Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1895 — INDIANA THE PULSE OF THE UNION. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA THE PULSE OF THE UNION.

Hon. Hugh Dougherty of Bluffton, lad., a member of the executive committee of the commission, in an interview with reference to the importance and desirability of such a celebration, says: “Indiana is the pulse state of the Union. Through her the great throbbing veins of commerce, which nourish <every part of our national body, flow. Her geographical location and physical features are such that the east and the west traverse her territory in passing to and fro. Her capital is the largest inland railroad center in the world. The center of our country’s population is within her borders. Her position among her sister states is unique, and her marvelous progress since organization as a territory calls for a centennial jubilee of such a character as wiil best enable her sons and daughters to appreciate the heritage of a hundred years. “There is no way in which we could more effectively kindle that wholesome state pride which must underlie the noble action of her present and future citizenship than by a parade of her achievement and a lresh revelation of her early struggles. The latter are now matters of recorded history to most of us, and a retrospective view of the heroic struggles of oeir fathers would bo an eloquent lesson in patriotism. In their toils, their sufferings, their hardships, their conflicts, momentous questions were at stake and issues vital to the future world. In appearance they were insignificant at times, but in reality, copious and full of benevolent consequences. Acting at the springs of our future greatness, instruments otherwise weak became mighty for good, and our pioneer fathers, obscure to the world, proved to be agents of destiny. They who entered an untamed wilderness with vast wastes of forest verdure to make a garden for their children, and the hills then silent in their, primeval sleep now echo the music of happy homes of industry. These hardy sous of toil, whose school was the forest, whose trade was barter with savages, whose social life was that of the campfire, whose daily lesson was self-sacrifice, conquered the territory of Indiana for civilization. Such memories as these ought to kindle a burning enthusiasm in every loyal Hoosier breast to join in the proposed observance of our anniversary.

“THE HERITAGE OF A HUNDRED YEARS.” “Such an observance would be of more than local consequence. would be a formal way in which our state could give evidence to the world of her worthiness of a place in the family of states comprising our great republic. Our exhibit would say: ‘This is our achievement;’ and of this we need not be ashamed. With an agricultural productivity unsurpassed, monumental manufacturing industries, natural resources inexhaustible, among which are lumber, stone, coal, natural gas and . petroleum, a school system which is an object lesson to the world, an intelligent, industrious, patriotic, Christian citizenship, populous cities with every modern improvement —iu fine all that constitutes the highest degree of prosperity ani civilization to be found on the globe—the people of this great state may be exceeding glad to make a representative exhibit of the fruit of their labors and say to the world: ‘Behold the heritage of a hundred years.’ “Then let us celebrate the event which has led to such marvelous consequences —an event contemporaneous with the beginning of a century which has seen greater commercial development, more extensive manufacturing enterprise, more valuablo invention and discovery, more fruitful agricultural activity, more widespread intelligence, more altruistic feeling, and more application of the agencies that make possible complete living than all the centuries that preceded; and in the observance of this historic event let us show that Indiana has contributed her full share toward achieving this unparalleled progress.”