honors us with its presence to-day can come
nearer forming an adequate conception of the scope of the work
by personal inspection than through the writings or
illustrations of authors and designers, however great their
talent may be.

To the President of the United States, to the accomplished
representatives of foreign countries, to the chief executives of
the sovereign States, to the Senators and Representatives of the
National Congress, to the great concourse of visitors here
congregated, we extend greeting. If you are pleased with what
has been accomplished, your approval is abundant reward for the
labor we have performed.

We bear in mind and trust you do not overlook that this
celebration is of no section, but of the entire country. It is
our hope and our expectation that every section and every
commonwealth, and in fact, every community, will cherish a
proprietary interest and lend hopeful aid to this undertaking,
to the end that it may prove as nearly as may be commensurate
with the country and the century whose achievement and
advancement it is designed to commemorate.

The beautiful picture whose outlines you now behold will, to
adopt the simile of the chief designer, when completed, compose
a song that will reverberate around the globe.

And now, Mr. President, it is my pleasing privilege and high
honor to present to you for dedication the buildings of the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition. May a high standard of
citizenship and broader humanity and the mission of the country
whose worthy representative you are be sustained and fostered
and promoted by the uses to which these structures are devoted.
May the happiness of mankind be advanced and broadened by the
lofty purposes that inspired this undertaking and moved our own
and sister countries to unite in its accomplishment.

Fifth. Dedication address by the President of the United States:

MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: At the outset of my address
let me recall to the minds of my hearers that the soil upon
which we stand, before it was ours was successively the
possession of two mighty empires--Spain and France--whose sons
made a deathless record of heroism in the early annals of the
New World.

No history of the Western country can be written without paying
heed to the wonderful part played th