The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-22

| llltilN. SAfEAIAAlCANCN ~ ZIG vi III AAAA-SN
trolley car systems in the world. will
undoubtedly enable St. Louis to do
better with her crowds than New York,
Chicago, Philadelphia, London, Paris
and Berlin have thus far done with
theirs. and that is quite good .nough
for most OF Us. and like Mercutio's
wound, it will serve. 1t should be said
in passing, h a a large part OF the
more than two hundred thousand per-
sons present, We're moved four times
during the first day. The people went
10 the Fair grounds in the morning
and returned to town early in the
afternoon. Then they went out again
at night to witness the display Of fire
works. 1t is estimated that a larger
number of persons We're conveyed back
and fourth than were carried on any
day OF the Chicago Fair, excepting ILL.,
rois Day.
Some apprehension a peer felt as
to the foreign exhibits, but anxiety on
that score is like the world of troubles
which the aged grumbler said had Wis
tied him and most of which had never
happened. At the banquet TO the men,
bers Of the press. Lieutenant Godfrey
l. Garden, who has been looking after
the foreign exhibits and who has but
recently returned from abroad, said
that the displays from the countries
across the water would be more than
abundant. The fact that one import
tant exhibit has already arrived in st.
Louisa model of the Tyrolean Alps
speaks for itself. 1 doubt if ever be-
fore a single exhibit, however unim-
pOrtant, was on the ground a full yea
III advance of the opening of d Worlds
Fair.
At the press banquet referred to, Mr..
Cleveland made n most charming and
humorous speech. Those who knew
only the serious side of his nature We're
surprised by his facility of expression,
his I:ghtness of touch and the thorough
spirit Of good nature which pervaded
what he said. The speech was a de-
cided nit. In fact, Mr.. Cleveland's
reception in St. Louis would have
turned the head OF Il less w~ell-seasoned
man of affairs. for he made hits avery
where he went. The train on which
the Washington correspondents went
to ST. Louis. preceded by about four
hours that one or which Mr.. Cleveland
and his friends were proceeding. All
\ along the line in the various states
through which we passed. the entire
! population of the adjacent country
seemed TO have gathered at the stations
| to see the eX-president. Their disap-
pOintment upon learning that he was
not UpOn u train was always greatly
relieved when Colonel Z. =. Hay, Of
Washington. ~graciously went out of his
way to explain that Mr.. CleveIand's
tram Was only q few hours behind us
and cOunselled them to be patient. Occa-
siOnally Colonel Hay was mistaken in
the twilight for Mr.. Cleveland, but in
| spite of this embarrassment he never
fal:ered in his good work of cheering the
hearts of the disappointed by stating
that the Baltimore and Ohio was the
road over which Mr.. Cleveland was
coming and his arrival might safely be
relied on a little later.
The secret of Mr.. CIeveIand's hold
on the public, it seems to me- said a
gentleman who sat next to me at the
banquet, is that whether grave or
gay whether lively or severe, he is al
| ways convincing" This remark car
ried my mind pack nineteen years and
| reminded me of an experience [ had
With him in 1884. | was on my way to
report the national democratic con-
| Ven-iOn at Chicago, and stopped over
In Buffalo as the guest of Mr.. Edward
II. Butler, proprietor of The Evening
News. In the course of the morn
ing Mr.. Butler said: Governor CIeve-
land came up from Albany last night
TO spend Sunday in Buffalo. and If you
WOIId like to meet him we will go
around 10 his law office md have a
chat with him." We a hardly ar
rived when it began to rain a sue
ceSsiOn of summer showers detained
Us for an hour or more When We
finally arose TO go. Mr.. Cleveland
said: Mr.. Phillips. you must not print
this. but I will say It for your guild
ance when YOU reach Chicago. 1t may
assist you. rs things are likely TO hap
pen out there that Will influence your
! Judgment. AS the governor of this
state / believe l have done some good:
whether or not if elected president of
the United States I should succeed is a
question that only time could deter
mine. Even if nominated, 1 might not
be ~eIected-that. of course, is prob
Iematical. but as far as the nomination
IS concerned I shall receive that. You
can depend on what I say"
\ few days later We were endeaYor-
ing 70 report one of the most tunul-
tuous conventions that was ever held.
Mr.. Grady. of New York, made a speech
against Mr.. Cleveland that threw the
convention into an uproar and there
We're cries Il shouts everywhere, and
the name Of Hendricks was the watch
word. Pandemonium reigned for twen-
ty minutes and the reporters were
idle T anxious. 1t was impossible for
anyone TO make his neighbOr hear
a word. and one of the United Press
men, catching my eye, telegraphed
with his own eyes by closing and open
ing MS eye lids. Shall We bulletin
that Hendricks will be nominated by
reclamation" That is what some of the
fellows are sending off" Not being
able % telegraph with my eyes. I
raped out in reply by striking one
hand on the other. NO, we will stick
to Cleveland" AS all operators know.