Honorable Isaac S. Taylor, Director of Works, then formally presented the site to the Commission, handing to Commissioner John K. Stewart a handsome banner of purple silk, upon which was painted the coat of arms of the State of New York. Driving the staff in the ground, thus marking the site, Commissioner Stewart said: REMARKS OF COMMISSIONER STEWART "Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Commission: In behalf of New York State I receive this emblem. We shall erect here a building suitable for the great Empire State of New York. I wish to introduce to you Honorable James H. Callanan, of Schenectady, who will respond in behalf of the Commission." Commissioner James H. Callanan then made the following address: ADDRESS OF COMMISSIONER CALLANAN "In behalf of the Commission representing the Commonwealth of New York, I take pleasure in accepting the site allotted for the Empire State's building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. With this acceptance I beg you to receive the assurance from our Commission that New York will do her share to make the Exposition an unquestioned success. Upon this site we expect to erect a handsome and commodious structure where New Yorkers may meet one another during the Exposition, and where they may welcome their fellow citizens from every section of our common country. New York is also desirous of having exhibited here upon these spacious grounds the evidences of her prestige in the domain of manufacture, of commerce, of agriculture, of science and of art. "The American people are progressive. The indomitable courage and ambition of the American knows no cessation of effort, no lagging behind. The expositions held in our country have celebrated great epochs of our advancement, and they will be pointed out to future generations as evidences of the onward march of a people unparalleled in the history of the human race. "To these great achievements of a mighty people it is impossible to estimate the share contributed by the sturdy pioneers and their descendants of this vast tract of country, the cession of which more than doubled the area of our country a century ago. What great states have been carved out of this territory! What wonderful wealth of resources have been brought forth here! What a splendid citizenship has been established in this vast region! New York rejoices with you in the giant strides made by this newer section of our country. "It certainly is most appropriate at this time when the republic is reaching out as a world power that we should celebrate the anniversary of the first great chapter in the history of our national expansion. Time has proven that Jefferson and his compeers built greater than they knew, for by that acquisition of territory there was developed a spirit of national progress that did not cease even when we first learned to know no superior among the nations of the earth.