The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-10-09

that multitude OF men and women were
melted INTO tears. Yet IL was true. There
tist, and the bronzed and stalwart country
man swayed by the lofty eloquence and thrill
the vessel at sea. shouts of approval went
up from every quarter OF the encampment. /
shall shall, never 70 get the feeling produced
his long service to his church and fellow men,
aud holding nj his arm pointed to his dIlapi-
world. The Excitement throusho4t was inc
tense; the blood gushed from the nostrils of
one man who had been noted as never having
religious sentiment IN his life. John Strange
died poor, but his memory still lives as one OF
the purest and aolest men of his day.
There are many other subjects the history Of
which would form a valuable addition to pub
lie kno%iedge The judicial history OF Indi-
changes in the law and the practice under iJ;
sketches of the most eminent of our judges
and members of the bar, are all worthy
OF preservation. The literary, the
medical, the agricultural and man.
utacturing history would each be
railroads, aud railroad men should be noted
Our COLLEGES and universities and schools of
higher grade as we as their founders, should
nave their proper mention. But this ADDRESS
must have an end. 1t is already longer than
intended 1t was difficult, however, to make
II shorter, and many temptations to lengthen
| 1t. In conclusion. can truly say thai am
glad to meet you here, and hope that there
| will be many annual reunions of the old set
ed TO perpetuate the history of the entire state.
Whether we shall have these early remin1s-
cences or not dependupon your determination.
You can not set up as an excuse that you are
| old and your memories have failed; for we
know as general result. that while the mem.
4 DRY grows dull a to what passed yesterday, it
| becomes brighter as to the even of our earlier
| years. Physical infirmity, it is true, may rem
| der all exertion painful, and in some instances
/ impossible. Macy of us are old, however, be-
| cause we whimsicaly allow ourselves to so
Years. successfully commanded the armies es Of
I Germany. Old statesmen like Palmerston
skllfuliy governed Great Britain as her prime
minister, and old orators like Theirs of France,
4 are of en- strongly eloquent. They reused
themselve to the work before them and aston
ished the world with their triumphs. 1t is the
| will we want-the intellect is here.
| We have had many political cam paigns the
| history of which might be given without in
| the present day. The Incidents If fairly and
truthfully reported would afford much anuse-
test, however in Indiana ever eapaled that P of
| 1910. 1t was the most remarkable that ever
| occurred In the life of the nation. The excite
! ment was unparalleled. The outpourlng of
the people, the enthusiasm, the log cabins, the
| canoes, the banners and flags, the coon skins,
/ the hard cider, and the thousand devices
to attract attention or express a sentiment
| but, above all, the 10000 people assembled in
convention at the Tippecanoe battle ground,
and sending forth mighty voice to all the
states of the un on, was literally overwhelm-
/ Ing. What opposition could Withstand for
| ton in public sentiment was complete. The
party in power was hurled from their places
/ as dry leaves before the wind. Still we have
| no record OF that wonderful campaign ex-
| cept few perishing newspapers. Is there
no one here to revive the memory of the
scenes of the year 1870? Haye we also forgot
| ten the men who lead in the events to which
| / have alluded? remember the names of
Oliver H S@ith, James kariden, Samuel c.
Parker, Caleb Il. Smith, George q. Dunn,
| Jonathan McCariy, George III. Profit, and a
host of others who might be mentioned. The
| gentlemen named are all dead; yet for force,
| power and eloquence they are not exceeded
| by any of those of the present day. In too
many Instances we have filled 70 foster the
| fame of our great men. While other states
cherish the reputation OF their brighter spirits,
| and glory IN doing honor, even to distin-
our petty jeaIousies ana party strifes to de-
! tract from their true merits. Let Us nurse the
memory OF our great men and extol their
| ready to do them justice.
very interesting portion of our history is
connected with the adoption OF the great sys.
| tenn of internal Improvement of 1896 For sew
| eraI years previous the subject had occupied
the attention of our principal public men
.ast yor ea OF ynsern
| improvements, was elected to the legislature,
/ and brought the matter in 1926 before the body,
of which he was a member. His measures,
however, were deemed extravagant, and met
with little support. In 1873 Governor Ray, in
| a Naming message, again brought the subject
| before the people of the state; but his plans
were alto thought to be extravsgant and him
! self a fanatic. | recollect about this time my
respected father, In public speech, told the
! people that in England they were running on
i railroads at the rate OF ~ miles hOur.
| Many of his audience doubted his word as
thing improbs BILE, insisting "that a traveller
going at such speed could not catch his
more and more enlisted with each returning
| year.
| Discussion of the subject, q bill was introduced
and passed In 1886 adop ing magnificent
scheme for improving the::<tste. Eight differ
| ent works, consisting of pike roads, canals and
railroads were authorized, and required TO be
/ completed without delay; board of public
works constituted, and a loan of ten millions
permitted on a credit If D years, ut per cent.
| Interest. The passage of the law was hailed
with demonstrations Of delight. Bontires and
Examinations were kindled in every locality
to be benefited by any of the works. The
| measure, however, was not adopted without
opposition in the legislature. Eighteen mem
bers of the house voted against the law, and
about one-third of the sena e. headed by John
| Dumont, the senator from Switzerland, one of
J the ao!est and most witty debators OF his day.
John Dumont entered the arena the next year
/ as a candidate for governor against David Wal
lace, who favored the system. The only ques-
| ton discussed was the classification OF the
public works Dumont was defeated, to the
| great qualification OF the friends OF the meas
which no one Of the contenp plated Improve
| inents was completed, and debt OF ten mil
| lions was Incurred, the whole scheme fell un-
honored, toge tn, with its warmest advocates.
IL was u stupendous failure, the hi tory OF
which would require many pages to unfold.
| While the tru IN of history demands that
we should record me mistakes in the
| measures adopted, however well intended,
J there are others oil whlcn we may Justly DoaSt.
! Our school system is of the number. Many
hard battles were fought before 1t became
| fixed on a basis which we now trust and be.
lieve Is permanent. The mass Of our people
had come from states where fies schools had
no existence. They were avcrse to taxing
| themselves TO educate The children of Others
AS late as 1850 the census showed that we had
nearly 10 0O0l seventy-hve thousand people
over the age OF twenty-one years who could
neither read nor write. Only think of it!
Forty thousand voters who could not read the
ballots which they cast, and near thirty,five
| thousand mothers unable TO teach their
! children the first rudiment OF an education.
Ever since the adoption of the first constitu-
ton Of the state, the subject OF common
| schools was theme OF constant agitation on
the stump, by the press and In the legislature.
| IL would be curious reading If we had time to
give the arguments for and against the meas
| ure. When, about the year 1915, the house Of
| representatives proposed a bill establishing a
system of ee schools with limited tax, the
senate referred II 10 the people by provision
| that the law should only operate In such coun-
ties a. should, by "A popular vote adopt it. This
| itself was considered great tr iumph although
| 81 nVss ~ ha n ha