The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-10
ALL BANQUETS
WERE ECLIPSED.
By the Chicago Day Affair Last
Night.
Great Auditorium Packed to
Overlooking.
PIE AND EIOOHENCE.
PIE AND ELOQUENCE.
President Mckinley Exploits
Our Greatness
In a Way Not to Offend Foreign
Visitors.

L
| people can easily find standing room,
had been enlarged and a great floor
! built out over the seats of the par
| quette, quadrupling the floor space of
| the stage.
Back of the raised table at the west
of the hall, at which President McKfn-
ley and the guests of honor were seated
was an elaborate peace arch twenty
feet in height, constructed Of pastry. 1t
was decorated with flags taStefully
draped, from the folds of which twink
led hundreds of little electric lights.
On both sides of the arch were great
shields with paintings of the American
eagle and groupings of American, Brit
ish and Mexican flags. The balconies
were resplendent with banners, and the
coats of arms of all states in the union
These were placed at regular intervals
around the balcony below the first row
of boxes and around each shield which
bore the arms of state was grouped
a cluster of small silk banners. On
every table was placed an elaborate
floral piece, representing a famous bat
tie scene in the history of the republic,
a scene from the history of Chicago and
other suitable events. The President,
who was the guest of honor, sat at a
raised table on the right of Melville E.
Stone, the POSTMASTER
Other distinguished guests were at
the same table, among them being Vice
President Don IgnaciO Mariscal of
Mexico; Premier Wilfred Laurier, of
Canada, Senior Manuel De AzpirOZ, Sec
retary Hay, Secretary Gage, Attorney
General GriggS, Postmaster General
Smith, Secretary Long, Secretary
Hitchcock, Secretary Wilson, General
David B. Henderson, Senator Boise
PenrOSe, Major General Wesley Mer-
ritt, Brigadier General Thomas NJ. An
derson, General Russell A. Alger,
Charles Page Bryan, minister to Brazil;
Japanese Minister Juarto Komura,
Senator William E. Mason, Captain
Joseph B. Coghlan, Sir Alphonse Pet
tier, Senator William B. Allison, Sena-
tor James Mcmillan, Senator Samuel
D. McInery, Commissioner General Fer
dinand Peck and General Chambers
McKibbOn.
The material part of the banquet oc-
cupied two hours, and it was nearly 10
o'clock when Mr.. Stone raped for or
der and brought the intellectual por-
tion of the program to the front, in a
brief address, in the course of which
he said:
Happy the man who could voice in
fitting phrase the sentiments inspired
by this hour. The occasion perhaps is
not one of great moment-the laying
of a corner stone. But it has served a
higher purpose and has a wider sig
nificance.
What day could be more fitting for
such a ceremony? 1t commentaries
the anniversary of that other day tWen-
ty-eight years ago, when in the ashes
we laid the foundation of this new and
better city. We laid it to the music
of a tempest of flame and began a sad
procession of homeless men and wo-
men. Desolate but undaunted, the peo-
pie of Chicago turned their faces to the
east and taking courage from the SYM
pathy and support of their fellow. men
went forward to a destiny far Outstrip-
ping every dream of their imagination.
But, more than this, it was in this
month and on this very day that we
sounded the last note of discord with
our sister republic of Mexico, and still
more, one hundred and eighteen years
ago, on the plains of Yorktown, in the
of O0f 11r or0cfT
day, we struck the final blow for Amer
lean independence and thus laid the
corner stone of our national edifice.
"On such an anniversary we are
happy to open our gates and greet this
assemblage. 1t is a gathering of the
high ministers of authority of the three
great peoples of this continent. Three
peoples with a common purpose. Three
peoples having a single aim. Three
peoples working out under differing
conditions the problems of self govern
ment.
You are met, gentlemen, to cement
q, closer bond of amity to ordain a new
citizenship in that higher realm where
national lines disappear and where we
shall all be loyal to American pro-
gress, American civilization, American
liberty, the forces which make for the
betterment of the human race"
Governor Tanner then in a short ad-
dress welcomed the visitors on behalf
of the state of Illinois.
After he had concluded Mayor Carter
II I1dIIlSOH- u chicago, ana senator
Shelby Cullom, of Illinois, We're intro
duced 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 Illinois.
The banquet guests knew by their
programmes 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 that
for time prevented his voice from be-
ing heard. When quiet had been re-
stored Mr.. Stone introduced President
Mckinley who spoke as follows:
Mr.. ToastmaSter and Gentlemen:
I am glad to join you in extending a
sincere welcome to the distinguished
statesmen and dip1Omatists who repre-
sent the great countries adjoining US
on the south and north. We are bound
to them both by ties of mutual good
neighborhood. We rejoice in their
prosperity and we wish them God speed
in the pathway of progress they are so
energetically and successfully pursuing.
''On the reverse side of the great seal
of the United States, authorized by
congress June 20, 1882. and adopted as
the seal of the United States of America
after its formation under the federal
constitution is the pyramid signifying
strength and duration. The eye over
it and the motto allude to the many
signal interpretations Of providence in
favor of the American cause. The date
underneath 1776, is that of the declara-
tion of Independence, and the words
under it signify the beginning of new
American era which commences from
that date.