The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-01
SPEECH OF MIR. CLEVELAND
 AT DEDICATION CEREMONY.

St Louis, April 30.-The speech of for nser President Cleveland at the dedica- ton of the St. Louis Exposition follows: Mir. President and Ladies and Gentlemen:
 The impressiveness Of this occasion is greatly enhanced by reason of an atmos- rounds 1t. The thought is in our minds that we are amid awe-inspiring surs roundings, where we may see and feel here in recognition of the one hundredth anniversary of an event which doubled the area of the young American nation and dedicated a new and wide domain to treaty whose completion we today com memorate was itself prophecy of our youthful nations mighty growth and de- velopment At it's birth prophets in wait ing joyously foretold the happiness which it's future promised. He who was the chief actor for the United States in its negotiation, as he signed the perfect ed instrument, thus declared its effect strument which we have just signed will cause no tears to be shed. It prepares ages of happiness for innumerable gen erations of human creatures. The Missis- sippi and the Missouri will see them suc- .ceed one another-truly worthy of the re- gard and care of Providence-in the bos- om of equality under just laws-freed from the errors rs of superstition an and the the
 
 represented the nation with whom we negotiated, when he afterwards gave to the world his account of the transaction, sion of Louisiana will extend to the most distant postertty. It interests vast re- gions that will become by, their civiliza- tion and power the rivals of Europe be- fore another century commences;" and warmed to enthusiasm by the develop ments already in view and greater ones promiseed,- he added: Who can contem- plate without vivid emotions this spec tacle of the happiness of the present generation, and the certain pledges Of the prosperity of numberless generations that will follow? At these magnificent prospects the heart beats with joy in the see the dawn of these bright days, and who are assured that so many happy pre- sages will be accomplished.
 Another Prophet.
 There was another prophet. greater up the mount than others, heard more distinctly the voice of destiny, whose heart and soul were full of prophecy, ana whose every faculty was tense ana strong as he wrought for our nations advance ment and for the peace and contentment of his fellow countrymen. From the fuil- ness of gratitude and joy he thus wrote to one who had assisted in the consum, nation of this great treaty: For myself and my country, I thank you for the aio you have given in 1t; and congratuiate you on having lived to give these alos in transaction replete with blessings to unborn millions of men, and which will mark the face of a portion on the globe so extensive as that which now composes the United States Of America. and when as President he gave notice in message to Congress of the actuai occupancy by the government of Its new acquisition, he happily presaged the fu- ture, and gave assurance or his complese faith and confidence in the benehcent result of our nations extension, in these words: "On this important acquisition, so favorable to the immediate interests or our Western citizens, so ausp1ctous 10 inc peace and security of the nation in general, which adds to our country terri tories so extensive and fertile, and to cur citizens new brethren to partake or tne blessings of the freedom and self govern ment, | offer to Congress and our coun- try my sincere congratulations.
 Our prophets do not live forever. They are not here to see how stupendously tne growth and development of the American nation, on the domain newly acquired m their day, have during short century outrun their anticipations and preoic-
 Almost within the limits of the terri | tory gained by the Louisiana purchase, we have already carved out tweive great States-leaving still large residue whose occupants are even now loudly
 ''A $, GOO to 5000, ,ooo,
 Instead of the 5000 white settlers who occupied this domain in 1898, it now con- tains fifteen millions of industrious. en- terprisinR intelligent Americans, conStf- tuting about one-fifth of the population of all our States, and these are defiantly contesting for premiership In wealth ane material success, with the oldest or our States and are their equals in every phase of advanced intelligence and re- fined civilization.
 The States which composed the Union
 when its possessions were so greatly So ex-
 carried more than five hundred
 miles westward. by the swift a and nd
 this new domain; and the citizens of those
 States have seen .fiocking thither new brethren to partake of the blessings Of freedom and self-government" in multi tudes greater than even Jefferson would have dared to foretell.
 I shall not enter the field of statistics for the purpose of giving details of the development of the territory acquired un- der the treaty we commemorate. have
 referred to such development in some of
 its general features, by way of suggest
 ing how distinctly the century just end-
 ed gives assurance of startling ana su- predominant final fulfllment of the proph- ecies of It's beginning.
 The supreme importance of the Louis- jana purchase, and it's value as national accomplishment, when seen In the inci- dents of its short history and in the light Of its present ana prospective CT fects; and judged solely by its palpable and independent merits, cannot be better characterized than by the adoption of the following language from the pen of bril-
 liant American historian:- '"The annexa-
 ton of Louisiana was an event so por- tentous as to defy measurement. It gave
 A new face to politics, and ranked in historical importance next to the Decla- ration of Independence and the adoption of the Constitution-events or which it ] was the logical outcome But as mat