People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1893 — INDIANA DAY AT THE FAIR. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

INDIANA DAY AT THE FAIR.

HwMuiii of Hooaler* at the Exposition —*x-President Harrison, Gov. Matthews ■ad dames Whltoomb KUey Address the Tkract Before the State Building. Chicago, Sept 28.—1 t was a few minutes before 11 o’clock yesterday xaorning when Gov. Matthews, Benjamin Harrison and their party drove in carriages through the park and np to the Indiana building on the world’s fair grounds. The governor’s carriage led the way. In it were the governor, the ex-president, John L. Campbell, yremdent of the Indiana state board of world’s fair commissioners, and Clem Studebaker, ex-president of the board. Following them came carriages containing the governor’s staff, the state

commission, Poet James Whitbomb Riley and other distinguished persons. Executive Commissioner B. F. Havens called the assemblage to order, and introduced Prof. Campbell, president of the state board, as master of ceremonies. Mr. Campbell introduced the ■“Hoosier Nightingales,” of Elkhart, who delighted the audience with a song. After the song Gov. Matthews was introduced as the presiding officer. He was loudly cheered when he took the platform to deliver the following address: It is gratifying to see so large an attendance of the citizens of our state here to-day upon this.occasion, a day set apart to be known as “Indiana day” by this great exposition. Knowing our people so well, that they never do anything by halves, I am not •apprised at this great attendance. Situated as we are at the very uortals of this «reat city, in which we feel such a pride, ■ample as it is, of the progressive west. In which eor great state is so important a part, there is no place in all the world except here at the city of Chicago where the necessities of this wonderful undertaking could be so generously matured. Its magnitude is so broadly comprehensive. It is a dream of progress and enterprise so nobly made and such an impetus given tv that ■<reat wave which echoes around the world proclaiming a revolution in the social and commercial relations of life and marks a glorious epoch in the history of the world. Here a parent comes to learn the lessons from the book whose pages were not unfolded to him tn his youth and in his brief sojourn takes his stand upon an equal footing with his children in the advanced teachings of the day. Here dawns uponus a new era. with its ideas of beauty, magnificence and worth in architecture, mechanics, agriculture and commerce. In short, all thought takes on a broader wing and soars to a loftier flight to bathe its plumage in this new-born day. Indiana will not be found lagging in the race. Her soul expands with joyful pride as she points the world to what she has accomplished in the past and what she can expect for the "future. Proud as we are of her splendid material development, of her wonderful re--aources, and all that goes to make a state rich and great and people happy, I say to you citizens of other states, you see before you this day the creators of this wondrous wealth. I*roud as we are of this, we are prouder still of the achievements of her sons and daughters. Their finger prints are upon the pages of our country’s history, and the path of our nation's Ciory is marked by the giant strides of our citizens Indiana’s sons have left their impress upon our country’s growtn, and have Been councilors in every great question that lias concerned its welfare. They have been found to be < safe and conservative leaders, vwiso advisers, brave and accomplished

