"On behalf of the New York State Commission I extend greeting and hearty welcome to the official representative of President Francis, to Governor Odell, our distinguished guests, to the sons and daughters of New York, and to all who have honored us with their presence here to-day. It was on this site, upon May 2, 1903, Governor Odell lifted the first spadeful of earth where this beautiful structure has since been erected. Upon that occasion New York was represented by our Chief Executive, his staff, and troops numbering nearly fifteen hundred men from all branches of the military and naval service of the State. On last April thirtieth this building, sumptuously appointed, was formally opened to the public. I may say, with pardonable pride, that the report which the Commission made at that time showed that not only was our building complete in every detail, but all of the State exhibits as well were ready for inspection. The work of our Commission has been along pleasant lines, and we have been constantly stimulated by hearty support from the Exposition authorities. It is fitting that we should express our sincere appreciation to President Francis and the sterling coterie of men with whom he is surrounded for the aid and assistance which they have so willingly rendered this Commission in every way. Our Governor has taken a warm interest in New York's participation at this Fair, and on many occasions he has made manifest his desire that New York's representation should be ample and complete in every particular. In many of the magnificent places, such as Education, Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Fish and Game, Mines and Metallurgy, our State has collective exhibits which show her varied resources. In this beautiful structure will be evidenced further proof of New York's generous participation in this great Exposition. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition has a deep interest for New York, for one of the principal figures instrumental in bringing about that purchase was Livingston, a distinguished son of the Empire State, and it was he who negotiated the treaty and was first to sign it. And yet the real authors of that great transaction on this side of the ocean were neither Jefferson, Madison nor Livingston, and I think historians will agree with me when I say it was more the influence of those hardy frontiersmen of Kentucky who demanded free navigation for the magnificent inland river which rolls by us in its eternal flow to the Gulf of Mexico. The influence of those men, the vanguard of civilization, could not be disregarded by those who were at the head of our governmental affairs more than a century ago. Then, the more we look at this transaction, the more evident it is that the outcome of it was due to that man whose shadow even now falls sharply athwart the whole continent of Europe--Napoleon Bonaparte. It was his ambition which threw into the grasp of the infant republic the splendid empire out of which