Evening star., 1898-10-12
Addresses a Vast Audience at the
Transmississippi Exposition.
RECEIVES A SPLENDID OVATION
Perfect Weather for the Exercises
Of an EventfuI Day.
T II E SPEECH IN FULL

day of Omahas peace Jubilee and "Presf-
dents day at the transmississippi exposi-
ton opened with lowering sky. About IL
O'Clock, however, the sun burst forth in
all its radiance, making the hearts of
thousands of people feel easier. The Presi-
dent was up early this morning, and at 8
o'clock was in the parlors of the Omaha
Club. where he greeted the members of
his party and other distinguished callers.
l. was after 10 o'clock when the presiden-
tial party, escorted by President Wattles
and members of the entertainment in car
riages, started for the exposition grounds.
They were headed by platoon of mount
ed police while the President and party
were escorted by the board of governors of
the Ak-Sar-Ben, mounted, and dressed In
their regalia. The party proceeded di-
rectly to the grand plaza on the bluff tract
of the exposition.
Order of the Procession.
In the first carriage was the President.
with Gordon w. Wattles, president of the
exposition. Then followed General Miles,
General Greedy, General Wheeler. Secre-
taries Gage, Bliss and Wilson, Postmaster
General Smith, the members of the dipio-
matte corps, secretaries of legation and
press representatives The vast crowd that
had gathered to see President Mckinley
leave the club building was ably controlled
by Major Clarkson, general manager of the
exposition.
President Mckinley probably never re-
ceived more enthusiastic greeting than
that which awaited him at the exposition
grounds. BY far the greatest crowd in the
big western shows history-so large a
crowd that its numbers are almost impos-
sihle to estimate-thronged about the huge
platform from which the President made
his address. Hardly one sentence was
spoken by him which did not evoke from
the people cheer upon cheer PRESIDENT
Wattles introduced the distinguished guest
OF the exposition.
The Presidents Speech.
The President said:
Gentlemen of the transmississippi exposi-
ton and fellow citizens: 1t is with genuine
pleasure that / meet once more the people
of Omaha whose wealth of welcome is not
altogether unfamiliar to me and whose
warm hearts have before touched and
moved me- For this renewed manifesto
ton of your regard and for the cordial re-
cepton of today my heart responds with
profound gratitude and a deep apprecia-
ton which l cannot conceal and which the
language of compliment is inadequate to
convey.
My greeting Is not alone to your city
and the state of Nebraska, but TO the peo-
pie of all the states of the transmississippi
group participating here, and / cannot
withhold congratulations on the evidences
of their prosperity furnished by this great
exposition. If testimony Were needed to
establish the fact that their pluck has not
deserted them, and that prosperity is again
with them, it is found here. This picture
dispels all doubt.
Age of Exp0sitions.
In an age of expositions they have added
yet another magnificent example. The his
torical celebrations at Philadelphia and
Chicago and the splendid exhibits at New
Orleans, Atlanta and Nashville are now
part of the past, and yet in influence
they still live and their benefcent results
are closely interviewer with our national
development. Similar rewards will honor
the authors and patrons of the transmits
sissippi exposition. Their contribution Will
mark another epoch in the nations mate
rial advancement.
One of the great laws of life is progress
and nowhere have the principles of Ibis
law been strikingly illustrated as i'll the
United States. A century and decade of
our national life have turned doubt lnio
conviction; changed experiment into dem
onstration; revolutioniZed old methods and
won new triumphs which have challenged
the attention of the world. This is true not
only of the accumulation of material
wealth and advance in education science
Invention and manufactures, but above al.
in the opportunities to the people for their
own elevation, which have been secured by
wise free government. Hitherto, in peace
and in war, with additions to our territory
and slight changes in our laws, We have
steadily enforced the spirit of the Consti-
tuition secured to us by the noble self-sac-
rlflce and far-Seeing Sagacity of our ances-
tors. We have avoided the temptations Of
conquest in the spirit of gain. With an in
c1easins love for our institutions aid an
abiding faith in their stability we have
made the triumphS of our system of gov
ernment in the progress and prosperity of
our people an inspiration to the whole
human race. Confronted at this moment
by new and grave problems, We must rec
oSniZe that their solution will affect no.
ourselves alone, but others of the family Of
nations.
Cannot Shirk Responsibility.
In this age of frequent interchange and
mutual Dependency we cannot shirk our in
ternational responsibilities IL we would:
they must BE- met with courage and wisdom
and we must follow duty even if desire u,-
poses. No deliberation can be too mature
or seif-control too constant in this solemn
hour OF our history. We must avoid th,.
temptation OF undue aggression and ann to
secure only such results as will promote
our own and the general good
1t has been said by some one that the nor
NAL condition of nations is war That is not
true of the United States. We never enter
upon war until every effort for peace with
out 1t has been exhausted. Ours has never
been military government. Peace, with
whose blessings we have been so singular
iy favored, is the national desire and the
goal of every American aspiration
On the 25th- of April for the first time for
more than a generation the United States
sounded the call to arms. The banners of
war were unfurled; the best and bravest
from every section responded; a mighty
army was enrolled; the north and the south
Wed with each other in patriotic devotion;
science was invoked to furnish the most ef-
fective weapons; factories were rushed to
supply equipments; the youth and the vet
eran joined in freely offering their services
to the country; volunteers and regulars and
all the people rallied to the support of the
republic. There was no break In the line,
no halt in the march, no fear in the heart,
no resistance to the patriotic impulse al
home, no successful resistance to the patri-
otic spirit of the troops fighting in distant
waters or on foreign shore.
Storm Broke Suddenly.
What a wonderful experience it has been
from the standpoint of patriotism and
achievement! The storm broke so sudden
ly that 1t was here almost before we real