Chapter 8

Nature, with regal prodigality, has lavished gifts on this fair land, and its people are especially endowed with those qualifications which can not fail to produce the greatest excellence in everything.

But to return to the coming exposition. Everywhere during this pageant of entertainment have we seen evidences of the progress of this enterprise so mighty in its conception as to be astounding. Sites have been assigned to each State and foreign country, and the result already accomplished is spread out before you in brilliant panorama. There is no longer any question about anything but the magnitude of the success of the undertaking. This has been made possible only by the intelligent cooperation of all the people, and to you, as representatives of sister States, I extend most grateful acknowledgment.

The selection of our own metropolitan city as the proper place in which to hold this exposition seems peculiarly fitting. Its very name breathes the spirit of its French ancestry to whom we are so greatly indebted, and its geographical situation is preeminently satisfactory.

To guard our shores, to make impregnable our southern border against foreign assault, and to enlarge the scope of our commerce and liberty was the controlling thought of Thomas Jefferson and his compatriots when the "Purchase Territory" was added to the American Union. Fifteen millions of dollars represented the purchase price, and by a happy coincidence which may not have been altogether accidental, $15,000,000 represented the basic sum by which this exposition first became possible--$5,000,000 contributed by the city of St. Louis, $5,000,000 raised by popular subscription, and $5,000,000 given by the National Government. Missouri has since appropriated $1,000,000, that her resources may be fittingly exploited, while your States have in turn liberally set apart amounts which will lend the magnificence of their products to the scene.

To-day closes the celebration incident to the dedicatory exercises of the exposition, and in the hour of greeting we are reminded that soon we must part for a time. The panoply of war in the execution of our regular and citizen soldiery has joined with the pomp and pageantry of civil life. Their commingling is further proof of the pride of the people in all the institutions of our country. Civilian and soldier have given the weight of their influence to make more impressive the scenes attendant on this display, and will be equally enthusiastic when the gates of the great exhibition are formally opened. Months will pass before that event, but in the meantime an army of the employed will perfect the scheme which, in its full fruition, will herald abroad the triumph of this wonderful exposition.

In conclusion, permit me to say, the welcome of every true Missourian is yours, and in parting a cordial adieu is wafted with the hope expressed for a safe return to your homes and to your people.

Fourth. Music by the Marine Band.

Fifth. Response by Hon. Benj. B. Odell, jr., governor of New York, as follows:

The past, with all of its achievements, with all its successes, is to us but an incentive and guide for the future progress of our country. America still beckons to the oppressed of all lands and holds out the gifts of freedom, and we at this time and upon this occasion should renew our adherence to those policies which have made us a great nation. The future is before us, and the patriotism and self-sacrifice of those who made the country's history so glorious should be an Inspiration to us for all higher ideals of citizenship. Through the golden gates of commerce pours an unceasing stream of immigration which must be amalgamated with American ideas and American principles.

The battles of the past have been for freedom and liberty, and the struggle of the future will be for their preservation, not, however, by force of arms, but through the peaceful methods which come through the education of our people. The declaration which brought our Republic into existence has insured and guaranteed that liberty of conscience and that freedom of action which does not interfere, with the prerogatives or privileges of a man's neighbors.

Capital and labor are the two great elements upon which the prosperity and happiness of our people rest, and when, therefore, aggregations of the one are met by combinations of the other, it should be the aim of all to prevent the clashing of these great interests. The products of toil are worthless unless there be some means by which they can be substituted or transferred for that which labor requires. The concrete form in which these transactions are conducted is the money power or the capital of the land.

Without work all of these fertile fields, these teeming towns, would have been impossible; and without a desire to benefit and elevate humanity, its onward progress would have been useless. To work, to labor, is man's bounden duty, and in the performance of the tasks which have been placed upon him he should be encouraged, and his greatest incentive should be the knowledge that he may transmit to his children and his children's children a higher civilization and greater advantages than he himself possessed.

Trade conditions which would permit to the toiler but a bare sustenance, the bare means of a livelihood, would be a hindrance to human progress, a hindrance not to be removed by all of the maxims of the philosopher or the theories of the doctrinaire.

