Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-01
FAIR DEDICATION. Centennial of Louisiana Pur.
 chase Celebrated. " IMPOSING MILITARY PARADE. Addresses by President and Former
 President.
IMPOSING MILITARY PARADE.

PreSident of the Exposition Fran
 cls--InvocatfOn by Cardinal Gib-
 bons-Benediction by Bishop Potter.
 ST. LOUIS, May 1.-The buildings Of the Louisiana Purchase exposition were formally dedicated to their pur- poses with all possible pomp and cere- mony. In every way save one the ex- ercises were an equivocal success, and this one circumstance was the wealth CT. It would be difficult to imagine more disag greeable day. The wind blew dercely from the west, sending great clouds of dust whirling into the faces of the troops as they marched past the president and at times so nearly blind 1 ing the president that 1t was we'll nigh 1 impossible for him to see across the street upon which the troops were marching
 Added to the discomfort of the wind and dust was a temperature which sought for the marrow and generally reached it. Both President Roosevelt and ex-President Cleveland remained ] in the reviewing stand exposed to the icy wind until the end of the parade, although their faces were blue and their limbs stiffened by the cold.
 Conditions in the Liberal Arts build 1 ing, where the dedication ceremonies ! proper were held, were little better. { There was no wind, but there were manifold drafts, which, added to the 1 dampness inseparable from the newly erected buildings, produced penetrat- < ing chill that was uncomfortable to a degree.
 { The effect of this was evident in all the speeches, as the speakers, com mencing their speeches in clear tones, were without exception given over to catarrhal infections as they finished I Despite this heavy handicap, howev CT, the ceremonies, proper were splen- didly handled, and the programme was carried out to the letter The police work was excellent, and the patrolling of avenues and passageways by the F1fst Missouri infantry was ably done ! and all possible consideration shown to the great crowd, which numbered about 5000.
 The parade, which took place in the morning, was somewhat longer in pass Ing the president tAan had been ex pected, but he was fifteen minutes be- hind the scheduled time when he was escorted by the committee into the Lib eral Arts building. Tn order to arrive even as early as that he was compelled to take his monday meal under some what uncomfortable circumstances. The food was placed on a rectangular counter, and the president like every <! hoHv ola0 sth haInad him self O I The crowd inside the tent was dense when the president, with secret service men and Adjutant General Corbin act Ing as Interference" forced his way to the counter. The manner of the president lunching was sufficiently un- conventional to excite curiosity, and probably one-quarter of the people who j fiIled the tent were present merely to witness the chief executive of the na- ton eating at the democratic level of a 4 clerk in quick lunch restaurant.
 The ceremonies of the afternoon took place in the Liberal Arts building, on the fair grounds, At 80 o'clock a q grand band concert commenced, the { doors of the Liberal Arts building were opened and the audience was seated under direction Sf the grand ushers. Promptly at 2 o'clock the assembly was called to order by Hon. David R. Francis, president of the exposition. The programme follows:
 First. - Invocation by his eminence James, Cardinal Gibbons.
 Second-Introductio of Hon. Thom- as Fl. Garter of the national commis-
 sion, president of the day.
 Third-Grand chorus. ''The Heavens
 Proclaiming.''
 Fourth.-Presentation of the build
 ings by Hon, David R. Francis, presi-
 dent of the exposition. xe
 F'ifth.-Dedication address by the
 president of the United States. Seventh. by Hon. Grove
 Cleveland.
 Eighth.-"America," with full choru and band accompaniment.
 Ninth.-Prayer by Bishop B. R. Hen
 drix
 Tenth.-Benediction by Right Rev |; Henry 0. Potter. Eleventh.-Centennia salute of 1O guns. ...." j., When tAe president rose to speak h was che{ to the echo He bowe, again and sain, suggesting by hi manner that quiet be restored. Final ly he mounted the broad railing fl front of the rostrum, where he coul l be seen from every part of the hall, am
 again motioned for silence. There wa
 everything but silence, and Presiden
 Francis suggested that he proceed wit
 his speech and quiet would follow President Roosevelt laughed and shoo 7 his head. Taking advantage of lu} he called, 'Now, you, my fellow cit ) zens, give me all the chance you car
 for need it."
 The chance was given and the pres dent began his address. ) The president spoke in part as fo
 lows:
 We have met here today to comm emo f rate the hundredth anniversary of tn
 event which more than any other afte the foundation of the government and a.
 ways excepting it's preservation deter l mined the character of our national life determined that we should be great, ex
 banding nation instead of relatively s small and stationary one.