Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-10

, pronounced the cornestone set one OF the
most notable gatherings ever in Chicago
looked on.
streets Arc Crowded.
Shortly before 10 o'clock a roar OF cheers
from down jackson boulevard announced the
coming OF President Mckinley and his party.
1t was with considerable difficulty that the
troops of cavalry and the police forming the
presidents escort could clear a space wide
enough for the carriages containing the
president and members OF his cabinet and
other guests to pass, and as the carriages
slowly made their way up the boulevard to-
ward the federal building the applause be-
came terrific and continuous, The president
frequently arose and doffed his hat in re-
sponse. At the entrance of tho Union League
club the president and the members of his
party alighted and after a brief reception
were escorted across Jackson boulevard to
the platform in front of the federal building.
A perfect hurricane of cheers greeted the
president as he was escorted to the dais at
the side of which the cornerstone was sus-
pended ready for the ceremony. The presi-
dent warmly greeted the officials, then
turned and bowed to the group of brawny-
armed workmsn who were to complete the
laying of the cornerstone.
Judge Christian c. Kohlsaat, chairman of
the committee on ceremonies, introduced
Secretary of the Treasury Lyman ]. Gage
as presiding officer for the cornerstone exer-
cises. The secretary was warmly cheered as
he stepped forward.
Man Monument builder.
| Secretary Gage said in part:
| 1.-The long history of human society Is
| best known to us by the monuments which
| passing generations have left behind them.
| These monuments, whether in form of
| temple or pyramid, record to us the stage
| of art and mechanical knowledge enjoyed by
| the people by whom they were builded.
| The temple may now be a ruin. The tribe
or people who worshiped therein may have
| disappeared from written history. But
! their works, still preserved remain as
| silent, yet eloquent witnesses Of their
ideals and their aspirations, From the
Orient vaguely outlined in the remote past
to the Occident, palpitating with the
| activities of present civilization, the way
is marked with the evidences that man is
| monument builder and that society by an
instinct always existing, is seeking to i'm
mortalize itself by embodying its best
| thoughts in some enduring form. Each
age, each social organism, has acted after
| its own ideals and in strict conformity to
| its own stage Of advancement.
| 1T is in accord with this inner law, writ
! ten by the Creator in the heart OF man,
| that we are here today-joined as one-to
| lay the cornerstone of the temple to be
here builded by the nation. Designed to
serve the present needs Of civic state It
| will nevertheless witness to the future the
best conceptions of free people living in
this western land in the closing years of
| the nineteenth century.
THE moment is full Of inspiring thoughts,
eloquent words wait for the orator to utter
! them. II such words could be mine it
would not be my privilege to speak them.
Restrained by official duty, | cannot even
| voice my own emotions, excited as they are
by the remembrance that for more than
! forty years this spot, to be honored by
the genius of the architect and the skill
of the artesian has been as familiar to me
as has been my daily life. The city we
| love is to have a temple worthy of her
| greatness. The nation we love is to fit
| tingly express on this spot her best con-
| ception of art made to serve utility. Rep
resentatives of other nations are here to do
us honor and share with us in our Joy and
pride. The honored chief executive of our
own republic is here to put the trowel's frs t
| touch to the noble edifce. l have said that
| art is here to be made the servant to
| utility. In this great building the public
| business of the people is to be transacted.
| The federal courts, the agency OF the reve-
nues, and last but not least, the great pos
| tai department is here to efficiently admins
! ter it's important function"
At the conclusion of Secretary Cages brief
! address Rev. Frank w. Gunsaulus offered a
brief but impressive prayer, the president
| and all the members of his party uncovering
! as DR.. Gunsaulus asked a blessing on the
ceremony.
Secretary Gage introduced Postmaster Cen
eral Smith. He was also greeted with much
applause.
Mr. Smith spoke as follows:
Seems Like n Dream.
This ceremonial, led by the president of
the republic, in the imposing presence of
distinguished national representatives and
foreign dignitaries and of this great multi
tude of citizens, is fitl< associated with Chi
cago day. The stately structure whose cor
nerstone Is now laid symbolizes in large
| sense the dignity and power of the United
States. But in a direct and practical sense
it represents the business life and activity
| of Chicago. 1t is the nations visible seal
| and stamp upon the commercial rank and
importance of this splendid city
THE development of the country within
a period of thirty years, on all its material
sides, seems like such stuff as dreams are
made Of.
I'm 1870 the total receipts OF the postal
service were s19772.220 and its total ex-
penditures $23,99S,S37. This year we shall
spend $1O5, 100000 and our receipts will be
500, 100000 While our population, not
counting the new possessi ions, has doubled
the postal business has multiplied nearly
! five-fold. The figures in other realms tell
the same fabulous story. Since 1870 the dis
tributed wealth Of the country has increased
from $27 ,000, 100000 to over $50, 900 900 000
| This uneXampled gain is widely dffused
The savings banks furnish direct test
| The number of their deposiors has grown
| from 100000 to more than 5000, 900 and the
| aggregate of deposits from $3.50, 900 900 to
over $1,000 100000, Where could you find
| more conclusive testimony that the average
thrift of the people has shared in the ad-
vancement OF prosperity and accumulation?
with this unmatched growth what i'm
| agination shall put metes and bounds to the
advancement of our country? Is 1t ex
| pected that the marvellous development which
has come with the wonderful material ap-
planes and forces of the past three decades
| will now pause and stand still? Are we
| henceforth to mark time instead of march