Promise without fulfillment is barren, but when you can place before the mechanic the assured fact that the performance of his duty means success in life, and that his nonperformance means failure; when you can show him that this law is immutable, you have made of him a useful citizen and have instilled into his mind a firm belief that the freedom and liberty of which we boast is not an inchoate substance to be dreamed of and not enjoyed.

But this desired result can not be secured if combinations of capital, which produce the necessaries of life cheaper and better, are assailed as the enemies of mankind. There is always a mean between those who seek only a fair recompense and return for that which they produce and those who seek undue advantages for the few at the expense of the many. The laws which have been enacted, if properly executed, are sufficient in their force and effort to encourage the one and to punish the other, but in our condemnation let us not forget that with the expansion that has come to our country an expansion of our business relations is also necessary.

This growth has brought us into intimate contact with the markets of the world, and in the struggle that is always before us the competition of trade, if we are to hold our own among the world's producers, we should encourage, not hinder, those who, by their energy, their capital, and their labor, have banded together for the purpose of meeting these new conditions--problems which our individual efforts alone can not solve, but which require the concentrated force and genius of both capital and labor.

Incentive for good citizenship would indeed be lacking if these were taken from us--the opportunities for development, the opportunities for the young man to follow in the footsteps of those who have written their names in the history of our country as the great captains of industry.

Success will always follow perseverance and genius. Every heresy, every doctrine which would teach the young man of this country differently, is an insult to the intelligence of our people, and is in the direction of building up a dangerous element in American society which in time would threaten not only the peace and prosperity we enjoy, but our very institutions themselves.

When you have placed before the young man all of his possibilities, you have made it impossible to make of our Republic a plutocracy controlled by the few at the expense of the many. The individual should count for as much as the aggregation of individuals, because an injury to the one will lead to the destruction of the many.

The question of adjusting and harmonizing the relations of capital and labor is the problem before us to-day, and is one which will become more urgent in the future. Its solution must be along those lines of constitutional right which every citizen has been guaranteed.

Every man is entitled, in the prosecution of his work, to the broadest possible liberty of action and the protection of law--of that law which is the outgrowth of necessity and which seeks to encourage and not to oppress. Such recognition can always be secured if there is a determination upon the part of those charged with the responsibility of government to have it. And who is not?

Every man possessed of a ballot is responsible and has the power not only to formulate, but to criticise and punish as well. If the right be properly exercised, an honest and efficient administration of our affairs can always be secured.

The greatest solvent for political heresies, for doctrines which are antagonistic to popular government, is education. To the educated mind there comes a conception of duty which is not possible to the ignorant.

Sixth. Grand chorus.

Seventh. Benediction by Rabbi Leon Harrison:

Unto Thee, Almighty God, the God of Moses, the God of Jesus, the God of Mohammed, and the God of every living creature, God of the church, of the mosque, and of the synagogue, unto Thee we bring homage and praise.

We worship Thee in this temple of labor, reared by faithful hands, and implore Thy benediction on the work, for, unless the Lord blesses the house, the labor is in vain. May it be dedicated to the enlightenment of humanity that brotherhood may be increased and patriotism deepened.

Bless this august assembly. Bless this great cause, its tireless leaders, and faithful workers, and above all bless our beloved country, the haven of the oppressed and the home of liberty. Bless its rulers and its people.

May it go on as from the beginning, from strength to strength, that the nation and the Government may increase in power and in the end be a union of all mankind, all races, all nations, proclaiming one God, one law of righteousness, one humanity, and saying Thy God shall reign from generation to generation. Amen.

Eighth. Centennial salute of 100 guns.

A grand display of daylight fireworks took place at the conclusion of the exercises in the building.

Immediately after the close of the ceremonies in the Liberal Arts Building, the governors present proceeded to the building sites selected for their respective States, where corner stones were laid and State colors were raised with appropriate ceremonies.

The lady managers of the exposition were conducted by military escort in advance of the parade each day to the reviewing stand. They were accompanied by the wives of the members of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the Supreme Court of the United States, members of the Cabinet, members of the Joint Committee of Congress, the Admiral of the Navy, the Lieutenant-General of the Army, the grand marshal, the governors of the States, the officiating clergymen, and members of the National Commission.

