The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-10
THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS
HE TELLS OF THE GROWTH OF
THE GREAT UNION.
EULoGlzES THE PEOPLES PATRIOTISM
Sir WiIfrid Lauri Speaks Of the Union Of the
Anglo Saxon Races. Mckinley Lays
the Foundation of the New
Federal Building.
Federal Building.

Federal Building.
Chicago. H., Oct. 9.-Chicago's Audi
torium which has been the scene Of so
many notable events never held e
greater gathering than tonight when the
Chicago day banquet was held within its
walls under the auspices of the Fall
Festival Committee.
The President, who was the guest of
honor, sat at a raised table on the
right of Melville T.. Stone, the toast
master. Other distinguished guests
were at the same table, among them
being Vice President Don Ignacio Maris-
cal, of Mexico Premier Wilfrid Laur-
ier, of Canada; Mayor Carter III. Har-
rson, Senior Manual de Aspiroz, Sec
retary Hay, Secretary Gage, Attorney
General Griggs, Secretary Smith, Sec
retary Long. Secretary Hitchcock, Sec
retary Wilson. Major General Wesley
Merritt. Senator Shelby NJ. Cullom,
General Russell A. Alger, Minister to
Brazil Charles Page Bryan, Japanese
Minister Jutaro Komura, Captain JOS
eph Il. Coghlan, Senator William Is.
Allison and others.
1t was nearly Z o'clock when the
banquet was in full blast and nearly
10 when Mr.. Stone raped for order
and brought the intellectual portion of
the program to the front in a happy
address of welcome in which he intro
duced Governor Tanner who welcomed
the visitors on behalf of the State of
Illinois.
After he had concluded, Mayor Car
ter H. Harrison, of Chicago, and Sena-
tor Shelby NJ. Cullom, of Illinois, were
introduced in succession by Mr.. Stone,
the former extending to the visitors the
welcome of the people of the city of
Chicago and the latter a greeting on
behalf Of the Federal officials of llll-
nois
The banquet guests knew by their
programs who came next on the list
of speakers and when the toastmaster
rose to introduce the President, who re-
sponded to the sentiment of THE Ma
tion,' he was greeted with cheers which
for Il time prevented his voice from
being heard. When quiet had been re-
stored, Mr.. Stone introduced President
Mckinley, who spoke III part as follows:
"rhe Republic is sturdier and stronger
than ever before Government by the
people has been advanced. Freedom
under the flag is more universal than
when the Union was formed. Our
steps have been forward, not backward.
From Plymouth Rock to the Philip
pines, the grand triumphant march OF
human liberty has never paused. Frat
ternity and union are deeply imbedded
in the hearts of the American people.
For half Il century before the Civil
War the Union was the fear of men of
all sections. That word has gone out
of the American vocabulary. 1t is spo-
ken now only as historical memory.
North, South, East and West were
never so welded together and while
they may differ about internal politics,
they are all for the Union and the
maintenance of the integrity of the flag
Has patriotism died out in the hearts
of the people? Witness the 2o0,000 men
springing to arms and i'll thirty days or
ganiZed into regiments of the Spanish
War and million more ready to re-
spond: and the more recent enlistment
of 70,000000, with many other thOus-
ands anxious to enlist but whose SER
vices were not needed. Has American
Eercism declined? The shattered and
sinking fleets of the Spanish navy at
Manila and Santiago, tna charge of San
Juan and El Caney and the intrepid
valor and determination of our gallant
troops in more than forty engagements
in Lllzon, attest the fact that the
American soldier and sailor have lost
none of the qualities which made our
earlier army and navy illustrious and in
vincible.'
May we not feel assured that if we
do our duty the Providence which favor
ed the undertakings of the fathers and |
every step of our progress since will |
continue His watchful care and guidance |
over us and that the hand that led us |
to our present place will not relax his |
grasp till we have reached the glorious |
goal He has fixed for us in the achieve |
ment of his end.
Following the address of the Presi- |
dent. which was received with every |
manifestation Of enthusiastic approval, |
Mr.. Stone introduced Sir Wilfrid Laur-
ier. of Canada, who he announced was
TO sneak on ''I'he Dominion The
greeting accorded the Premier of Can
ada as he rose to his feet was hearty |
in the extreme The band played God /
Save the Queen" the audience rising
and joining in the chorus. The warmth
of his welcome for an instant embarras-
sed Sir Wilfred, but he quickly recov,
cred his self-possession.
His speech in part was as follows:
.sThe Secretary of State told us some