Evening star., 1897-06-11
President McKinley's Speech at the
Nashville Exposition.
HIS RECEPTION MOST CORDIAL
He is Much Impressed With the
Honors Extended Him.
MAKES a TOUR OF GROUNDS
Special Frcm n Staff Correspondent.

| NASIN itI.E, Tenn. June IA perfect
cay greeted the President and his party as
the presidential train rolled int, Nashville
this morning. promptly on time. The PreSi-
| dent CID not retire until nearly > o'eiock
'nd consequently he did not get up until
| G:.n o'clock. As the train passed through
| fowiins Green. Ky, before q O'clock, the
large crowd which hal waited since mil
| night to see the President were greatly
disappointed. and had to be content with
looking at his car.
| As the train drew nca- Nashville the day
| got warmer. and likewise was the recep-
tion all along the Railroad ilags nltt.r.d
| from houses. and the citzeas gathered I'm
| the fields and on the fences and shouted
| welcome. AS the train entered Nashville
| the crowds became greater, until when the
depot Was reached 1t was citicul, for the
Eayly decorated engine To MAKE its Way 20
| the main track. whore the reception COM
| mittee awaited the Prcsilrnt.
Cheers and shouts greeted the party as
| they descended. Col. Van kirkman. the
| vice president of the exposition company
and chairman of the reception committee
in his full uniform. luttercd up and down
the Platform. and finally finding the Presi-
| dents car assisted him to alight. The
| President was most solicitous of Mrs. Nc
| kinley. who had stood the trip remarkably
and giving her his arm the two led the
| procession out OF the depot. Mrs McKin-
| ley walked without the aid of her cane
| and smiled and bowed in return to the
| greetings showered upon her.
| Anxious to See the Presidcnt.
| The President never looked beyond. and
| the crowd gave him a royal welcome. In
| deed. the people were sc anxious TO see him
that they almost crowded the cabinet party
and the newspaper men out of line. Secre-
| tary Sherman he got out of his car was
| instantly recognized ard received a round
of cheers.
| Ihe party were soon placed i'm the car
| riases waiting for them and the process
sion moved through the city to the Max
| well House, where they will be quartercd
| through their stay.
| The streets were packed with people
and windows were filed with pictures OF
| the President The windows of all the
stores looked like flower gardens hlle1 with
sweet Nashville girls, all striving to give
| the President and his party a real old-t,me
southern welcome.
The President appreciated greatly the re-
ception, and he was kept busy bowling and
| smiling all the way to his hotel. Ii
| difficult for the party to make its way
| through the crowds to the hotcl. But once
| inside the members of the party were
| signed rooms and were given an hour or
| SO for breakfast and to make ready fo;
| the ceremonies of the day.
| 1t was during this time that the forma
| ceremonious calls were made by Governo
| Taylor of Tennessee. Governor bushnell
| Of Ohio and then the call upon the Presi
| dent by the two state executives. As eacf
! governor was accompanied by his stan
| there was great amount OF gold iac'
| and grass buttons about the hotel corn
dors Mayor Caldwell of Cincinnati, ONO
| came in for some of the formalities ant
| was included in the visiting.
start for the Grounds.
Ii was 1890 o'clock when the executive
| committee, the reception committee ant
| the wcman's committee had all gathered
| in the Presidents parlor and had greet.c
| and been greeted by the President and ms
| party, when the signal was given TO start
The arrival of the President at the
grounds was announced by a salute of can
| non, the ringing of bells and whistles and
| the cheering of the crowd. 1t was Tire
gayest throng the President has come in
| contact with, and evidenced the warmest
pleasure in his presence. He was contin1-
| ally engaged in saluting the happy people
Mrs Mckinley was all smiles. She and the
President were apparently SO enwrappel In
the greeting they were receiving that they
| did not mind the scorching rays Of the sun.
Against remonstrances the President re-
| reatedly uncovered his head, holding his
hat I'm his hand.
The President was then conducted TO the
grand stand. where he delivered his speech.
Speech of President Mckinley.
The President spoke as follows:
"osicers of the Tennessee Centennial EN-
position, Ladies and Gentlemen:
American nationality, compared with
that of Europe and the east, is still very
young; and yet already We are beginning
TO have age enough for centennial ami
versaries i'm states other than the original
thirteen Such occasions are always in
teresting, and when celebrated in a oracti-
cal way are useful and instructive Com-
Inning retrospect and review, they recall
what has been done by state and nation
and point out what vet remains for both
to accomplish i'm order to fulfill their high
est destiny.
This celebration is Of general interest
10 the whole country and of special sig
nificance 20 the people OF the south ana
west. 1t marks the end of the first CEN
tury of the state of Tennessee and the
close Of the first year OF Its second CEN
tury.
"'One hundred and one years ago this
state was admitted into the Union tie
sixteenth member In the great family OF
American commonwealths. IL was a well
come addition to the national households
community young. strong and sturdy, with
an honored and heroic ancestry, with fond
anticipatons not Only of Its founders but
faith in its success the part OF far-s-c-
ing and sagacious statesmen in all parts
of the country. / am justified in saying
that these alticipations have been grandly
realized. that the present OF this communi-
ty of sterling worth Is even brighter than
prophets OF the past had dared to forecast
IT.
Builders Had High Idcal..
'The builders of the state. who haG
forced their way through the tracklcss
forests OF this splendid domain, brought
with them the same high ideals and fear
less devotion to home and country. founded
on resistance to oppression. which have
everywhere made illustrious the Anglo
American name. Whether 1t was the ter
ritory Of Virginia or that of North Caro-
lima, mattered little to them. They came
willing and eager to fight for Independence
and liberty. and In the war of the revolu-
ton were ever loyal to the standard of