Receptions were held each day by the board of lady managers during the progress of the dedication ceremonies.

The magnificence of the spectacle will live long in the memories of the hundreds of thousands of people who witnessed the ceremonies.

All the nations were present by their diplomatic and accredited representatives.

The presence of Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, and of Grover Cleveland, his only living predecessor in office, intensified the interest of the vast concourse of people at the dedication ceremonies. Their addresses were listened to by 80,000 persons assembled in the Liberal Arts Building.

The committees appointed by the respective Houses of Congress to attend the dedication ceremonies consisted of the following Senators and Representatives:

_Committee of the Senate_.--Messrs. Burnham, New Hampshire; Depew, New York; Penrose, Pennsylvania; Dolliver, Iowa; Hansbrough, North Dakota; Mitchell, Oregon; Teller, Colorado; Berry, Arkansas; Martin, Virginia; Foster, Louisiana.

_Committee of the House of Representatives_.--Messrs. Jas. A. Tawney, Jas. S. Sherman, Thad. M. Mahon, Richard Bartholdt, H. C. Van Voorhis, Richard W. Parker, Jesse Overstreet, Jas. R. Mann, Walter I. Smith, Jas. M. Miller, E.J. Burkett, S.M. Robertson, C.L. Bartlett, John F. Shafroth, Jas. Hay.

Special rules and regulations providing for an international jury and governing the system of awards, which had been in course of preparation by the Commission and the Exposition Company for some time, were finally drafted and sent to the Commission for approval on May 2, 1902. As approved by the Commission and subsequently promulgated the rules read as follows:

UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION, ST. LOUIS, 1904, COMMEMORATING THE ACQUISITION OF LOUISIANA TERRITORY.

1. The total number of jurors in the international jury of awards shall be approximately 2 per cent of the total number of exhibitors, but not in excess of that number, and each nation having 50 exhibitors or more shall be entitled to representation on the jury. The number of jurors from each art or industry and for each nationality represented shall, as far as practicable, be proportional to the number of exhibitors and the importance of the exhibits.

Of this selected body of international jurors three graded juries will be constituted: One, the general organization of group juries; two, department juries; three, a superior jury.

2. Each group jury shall be composed of jurors and alternates.

The number of alternates shall in no case exceed one-fourth of the number of jurors, and they shall have a deliberative voice and vote only when occupying the places of absent jurors.

3. The United States jurors and alternates of the group juries shall be nominated by the chiefs of departments to which the respective groups belong. The jurors and alternates of the group juries representing foreign countries and the United States insular possessions shall be nominated by the commissioners of such countries.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company shall certify to the board of lady managers the number of groups in which the exhibits have been produced in whole or in part by female labor; to each of the groups so certified the board of lady managers may appoint one juror and one alternate to that juror; such appointees, when confirmed, shall have the privileges and be amenable to the regulations provided for other jurors and alternates.

All the above nominations shall be made not later than August 1, 1904, except that nominations made to fill vacancies may be made at any subsequent time.

Jury nominations made by commissioners of foreign countries shall be forwarded to the president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company.

Nominations made by chiefs of departments and by the board of lady managers shall be submitted to the director of exhibits, and when approved he shall transmit them to the president of the Exposition Company.

The nomination of group jurors and alternates, when approved by the president of the exposition, shall be transmitted to the president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission for the approval of that body.

These nominations having been considered and confirmed by the authorities, as provided by section 6 of the act of Congress relating to the approval of the awarding of premiums, the appointments to the international jury shall be made in accordance with section 6 of Article XXII of the official rules and regulations of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company.

4. Each group jury shall choose its own officers, consisting of a chairman, a vice-chairman, and a secretary.

Of the two first-named officers one shall be a citizen of the United States and the other shall be from a foreign country represented in the division of exhibits.

5. The chief of each department shall have general charge of the organization and direction of the group of juries in his department for the purpose of securing the proper examinations of all exhibits and to see that the work laid out for the juries is conducted strictly in accordance with the official rules and regulations.

He shall be admitted to all sessions of these juries for the purpose of directing their attention to matters relating to the judging of exhibits.

