
a new state is carved from the heart o
the wilderness, the sixteenth star glori
t fies the flag of the union, and Tennes
, see is born. ,...,.-
The years roll on, and the young re
: public of civil liberty gives birth to
, new republic of thought. Men like JET
: ferson and Jackson rise up and revolu
} tionize the political ideas of the world
. men like Franklin and Fulton an
Morse and Howe and Hoe and Whitne
and Bell and Tesla and Edison, ope
up new highways for the march G
: civilization.
, I see the vast wilderness of America
: the dominion of savage Indian and viii
: beast, yielding to the brain powers {
Q the Anglo-Saxon race, until forty-fou
, stars on our national flag symbolic tn
: strength and power and unity of tn
: greatest republic this world has eve
g known.
l see the achievements of a thousan
1 years crowded into a single century.