The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-28

rspeech Of COLONEL FRED PAUL
GROSScUP, president of the West
Virainia commission TO the Panama
Pacific International Exposition, de-
livered before tine state board Of
trade, Wheeling, Oct. 10. 1914
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
State Board Of Trade:
Some weeks ago we received an invi-
tation from. this body. through your ex-
cellent secretary. Mr.. Il. B. Naylor. TO
address you on the subject OF the Pan
ama-Pacific Exposition. to be held In
San Francisco beginning Feb. 20 and
continuing until Dec. 4. 1915
must confess, on receipt OF this In
yitation my first impulse was to write
courteous and respectful letter declin.
ing to appear before you. mainly be-
cause ali of YOU who know me know
that am not a. public speaker. that
have not devoted my life and what lit
tie ability may have to making pub
lie speeches and have not used the
press, by letter or otherwise, to enun-
ciate opinions; but the position oc-
cupy as chairman. of the West Virginia
commission. having In charge West
virginin's interests at this great Expo
sition, makes It a duty that i. on after
thought, felt could not be avoided.
The centenniaI Exposition.
We have had many expeditions In the
past In 1876 we had the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia to celebrate
the one hundredth anniversary Of
American independence.
In 1892 and 1893 in the great city Of
Chicago, was celebrated the four hum
Av,f1 fNRf ho RI y
America by Christopher Columbus.
That also was a great subject to be
placed before the minds Of the Ameri-
can citizenship It was the beginning
of America, and the American boy and
girl today hear the name of Chris
topher Columbus with greater degree
Of thankfulness and with an enlarged
reverence because of having celebrated
that event at the Chicago Exposition.
In 1901 the American people conceiv-
ed the idea Of holding the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition. This was not. for the
purpose OF celebrating any great past
,or historical event. but the purpose was
to bring together in closer relation
ship and communion of interests the
various nations of the great American
continent.
In 1904, at st. Louis, we celebrated
the 1 Louisiana purchase, celebrating an
event that extended our country across
the great domain of the plains in the
west to the place where the sun sets
last upon this country's shores. and
lastly. in the year 1907. we celebrated
at Norfolk, or Jamestown. on the At
lantic coast. the tercentennial, the
landing of the first permanent English
- f,, kNeN n.
er state of Virginia.
Mans Greatest Engineering Feat.
AS said in the beginning. all Of
these, except the Buffalo Exposition.
were historical and intended to re-
fresh the mind aud review the history
of our country. all of them celebrating
events which started the United States
OF America toward the greatest nation
Of the globe. Unlike these past EXPOSE
lions, we now have before US an Elk.
position that is to celebrate an event
of the present. to celebrate not only
the greatest PRACTICAL engineering feat
known to mankind feat that could
not be accomplished successfully by
the great French natiou-but we are to
celebrate an accomplishment that
brings the great Atlantic ocean on our
east to the great Pacific ocean on our
west. shaking hands with each other
and. In the process. handing the com.
modittes of the east to the west nnd
the commodities of the west to the
@ast, as II it were a kernel I'm the
hands of two men face to face. The
lesson taught by this is that the com.
niercinl relations of the world from
this date are changed
After a contest by many Of the states
of the south and west for the honor of
being host in the celebration of this
great event. California was chosen by
the national congress as being the most
fitting state and San francisco. its
greatest commercial city. as the most
fitting place for this great Exposition
There can be no doubt of the wisdom
shown in this choice. ClimaticaIly it is
almost perfect. During the months of
the Exposition the mem temperature
Is about so degrees. In the last TWEEN
ty wears there have been only twenty
seven days during which the tempera-
ture exceeded 90. and during the same
period It has not fallen below 80 The
difference between day and night tenn
parature is little. The warmect hour.
about 2 O'Clock in the afternoon. has o
mean temperature of 50 and the cold
est hour. about a. M. has mean
temperature OF so degrees Such eli
mate, as you will we'll understand. VIII
admit Of the greatest comfort to It's
visitors during the Exposition
In my Judgment no more beautiful
place. no more practical place. no
more inspiring location could have
been found. san Francisco and the
state OF California ut the beginning Of
;lis great undertaking rnised immcdi-
ately someis;:..s over S20O0o.0OOs ~