Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-10-28
GIFT TO THE STATE.
Formal Unwilling of the Statue
t'ForWard" in Capitol Park
at Madison.

Madison, Wis, Oct 22-[Special.]-
The statue Forward" modelled by Miss
Jean Miner and exhibited at the Worlds
fair under the auspices Of Wisconsin
women and since remodeled in bronze and
presented to the state, was unveiled in
Capitol park at IL a. N. today with APP
propriate ceremonies. All state depart
ments were represented in the crowd
which witnessed the unwilling, which IN
spite of a chilly wind numbered about
1000.
Mrs John Winans OF GAINESVILLE, presi-
dent of the Ladies board Of managers
OF the Worlds fair commission, made the
presentation speech to the state, to which
Gov. Upham made response. Mrs. WI
mans said in part:
The story Of Wisconsin women who con-
tributed to enable home talent to make a
display in our state building will be told
as long as memory lasts. This most sra
cious act enabled to take creditable
place in art, and often caused expressions
of establishment from Eastern connoisseurs
that such praiseworthy work could come
from the West. Among people learned
and cultured as are the people of Wisconsin,
we felt sure there must be rare genius,
and when the opportunity was offered,
genius came to us in the form of two young
girls, with no fortunes save their untutOred
talents. but with ardent desires to place
their best efforts beside those of sister
+. Mears of Oshkosh presented a sketch
of Genius in Wisconsin, which is now be-
ing chiseled in marble and will be placed in
the capitol rotunda the coming winter To
unveil the finished bronze figure of Jean
Page Miner of Madison brings US together
today. Hers has been a work filled with
hard and varied experience, but she has
shown herself possessed of characteristics
she has SO we'll portrayed in her ideal rep
resentation of our state motto Forward. "
After recounting difficulties under
which Miss Miner has labored she turned
to the governor and in the name of the
women of Wisconsin formally presented
the statue to the state. She then gave
statistics giving credit to counties which
contributed to the work, in the order
named. Counties which gave more than
the amount assessed were: Rock, Door,
La Crosse. Counties giving the full
amount of assessment: Chippewa, Out
agamie, Racine, Lafayette, Kenosha,
Sawyer, Dunn, Oconto, Oneida, Winnie
bago. Counties which gave part of the
assessment were Sheboygan, Dane, Wau>
kesha, Douglas, Eau Claire, Vernon,
Iowa, Fond du Lac, Price, Walworth,
Milwaukee, Sank, Green, Juneau, Jack,
son, Clark, Ashland, Jefferson, Lincoln,
Wood, ManitoWoc.
Gov. Upham made response as follows:
The glory of the state has ever been main
tanned by the women of the state. Good in
the good men of the state is due to material
education they have received. Success OF
state, moral and material, and its ability
to live up to it's motto Forward" must be
credited to Wisconsin mothers. In the
struggle for existence and material develop
ment of the state there has not been much
time for growth of artistic spirit But now
and then some gifted daughter has
come forward and honored herself
and her. state by proving that
We may take pride in the fact that one Of
Wisconsins gifted daughters has bodied
forth the genius of the state in manner
so nobly visible to US today Conception Is
one born Of her own genius, and to her
great honor is due for this beautiful con-
ception of our patron saint. 1t is a fact
that works of genius have financial limit
ations, but the bright side of this fact is
that we have women, as III this case, who,
regardless of the trouble and work involved
have overcome financial limitations and
have made it possible for the state itself to
be owner OF this splendid work Much
credit is due to the woman's committee of
Worlds fair Wisconsin commissioners, not
only for the work they have done in giving
to the people of the state to own this noble
statue, but for special encouragement which
their endeavors have given to genius. The
people of Wisconsin will long be proud Of
this statue. of the artist who produced it
and Of the high minded women who made it
possible for the state to own it. "All hail
wealth." 1t is with great pleasure, | as
sure you, that / accept in behalf of the
state this statue from your hands, and in
behalf of the women of the state especially
thank you for the work so well consum-
mated TODAY