6. The work of the group juries shall begin September 1, 1904, and shall be completed not later than twenty days thereafter.

Examinations or other work not completed in the time specified herein will be transferred to the department jury.

7. Group juries may, on the recommendation of the chiefs of their respective departments, and with the approval of the director of exhibits, have authority to appoint, as associates or experts, one or more persons especially skilled in matters submitted for examination. These experts shall participate only in such special work as they are selected to perform and shall have no vote on the question of the merit of the exhibit under consideration.

8. Each group jury shall carefully examine all exhibits pertaining to the group to which it has been assigned. It shall also consider and pass upon the merits of the collaborators whose work may be conspicuous in the design, development, or construction of the exhibits.

The jury shall prepare separate lists presenting the names of such exhibitors as are out of competition, awards recommended to exhibitors in order of merit, awards recommended to collaborators in order of merit, a report giving an account of the most important objects exhibited, and a general account of the group as a whole.

These papers shall be certified to the chief of the department to which the group belongs, and the chief of the department shall certify the same, with such recommendations as he may deem advisable, to the department jury.

9. In order to expedite their work group juries may be divided into committees for the examination of exhibits.

These committees shall be governed by paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of rule 8, just cited; when they have completed the work assigned them they shall report to the full jury, which shall review the findings after an inspection of all the exhibits in the group.

10. When the exigencies of the work require such procedure, and when recommended by a chief of a department and approved by the director of exhibits, two or more group juries may be combined.

11. In the case of temporary exhibits and such other exhibits as are developed through a considerable period of time, or which for other reasons can not be governed by the time limits prescribed, the juries of such groups may continue in service throughout the entire period of the exposition. Special juries may be formed when urgently needed for special occasions.

At the close of each temporary exhibit or competition the jury having the same in charge shall prepare a list of awards proposed in order of merit and shall certify the same to the chief of the department to which the exhibit pertains.

Special awards for such temporary exhibits or competitions may be provided by the chief of the department to which the exhibits belong, on the approval of the director of exhibits and the president of the Exposition Company.

12. Each department jury shall be composed of the chairman and vice-chairman of the group juries of the respective departments, with one member of the directory of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, to be named by the president of the company, and one person appointed by the board of lady managers.

The department juries shall choose their own officers, consisting of a chairman, three vice-chairmen, and a secretary.

The chairman and first vice-chairman shall be, one a citizen of the United States, and the other a citizen of a foreign country.

The secretary may be selected by the members of the jury from a list of persons recommended by the director of exhibits.

13. Each department jury shall complete its organization and begin its work on September 20, 1904.

The duties of these juries shall be to consider carefully and review the reports of the group juries; to harmonize any differences that may exist between the recommendations of the several group juries as to awards, and to adjust all awards recommended so that they will be consistent with the rules and regulations.

No more than ten days may be devoted to this work, and when the awards recommended by the group juries have been adjusted, the department juries shall, through the chiefs of their respective departments, submit their findings to the director of exhibits, who shall, within five days after the receipt thereof, certify the same to the superior jury, including such work as may have been left incomplete by the department jury.

14. The officers and members of the superior jury shall be as follows: President, the president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company; first vice-president, the director of exhibits; second vice-president, a citizen of the United States to be named by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission. The members of the jury shall further consist of the commissioners-general of the nine foreign countries occupying with exhibits the largest amounts of space in the exhibit palaces; the chairman and first vice-chairman of the department juries; the chiefs of the exhibit departments, and one person appointed by the board of lady managers.

Two additional vice-presidents and such other officers as may be required shall be elected by the superior jury from the members herein provided for.

No chief of a department shall represent more than a single department. The president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company shall appoint from the United States membership of the department juries such other members as may be necessary to give to each exhibit department of the exposition a representative on the superior jury.

There shall also be a secretary of the superior jury, who may be selected by the members of the jury from a list of persons recommended by the president of the jury.

15. The superior jury shall determine finally and fully the awards to be made to exhibitors and collaborators in all cases that are formally presented for its consideration.

Formal notification of the awards shall, in each case, be sent by the president of the jury to the exhibitors at the place of their respective exhibits.