The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-05-07
WORLDS FAIR DEDICATION.

tive Mics vi OuluiOio diiu Ooi
riages Containing Nations
Great Men and Foreign Diplo-
mats, Reviewed by President
Roosevelt.
st. Louis, Mo-, May 3-Amid the
ringing Of bells, the firing OF cannon,
the tramp Of soldiers, the waving oil
flags and the cheering Of hundreds oil
thousands of people, the Louisiana
Purchase exposition was formally
dedicated to-day by President Roose-
welt and Ex.President Cleveland, in
the presence OF tho diplomatic corps,
ascore OF United States senator's and
governors OF states, and the largest
assemblage Of famous men vergath-
cred in the west.
During the early part Of the cere-
monies, the Liberal Arts building
was overcrowded. A panic seemed
imminent, many women fainting and
thousands OF others crying in terror.
President Francis, seeing the ap-
preaching disaster, averted it by
ordering the reserved seat section,
which was only partially filed, to be
thrown open. This allsviated the
trouble in a few minutes.
A number of women were carried
out unconscious and taken to hospi-
tails, as a result OF the awful jam
which had occurred.
The day dawned threatingly.
Heavy clouds were banked up high,
and the air was cold, All this mark
ed the Tooth anniversary of the ced-
ing OF the province OF Louisiana from
Spain to France and from France to
the United States. The quaint old
city was astir early. Regiments OF
infantry, headed by bands, marched
through lines OF spectators to the
point Of rendezvous Now and then
the clatter of horses hoofs or the
rumble of wheels told of the approach
of cavalry or heavy artillery. Bril-
liantly aides galloped this way and
that, delivering orders and correct.
ing blunders Of green militia colonies.
The scene was military-uniiorms
were everywhere.
When the big doors Of the Liberal
Arts building swung in at 1:30 p. m,
a beautiful sight met the gaze. The
interior was completed, and from the
great white columns hung the expo
sition colors, red, blue and yellow,
The building accommodates $4,000
people, but fully 10000 crowded in
to it. Promptly at 2 p. m. Presi
dent Francis led Cardinal Gibbons to
the rostrum. His eminence, clad in
his robes OF Office, made an imposing
picture. As he raised his hand in
benediction not a sound was heard.
as in a clear, soft voice, he prayed.
Mr.. Francis next introduced Sena-
tor Thomas II. Carter, president OF
the National commission, as chair
man of the day. This was followed
by Beethoven's Creation Hymn,
rendered by a trained chorus OF Z, 800
voices. Then President Francis step
ped to the front, and facing Presi-
dent Roose Welt, presented the exposi-
tion buildings to the United States.
RoosEvELT's SPEECH.
After Mr.. Francis short speech,
President Roosevelt turned to the
assembly and began his speech. He
said:
"Mr. President: We have met here
to-day to commemorate the hun
dredth anniversary OF the event which
more than any other, after the foun-
dalton of the government and always
excepting it's preservation, determin-
ed the character of our national life
determined that we should be a
great expanding nation instead Of
relatively q small and stationary
one. Never before had the world
seen the kind Of national expansion
which gave our people all that part
Of the American continent lying west
Of the thirteen original states; the
greatest landmark in which was the
Louisiana purchase. Our triumph
in this process of expansion was in
dissolubly bound up with the success
Of our peculiar kind OF federal kov-