Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-15
GARFIELD AT MENTOR.
he Receives Complimentary Visit and Makes
Happy Speech

Happy Speech
MENTOR, O., September AT half
past II o'clock to-day party of com
mercial travellers from Indiana, with
their wives, numbering in all ninety-fve
persons, came on special cars to Mentor.
and called at Gen. Garfeld's house to
pay their respects. It was a very intelli-
gent company, representing every lead
ing branch of commercial business. They
assembled on the lawn in front of the
house, when the general appeared at the
door, and Mr.. G.. J. Webster was intro
duced, and delivered ON behalf of his as
sociates the following address:
GEN. Garfield have been delegated by
these friends who have journeyed so far to see
you to say word in explanation of our pres
ence here. Let me express the hope that you
Will not consider us trespassers. We do not
come here Is the followers of any particular DO
litical party, nor do we come to testify to your
services to the country. We come as CONNER.
clal men, representing many business interests
IN the state of Indiana. Many of us are vet
young men, having but fairly begun the great
battle of life, and we are here to-day to pay our
respects to you as one who by his own efforts
has raised himself from the poor and lowly bov
to the proudest position in the land; and one in
the history of whose life we recognize many
grand lessons for ourselves and a
constant source Of encoura gement to the thou
sands of young men in the land, who, beset by
adverse circumstances are struggling against
those circumstances up out of the depths of
poverty towards better manhood. As Amer
leans we do not believe the Almighty creates
one man better or greater than another, but
we do believe and know that men are born who
take their destiny in the hollow of their own
hands, and with Gods aid pursue the right and
shape that destiny to great ends. And as such
a one we greet you to-day And now. with
your permission, will introduce the CONNER
clal travellers of Indianapolis, their wives and
their sweethearts
Gen. Garfield responded as follows:
Mr. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: I
can hardly say that you have taken me by sur
prise, for [ was informed some days ago that
party OF commercial gentlemen from Indiana
would call upon me to-day. But am very
pleasantly surprised at the large number of
ladies and gentlemen who have honored me by
this visit. I have listened with deep interest
to the address Of your chairman, and I give
you one and all my thanks for the compliment
which this visit implies. Your chairman in
forms me that you represent nearly all the
leading branches of commercial industry in the
state of Indiana and some of the neighboring
states Few of our people understand how
vast are the enterprises represented by our in
ternal trade. Almost every form of human
labor contributes its products to the trade that
fills our thoroughfares and supplies our COM
munities with the necessities of life, and all
are moved by the great handspring of labor.
Permit me to illustrate its magical powers
Elghty-four years ago a company Of forty-two
surveyors landed at the mouth of the Conneaut
creek, little stream that marks the boundary
between Pennsylvania and Ohio, They landed
on the 4th day of July, 1896, and commenced
their work by celebrating our national indie
1,-.,@
were boys in their teens when this company of
surveyors began their work. At that time. from
the Pennsylvania line to Detroit hardly smoke
assembled from white mans cabin. From the
Western Reserve was an unbroken wilderness.
Three millions of acres had just been purchased
from the state of Connecticut for forty cents an
acre. To-day the Western Reserve furnishes
happy and comfortable homes to more than
three-fourths OF a million of intelligent people.
Excepting few French settlements the state
OF Indiana was itself an unbroken wilderness,
but is now great and prosperous community.
Thousands of miles beyond you, prairies, will
derness, and mountain slopes smile with peace,
prosperity, and the attendant blessings of civil
cation. What has brought this wonderful
transformation? The magical influence and
power of human labor through manifold strug-
giles or dangers, through sufferings and blood.
These blessings have been secured to US, and /
trust will be continued to our children's chill
dren. [Applause.l
venture to notice another fact Every
stroke of the axe every blow of the hammer,
every turn of a Wheel every purchase and
every sale; In short, every effort of labor, is
measured by the standard of value fixed and
declared by national law. 1 congratulate you
as commercial men, that your government has
at last restored to Its people the ancient stand
ard of value, and has made it possible for our
people everywhere to secure the blessings
which a bountlful harvest and prosperous times
have brought them, by placing our national :
finances on the solid basis of specie values
This fact forms no uncomfortable part of the
security with which the great business transac-
tons of the nation are carried, and you as it's
representatives, as well as all the laborers of
the land, are sharers of these benefits, and this
security. [Applause.l
Ladies and gentlemen, accept my most cordial
thanks for your visit. 1 welcome you to my
home, and to the kind greeting of my family.
[Applause.]
Theatrical Mite.