Ovation to M’Kinley
Immense Throng at the Pan Does Honor to the National
Executive.
SPEAKS TO A GREAT MULTITUDE
Which Applauds His Approval of Reciprocity—Has a Chat with Hero
Hobson.
Buffalo, Sept. 6.—President’s day
at the Pan-American exposition ran its course under very auspicious
conditions, and was attended with every circumstance in keeping
with its high import. President McKinley, with Mrs. McKinley by
his side, and surrounded by eminent persons of high official rank
in the service of this and foreign countries, faced a vast throng
of people in the Esplanade at noon yesterday and delivered an address
that brought forth the thunderous applause of the multitude. Never
before has such a crowd gathered within the exposition grounds.
The people were packed in the Esplanade to the point of suffocation,
and overflowed down the Court of Fountains and to the vacant spaces
in front of the Government buildings at the right and the Horticultural
building to the left.
Parts of the Speech Applauded.
The president’s words were listened
to attentively by the audience. His references to the name of Blaine
as the man inseparably associated with the Pan-American movement;
the statement that reciprocity treaties are in harmony with the
spirit of the times; that the American people must build the Isthmian
canal and the Pacific cable and encourage our merchant marine service,
and that isolation is no longer possible or desirable, were particularly
well received.
Photographer Called into Action.
The president’s progress through
the exposition grounds to the Stadium, and thence to the various
buildings and exhibits of Canada and the South American republics,
was one continuous ovation. At the Argentine exhibit in the Agricultural
building the president was presented with a large bouquet of American
beauty roses, and he, with Secretary of Agriculture Wilson and the
commissioners of the Twin-American countries and Canada, posed for
a group photograph.
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DISTINGUISHED MEN AT LUNCH
Two Hundred Sit Down in the New York Building—Hobson
Honored.
The presidential party
arrived at the New York state building at 1 o’clock, where he rested
for half an hour. At 1:30 the chief executive’s 200 guests, including
the diplomatic corps, a member of the cabinet, judges, officers
and other prominent men, sat down to an informal luncheon. The floral
decorations of the building were superb. President McKinley sat
in the center of the main table. On his right were Senor Don Manuel
de Azpiroz, minister from Mexico; Duke de Arcos and other members
of the diplomatic corps, and at his left were Hon. Daniel N. Lockwood,
James Wilson (secretary of agriculture) and members of the New York
state board.
Leaving the New York state building
at 3:20 the president and his escort of police and cavalry crossed
the Esplanade to the Government building, where he was received
by the federal troops. Chairman Brigham, of the government board,
escorted the president and diplomatic corps through the buildings,
calling their attention to the principal government exhibits, after
which the president held a reception under the dome of the main
building. Nearly 2,000 invitations had been sent out, and the president
was busy shaking hands for twenty minutes.
An incident that brought forth a ripple
of applause occurred while President McKinley was making the rounds
through the main government building. He had passed one of the navy
exhibits when suddenly he noticed Captain Hobson standing at attention.
Halting, he turned and walked briskly over to the hero of the Merrimac,
grasped him cordially by the hand and chatted with him for a few
minutes.
At the conclusion of the reception
the president and members of his party again entered their carriages
and were taken to the home of Milburn in Delaware avenue [sic].
The president visited the grounds again last evening to witness
the fireworks, returning to the house at 9 o’clock. Today the president
and about 100 invited guests will visit Niagara Falls.
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