Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-05

celebration on the Worlds Fail
grounds was delivered by Hon. Lafay
cite Young editor of the Des Moines
Daily Capital. He spoke in part as
follows: 5.. .a,.
st is fortunate that there il one
day when there is no politics: no sec.
tionalism; no north, no south, no
east, no west-a day when Uncle Sam
reigns, when the owner of the farm Is
on duty and not the tenant.
1T is fortunate also that we are
able to celebrate on these grounds
SO many achievements, SO many hon
ors. and so many glories at one time
in II place. You have five months
more in which to celebrate American
patriotism on this spot, here where
the achievements of the great new
world are to march in review while
civilization is uncovered on the re-
viewing stand. The world marvels
when it comes here and learns that
the new republic is giving here the
greatest exposition and, therefore, the
greatest celebration that was ever
known. 1t is fitting that this exposi.
ton should be here on the banks Of
the Mississippi, the great river of the
continent, bearing as it does on its
bosom the waters of the other great
river, going thus united to the sea.
1T is not surprising that the world
wonders at times what the Americans
are going to do next. Nor is 1t sur.
prising that the old world impression
is that every American is rolling in
wealth. They see our, riches and are
amazed . They also see our waste and
are surprised that we can save and
live after such waste. Our extrava- |
gance shocks them. They marvel that
a people with such e%xtrayagant ha-
bits and careless waste can win such
success as characterize our people.
They do not realize that nc Ameri-
can ever knows exactly how he is
coming out; he simply knows how to
plunge in leaving the coming out
to natural conditions and unexampled
energy.
"This is the American day of days, |
and this is the particular American
locality OF the present. No city in the
republic could more appropriately
hold this celebration. Celebrations on
our eastern coast might recall some
American achievements, but a eele-
bration here in this great valley can
celebrate old and new American ae-
Movements. From this city Lewis and
Clarke, with their band of thirty, |
started on their explorations: to this
city they returned. Down your great
river came the only messages which
the explorers were able to get back to
civilization during their march north
and west. This city has been under
three flags, that of Spain and Of
France, and finally reached Old
Glory.
For one hundred and twenty-five
years the world has considered the
American a buffer. But during all
that time the American has not been
defeated on land Or sea.
For more than a century the world
has considered the American a wild
west performer, wearing clothing
simply as a concession to the tastes
OF other people. But during that time
the American has been harmonizing
himself, stirring and assimilating the
different bloods in his veins prepara-
tory to finally turning out the fin
ished American product-the best
man alive.
The Americans, for a century and
a quarter. has gone into every con;
test underestimate by everybody
except himself and has come out
with all the trophies Of victory.
"The American has never gone into
a battle which he did not expect to
win, and which everybody else did
not expect him to lose. He has never
gone into a battle knowing exactly
how much he would win, but has al
ways. believed that he would win
"The American has had occasion Tor
believing In himself. No man can ac-
complish things who does not believe
in himself. The tight rope walker
and the man who loops the loop
would fail il he did not have eonf:.
ience in himself. /,
"The American has succeeded .
many times where others have fale1
hat he no longer reckons on defeat
He defeated the greatest nation q
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