Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-04-16

| Washington, April 15.-With impos-
| ing Masonic ceremonies the corner
| stone of the Office building for the
| House of Representatives was laid
| Saturday afternoon in the presence of
| the President Of the United States and
| many of his cabinet. supreme court.
| representatives of foreign governments.
| the Senate and House of Representa-
tives and large proportion Of Wash
| inSton's population.
| President Roosevelt. accompanied by
| 4 member of his cabinet and escorted
by the office building commission
| Speaker Joseph G. Cannon, Represent
ativc ". P. Hepburn Of Iowa and ex-
Representative James ID. Richardson
| Of Tennessee, arrived comparatively
| early. When the President came into
view Of the immense audience. a roar
| Of kindly welcome greeted him. Immc-
diatcly after the arrival of the PreSi-
dent the Senate of the United States
with Vice President Fairbanks at their
head, entered the stand reserved for
| them. followed by Il large delegation of
| the House of Representatives.
Vice President Fairbanks took a scat
| to the left of the President.
| After the grand chaplain OF the
| Grand Lodge of MasonS of the District
of Columbia had offered prayer for the
ATmerican people and its present Chief
Executive, the customary copper box
containing copies of the Bible. the Con-
stitution Of the United States. the Dec
laration of Independence and many
miscellaneous documents was placed
within the corner stone. As the stone
was lowered on its foundation. the Ma
rinc Band played the Intormezzo from
"Cavallcria RuSticana." and corn, wine
and oil were poured upon the stone by
the grand master according to ancient
custom.
Following these rites, the grand
master, Walter \. Brown. delivered
the address.
An Instrumental selection followed
and then the President ana the Speak
or of the House of Representatives on
tered the Presidents box. Their ap-
pearlnCc was greeted with round after
round of applause. Without waiting for
the applause to cease, the Speaker
waving his hand to silence the audi
encc. said:
"Citizons. it is my privilege at this
time to introduce To you one who needs
no Introduction. Theodore Roosevelt.
President Of the United States"
a minute or more elapsed before the
President WAS permitted to speak. 50
warm was the welcome accorded IIr
was in splendid voice and throughout
tn" address hearty and long continued
applause greeted the telling periods
At the close " the Presidents adj
dress tn" audience dispersed. the Ma
rinp Band playing the "Star Spanglad
Banner" I'm addition to the grand mas
ter ara officers Of the Grand Lodge cf
the District of Columbia. there were
present and assisting in the ceremony
Walter Chandler. grand master cf the
Grand Lodge Of New Jersey; George
w. Kendrick. Jr.. grand master of Ma
soEs Of Pennsylvania and Levin l.
Handy. grand master of Delaware.
The President said:
Over century ago Washington laid
the corner stone of the Capitol in what
was tncn little more than tract of
wooded wilderness here beside the
Potomac. We now find II necessary to
provide by great additional buildings
for the business of the Government.
This growth in the need for the hous-
ing Of the Government IS but PROOF
and example of the way in which the
nation has grown and the sphere of
action of the National Government has
grown. We now administer the affairs