defenders. They have been called upon to preside over the destinies of this <reat nation, and have done it well. The toftiest and most exalted position in the history of men that it has been within the power of mortals to bestow, have been held by the -citizens of Indiana. I have the proud satisfaction in presenting to you to-day one of these citizens, Benjamin Harrison, of Indiana. Tumultuous applause greeted Mr. Harrison as he stepped up on the little «*rpet-covered elevation. The special 'guests rose to their feet and applauded ■lustily, the women waved their hand'lcerchiefs and the men shouted. Mr. Harrison was evidently deeply moved at the stirring scenes before him. He ? stood for a time bowing his acknowl- - udgments before commencing to speak. ‘.Then he said: •Gov. Matthews and Fellow Citizens: I have talked before to nearly all th e people of Indiana, but it has been in sections. 1 have never before faced the gigantic task of talking to you aU at once. This Is Indiana day. Not only these are Indianians, but the skies are Indiana skies. The state finds the incl•dents of this great assemblage pleasing and auspicious. Some grievous exceptions 1 shall be presently compelled to note, but tiie strains of gladness and joy are so controlHng that though we shall greatly miss the pres■aace of some of those you had expected to hear— Gen. Lew Wallace, whom we honor so much as -• soldier and author, who won the praises of patriots and the honors of the country in battle, and has now captured the world by the power -es hfs imaginations and the graces of his pen—we shall miss to-day from this programme one '■ «f the favorite orators of Indiana, Senator DanSei W. Voorhees, who has long held the hearts sad esteem of so many of his fellow citizens. • Gan. Wallace is detained by the illness ofdils wife, and Mr. Voorhees by important public duties which he etztaot leave, and both sutler previous disappointment in not being here to participate with their fellow citizens -oa this occasion, so inspiring and glorious the state they love. 1 wish we had here 1 to-day, as we had hoped to have, that < .magnificent Indiantan whom we love to call the “silver-tongued orator" - Hon. Richard W. Thompson, of Terse Haute. He would have •tood for so much to-day, going back as his life •does nearly to the beginning of the century. H«

could have told you of Indiana as he knew it when it was a new purchase, and you would have been delighted as I would to listen to that silvery voice as It gave you a view of what his eyes have seen of the growth of the state be loves so much. Every Indlanian loves him and prays that he may be spared to witness higher achievements in the progress of his state and to have yet more touching expressions of the people of their love for him. This great exposition was organized, I think, upon a competitive basis The states of our union, the nations and tribes of the world have brought the best products of their minds and hands that they might be here placed in friendly competition. Indiana has contributed of the products of its soil and mines and qnarries, of the pen of its writers and the chisel of its sculptors to this great contribution. And, my countrymen, the study is inadequate, for we see but the material results of man’s labors, and so these state days have been appointed that the people of the world and all these competing friendly states may see not only what the hands have done but might see what these works have done for the people that wrought them. The study is very incomplete that does not place the workman by his work. Wc can tell as we look through these great buildings what the workman has done for mankind, but I want this further question answered: “What has the work done for the workman’” We can tell as we go into this great building devoted to transportation what the skill and labors of man have done to hurry our impatient Intercourse and to make safe and convenient our pilgrimages around the world. As we go into this building devoted to liberal arts we can see what the labors of men and women have done to adorn the homo and decorate and clothe the person As we look into this great emporium of the staples of the soil we know what has been done for the comfortable subsistence of man, but again, before I am able to say that a state or country has produced the prize product in this competition is happy, I want to sec the man or woman stand by the thing he or she has created that I may know what the world has done for them. The great Creator did not pronounce the mighty work of his Omnipotent hand good until he knew its adaptation to the uses of man. And so we have brought you here to-day from Indiana, the farmer from his quiet country home, not alone, but with the wife who has wrought with him; we have brought you here, the mechanic from the shop, not alone, but with the wife who has kept his home and made It an abode of hopeful purity and peace. We have brought here with them the children that gladden life for them and bidding you look this morning into the healthful faces where light and happiness shine out through the windows that Goa has made for the soul, as you look upon these wellnourished and well-fed, comfortable people, we

