Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-11-16

GOV. W. G. ATKINSON, OF GEORGIA.
parade and was greeted by cheers at
every step. A great concourse of peo-
pie followed the military. At the
grounds the troops were reviewed by
Gov. Altgeld.
A. S. Trude, president of the Illinois
exposition commission, was master of
ceremonies, and he was introduced by
Mayor King. Commissioner Glenn
spoke for the governor and welcomed
the Illinois visitors to the state. Mayor
King followed and spoke for Atlanta.
Gov. John B. Altgeld responded for nli-
nois. He spoke in part as follows:
IF our great state were making an ex-
hibit here If we had come to promote our
material advancement and display our
products, then should talk to you about the
brilliant career, the limitless resources,
the great riches and the high development
OF the state of Illinois But such is not the
case. We have come upon a different and
nobler misslon-a mission that rises above
profit, and all pecuniary consideration-in-
deed, most of these gentlemen who by their
great liberality have made this journey
from the north possible are so situated
that they can get no pecuniary profit from
1t. Our people have come upon mission
of good fellowship. The people of the
south have invited us within their gates
and we have accepted the invitation. The
people of the south have held out a friend
ly hand and we have come down to grasp
it.
This magnificent exposition becomes
clothed with a mighty Importance when
we consider that 30 years ago the southern
states lay PROSTATE. They had just
emerged from the most gigantic war the
world has ever seen, war carried on
within their borders. Industry was dead
and agriculture lay helpless. Farmers
were without stock, without food, without
money, and without seed. The institu-
tions of society had been destroyed. The
only class that possessed intelligence, and
which had once ruled the land, was de-
throned as well as impoverished.
Considering the conditions out of
which 1t grew this exposition has demon
strated to the world, as never was
demonstrated before, the vitality, the life
giving principle of republican institutions.
No other form of government could have
dealt successfully with this problem. If
We had had monarchy and the iron
hand of brute force had reached over 70
govern these states, instead of this magnifi-
cent exposition, instead of this product of
high civilization, we should find here an
other edition of Poland, or another chapter
of Armenian horrors.
Only few hundred miles to the south of
| US lies the richest island of the globe, blest
] Will Oil THAT ildluTc COulu give IT, L OF
over century a foreign military force has
ruled and robbed this island until to-day
| instead of standing with civilized nations
and giving the world an exhibition of it's
| products, as the south has done 1t can only
| show 10 the world it's bleeding heart and
cry in anguish for assistance.
My fellow-citizens, the friends of justice
| have a right to hope that there will come
| a time when our government will have
enough regard for the principles of home
| rule, enough respect for republican insti-
| tutions. enough concern for our own safety
| and enough Americanism in it's blood TO
| rest from it's solicitude for corporate in
| tereSts just long enough to proclaim to all
| the world that the MONDAY robbery, noon
| day outrage and monday butchery of help
| less people, even though done in the name
| of the law, must cease upon the American
| continent and in the American waters
People of the south, we have watched
your career, we have watched your
struggles, and we rejoice in your sue.
| cesses, and these gentlemen and ladies
| have come down from our great state
| have come on a mission of friendship
| They want to know you better and want
| you to understand them better. They
| do not ask whether (as you develop
| your trade will go to the north, to the
| east, TO the south or to the west. They
| do not ask where you sell your cottor
or where you buy your supplies. They
| know that the great laws of commerce
| will determine these questions. They
know that the great rivers of the worlc
were once not only highways of com,
| merce, but were dividing lines, not sim
| ply between states but between differ
ent civilizations, and they have noticed
i'll the progress of time that the new
agencies given to the world by scicnc,
and by civilization have almost wipes
| the rivers off of the map so far as com
meree is concerned, the railroads leap
| ing over them with such ease as to al
| most ignore them. And our people fee
that the time has come when rivers shoult
no longer be dividing lines between civil
izations or between different people II
this country; that whether man stands
upon the north bank or the south banl
of the Ohio, he should be surrounded b.
the same institutions. the same ciViiiza
ton and the same spirit. That not only
should the citizens of this republic stant
under one flag, but they should be acti
ated by the same motives and the SAM
high aim and struggle toward the sam
end"
Gov. Altgeld's allusion to Cuba was
loudly applauded, and ut the conclusion
the Georgians proposed three cheers
for him, and they were given with ;
YELL He looked very much gratified
smiled and bowed.
Lucien l.. Knight, of Atlanta, re
sponded for the press of Georgia. III
moved many of his audience to tears
and when he closed the Illinoisans CAV
him three cheers and crowded arount
to shake his hand and congratulate him
Among other things he said;
'-The same love Of country that blaze