The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-22
Presenta tiOn Address on Board the
Battle Ship Made by Gov. Matthews
and the Reply by MIR. McAdoo.
SPEECH BY GENERAL HARRISON
THAT CAUSED MUCH LAUGHTER AND
EVOKED APPLAUSE.
An Indiana Mixture s'That VIII Never
Reach the Mint"-Descriptiono of
the Silver Service.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21.-This was Indiana
day in that portion of Uncle Sans navy
temporarily stationed in the waters about
New York. Nearly four-score Hoosers,
some of them famous, to-day boarded the
battle ship Indiana, which was lying off
Tompkinsvilie, Staten Island, and We're ac-
corded all the honors possible. Ex-Presi-
dent Benjamin Harrison and his wife were
in the party, and the General was the lion
of the occasion, for he made a speech that
pleased his small audience. The Hoosiers
came here for the purpose of presenting to
the officers of the battle ship a costly silver
service contributed by the people of In
diana Governor Claude Matthews made
the presentation speech.
This morning, about 10 o'clock, a delega-
ton of about seventy-five Indianians, ac-
companied by Assistant Secretary of the
Navy McAdoo. boarded the dispatch boat
Dolphin at the foot of Thirty fourth street
and were conveyed to the anchorage of the
battle ship Indiana AS they approached a
salute of twenty-one guns in honor of ex-
President Harrison fired and flags were
displayed by the flagship New York to
which the Dolphin responded with thirteen
guns in honor of Admiral Bunce. The visi-
tors were welcomed on board the Indiana
by Capt. Robley D. Evans, Admiral Bunce
and others.
GOVERNOR MATTHEWS'S SPEECH.
When introductions were over the presen-
tation exercises began. Governor Mat
thews said
Captain Evans-We are here to-day rep
resenting the citizens of a great inland
State to greet you on the sea and TO eX-
press in part a grateful recognition of an
honor conferred upon the State which just
II holds lOV9i devotion. Indiana felt
truly honored when the magnificent vessel
and powerful engine Of war was christened
with her name, and yet, with Dardonable
pride, we citizens of Indiana, feel that she
could wear upon her massive sides or float
from her masthead no prouder name. A
great ship, a triumph of the ingenuity of
man, should we'll be coupled with great
State, whose greatness rests upon the gen
erous gifts of God and their wise develop
ment and ennobing use by man.
You. sir, to whom, as commander, we
expressive of their culture, their generos
ity and their patriotism, we beg you to
accept for the good ship Indiana, for the
who may worthily come after you to walk
these decks beneath the flag OF the free
or upon the sea. For this gift was prompted
and encouraged by the highest of
patriotism, contributed as it was by the
toilers on the farm and in the workshop,
by men in the professions, by citizens of
every vocation, high ana low. rich and
poor and last. but not least. by the chill
dren of our schools, where early are taught
the lessons of a sublime devotion to coun-
try, a supreme reverence of its laws and
its flag.
1T may be appropriate to speak a brief
word on this occasion to you. whose great
of Indiana and which you doubtless appre-
ciate-about the great State we hail from
and in the achievements of which
hearts are filed with just and pardonable
pride Indiana, in the central part of that
vast domain we call our common country,
and to-day the center of population is
through soil and climate and in he
highway of progress, best located for the
highest physical and intellectual develop
ment The pioneers, a sturdy, manly race
of farmers, who first pierced the dense, UNI
brageous forest of Indiana, braving the
dangers Of new and unknown country and
facing merciless foes, came with stout
hearts and strong arms, the advance guard
in the grand march of civilization to lay
the foundation of empire and rear their
children in a noble, self-reliant manhood.
What a pathetic sublimity, in the record
read in full the simple annals of the earn
est struggle, the daily sufferings
ana sacrifice, what glory would encircle
the memory of the men and women of that
day; o,o. :.
he, who the inspiratio of the senti-
ment which is now fulhlled to-day in the
presentation of this silver service should
have that credit due-Mr. Charles r. VIII
liams, of Indianapolis. He gave unsparing-
ly and untiringly of his time and labor We
all, in the name of the State, rejoice in
efforts. ''e''
In conclusion, Captain Evans, no small
grat1ncatlon comes to US on this occasion.
that this presentation may be made to this
ship while in command of one who has at
all times and on all occasions shown a
courageous devotion to his country and a
lofty fidelity to duty. / beg you in be-
half of the people of Indiana. to accept this
silver service as an expression of the ap-
probation of the honor bestowed upon their
State"
Assistant Secretary of the Navy McAdoo
responded to the Governors address and
accepted the gift in behalf of Captain
Evans and ether officers of the Indiana
GENERAL HARRISON'S SPEECH.
When Mr.. McAdoo had finished there
We're shouts for General Harrison. Very
reluctantly the ex-President walked into
the center of the crowd and delivered a
very entertaining and humorous speech.
He said in part:
delighted to be here to-day on board the
Indiana which is, without doubt. the great
other nation. l am glad to be here this
afternoon because of the fact that I am a
sort OF a grandfather to the Indiana and
| confess this the more readily because she
Is such a very great and at the same time
very young ship When I was in a po-
sltlon to nave some influence with the Sec
retary OF the Navy. told him that / would
like TO have the best OF the American navy
named after Indiana, and I see that my
wishes have been very kindly fulflIed To,
day America stands abreast of all other
nations in gun manufacture and shin
walls of oak. but to-day she must of ne
cesslty have a navy fully three times
stronger than any other power in the
world. We do not need such an enormous
navy, but still we must take care of our
people, We have them scattered here and
there throughout the world and a million
men could not take care of them; bur with
ships such as this one we can easily de-
clare our power. and. if necessary, all com
manders in our navy viii have to clear
decks to protect Americans and their in
tereStS.
Our foreign policy has been a sentf
mental one, but our sympathy has gone
out 70 every country in the world which
has been strugg ing for freedom. There
IS hemisphere here in which we have a
deep and very friendly interest. We don't
want to seize other territories but we
want kindly relations which will be profit
able to them and ourselves. We have a
watermelon here, and If it is to be sliced
not going to let anybody on the out
side cut it. Our people are holding con-
crosses OF arbitrat ton, which are ali verv
well in their way. hat you viii agree with
me when I say that demands for indemnity
are never made from a country which has
hattleships like this. These ships. how
they do reinforce a diplomatic note
Then, turning to Captain Evans, General
Harrison. pointing with his left hand