answer the question what this work has done for the Indiana people. We are not among the greatest of the states territorially, and yet with our 33,000 square miles we have as little territory proportionately as any that is not adapted to agriculture. We hold a position that might well have won for us, if it had not been earlier won, the title of the "Keystone state." Swept on,our southern border by the beautiful river, touching the lakes on the north, we span the pathway of the great east toward ;the west and southwest, with a country- not single In its industries, with its soil not limited to a single product, but capable. I think, of producing profitably all of the soil products of the latitudes in which we live. We have mines of coal that are now tributary to Chicago; she has reached out her strong demand and feeds her furnaces .and factories to-day largely from the coal product of Indiana. She has even been so grasping in her purpose to appropriate our treasures that she has endeav ored to pipe that last but best fuel into the city. We have not been quite willing that she should drain our gas reservoirs for the supply of her factories, we desiring rather that she should bring her factories to Indiana, where she cun have It for nothing. Indians does not bid me deal here with great productive statistics, because while we have a hospitable door open to the right kind of people we have no immigration agents in the field. There is room for many more. There are no attractions for those who seek sudden wealth, for Indiana has no mines of the precious metal, and nas no stock exchange or wheat pit Those who come to us will find avenues pt slow but yet safe and honorable increase in wealth. But we cannot offer you attractions greater than these. The people we would like to come to see us are those who will inquire, after satisfying themselves that a decent livelihood can be procured, what the church and school facilities are and what the neighborhoods are in which we live. Indiana is among the foremost states in liberality in her provisions for public schools. Her schools have recently received a high encomium from one who had carefully studied tbo school system of many states and pronounced those of Indianapolis to be first. We have no great cities like Chicago, but we have many smaller cities, where traffic is quick and large, and many towns and villages permeated all through with the feeling of good neighborhood and of quiet industry and thrift Ido not know that we have not a city of the first class. Chicago is near enough to us. We feel our indebtedness to her. We yield her our tribute. We are glad to witness that she has placed herself by the magnificent equipment and success of this world’s exposition in the front ranks of the great cities of the world, for it seems to me to be conceded that after Chicago and her world’s fair will be the deluge. No

other city can undertake it Our obligation to her would be increased if she would keep her prize-fighters and train robbers at home. Ido not know that our governor, who has suppressed those enterprises at Roby, will present any bill for our militia expenses. Indeed, all this will be forgiven if you don’t do It again. I want to leave this truth with you. In fact, I have come so much under the power of it that I cannot talk without bringing It to the front. I am persuaded that it needs to be impressed again and again upon our people that all this that is shown here, all social order, all domestic happiness and all constitutional and legal institutions are dependent upon the acceptance by all the people of the principle of obedience to the laws I know of nothing to-day that so much shames us as a nation as these fiendish, barbarous, devilish lynchings that have occurred throughout the states of our land. . I appeal to every man to enroll

himself as a defender of law and order in the community where be lives, to stand by the legally constituted authorities o< the people, to the death if it need be, in defense of the law and in the protection of any erimtnsl no matter how heinous the ebarge against him, until he is brought under the penalties of the law. Gov. Matthews apologized for the absence of Gen. Wallace and Senator Voorhees and Bichard W. Thompson, and regretted the fact that they were unable to be present But it gave him great pleasure, he said, to introduce the "Hoosier poet,” a man whom they all loved. A wild roar of applause greeted Mr. Riley. Mr. Harrison stood up and shook him by the hand as he mounted the chair. He recited in hia happiest style three verses of one of his first productions: "When the Fraist Is on the Pun kin.” Then President Palmer was introduced and made a short but pleasing talk. He had heard that all the people of Indiana were politicians, but if he ever had any doubts about it this day dispelled them, for the sign of the crowfl there convinced him that they were used to outdoor meetings. He was glad to see so many, because Indiana had done so much for the fair. If he lived in Kentucky or Dlinois or Ohio he would claim everything that was good in Indiana, but as he is a citizen of Michigan three-quarters Df it would be enough for him. If he didn’t know they were Hoosiers he should say from looking into their upturned faces they were all Wolverines. With another song by "The Hoosier Nightingales” and some music by the Fort Wayne band, the exercises closed. A reception was immediately held in the building and everybody was given the opportunity of paying respects to ex-President Harrison, Gov. Matthews, his staff and James Whitcomb Riley. Passing on upstairs the visitors partook of a light lunch prepared for them. The building was gayly decorated with flags for the occasion and a pleasant time was had. Indiana day closed with a special display of fireworks in the evening, during which several set pieces of particular interest to Indianians were given.

INDIANA STATE BUILDING.

GOV. MATTHEWS.

BENJAMIN HARRISON.

JAMES WHITCOMB BILEY.