Year: 1875

Further receipts from concessions. 100 900
Appropriation by Pennsylvania. ...-..-.. 000 600
Appropriation by Philadelphia ............ 500 900


Making total OF. $5 1877, 75o
Amount still required to prepare for opening


up TO May 10 $751; 100


Total cost. .....A..............$6 So 7M $50


or these subscriptions and appropriations about
ninety per cent have been furnished by the State OF
Pennsylvania and the city Of Philadelphia and their
citizens.


These facts speak for themselves They speak moro
loudly and integently than any words can use in
PLANTATION of the untiring energy and earnest work
which has been done Beneath the crypt of ST. Pauls
Cathedral in London, lilo the remains Of Sir Christopher
Wren, the great architect OF his century. On black
marble slab inscribed the words Isl nloname erstsm
quG7fs circ1nspice Translated literally -sIf
you would seek my monument look around and behold
my works" Can not apply the words of that simple
and beautiful epltaph to the Centennial Commission
and Board OF FinanceS II is true their work is not
yet finished They have still task before them which
nothing but the most unseldsh and courageous devo-
tion will enable them to accomplish They engaged


in nations work They are epitomizng nations
history from infancy 70 manhood. They are Illus.
States from 10000 70 4o,o 600 Of people;
and comparative insignihtance 10 that OF
passed strength, vigor and position They span-
ming century with monumental arches IMPLYING and
illustrating that growth All this work they doing
under the auspices and behalf Of the government OF
the United States and you are here to-day TO inspect
that and ascertain whether they dscharging
their duty with fidelity and in manner behtting tho
occasion and the trust condded to them know 1t
has sometimes been said derisivey, and at others
der sincere conviction, that this not affair of
the government OF the United States but enterprise
Of the city Of Philadelphia only or, at most Of the
State OF Pennsylvania II this were true think we
could point with pride TO the noble manner in which
both State and city have responded ia the promotion of
the work


But look the acts OF Congress creating the Centen
nal Commission and Centennial Board of Finances look
the appointment Of the members or the Centennial
Commission by the various States; look to the invita-
tions sent by national government to the foreign
Powers and their acceptances look to the work itself


in its scope, its magnitude and its purposes look TO
the dignity and honor Of the Republic, involved in
its success; look 10 the yearning expectations and
heartfelt satisfaction Of your people from end of the


land to the other as they contemplate the Exhibition
The nations WORK work and nations pride into
the insignificant proportions of county State fair
Its real Importance and real significance given to It
by the fact that 1t IS an exhibition inauguraed and to
be held by the government Of the United States 1t
IL is take place here and is that our peo
pie take the liveest interest in its success But am
sure that II some more appropriate spot had
been selected they would have done their full
share toward its promotion. They have cherished
and nurtured the memories Of 1910, and they
are earnest In their desire TO see the centennial
and becoming ceremonies They do not claim that this


is the only place where it might have been held But
they do claim that no moro appropriate or beauti-
fu site could have been found They do claim that
point would be more accessible to the whole people,
aud none better adapted for feeding, housing and
accommodating the vast throngs that are to be
expected They do not claim that Philade-
phia is q political Mecca, that there is here
any shrine TO which pgrimages must necessarily
be performed by all true patriots Fortunately there


is focal point in this country from whence poit-


cal patriotic ideas must necessarily emanate In
this respect they claim no more influence than they
can fairly command by tho intelligence and virtue Of
the people But they do claim that If the traditions of


the Republic worthy of consideration when looking


for the proper place for such celebration other city
recount more Of them that ndissolubly
united and ingraned with independence, with the
achievements OF our ancestors, and with all that illus
MI davnlta al in nour matt onalh


But neither the State OF Pennsylvania the city of
Philadelphia claims any more right TO or property in
Union. II is the property Of the whole nation 1t had


its origin in laws Of the United States IL has been
Quoted under its auspices thus far, and whatever OF
prestige or success may attend II must DO due to and


nure 10 the credit and honor of the United States.
have saf IL the property OF the whole nation and
use those words in the broadest and catholic
National IN It's conception, in Its creation,


In It's progress in Its purposes and Objects in the spirit
which has pervaded the efforts of those who have had


II in charge in the magnitude OF It's proportions in It's
softening and harmonizing influences upon our own
people, national in its relations foreign Powers to
the several States and TO the government of the United
States there Us and can be no proprietary ownership in


1t of IL and except that Of tho 40 600 900 Of
free people for whom and on whose behalf
this grand Exhibition is being prepared. But
not only Is IL national 1t gains sddi-
tona iuetre from the fact that Its every object and
purpose are in the Interests Of pesce-in the appro-
1873, n the interest OF peace civilization and domes-
tic and international friendship and intercourse'i-
PCdIc aUTOnu ana NJ nOme-pedCc anu EOOu Will Win
foreign Powers and among our own countrymen. We
stretch across the Atlantic and Pacific and invite tho
nations OF the Old World to como among US and take
part IN this celebration To own counrymon IL Is
sad, whatever may have been the past whatever dis
sensonsor heartburnngs may have heretofore existed
whatover OF contentious differences alterations
may have prevailed TO agtate divide separate us,
lot them All be buried with the century TO which they
belong Let us meet in one common fold and renew
those pledges OF mutual support forbcarance and devo
ton which alone carried our forofahers through tho
Revolution OF lI'6, and which must not be forgotten
or violated II wc would preserve the integrity and in
the safety OF the Union In this spirit the Exhi-
btion Of 1870 was conceived and will DO conducted TO
the end.


Within these precincts partisan or sectional dis
cord can enter. Here every citizen can find freedom
from strfes and contentious Here he can repose be-
meath the broad and outstretched Of his govern
ment and realize tho value Of being American cit.
Here there be neither doubts nor distrust nor
prejudice TO disturb his mind roughen hts temper
IL Is his Daton's exhbition--hs country's celebra-
tonand he visit and enjoy and partako OF IL with
the consciousness that no man can gansay dispute
his right But, much as has been accomplished well
as that has been DONE bright and encouraging as arc
The pEpsnects for success. both at home And lram