The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-12
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
His Patriotic Utterances Greeted with
Liberal Applause.


When the applause that followed Gov
ernor Bushnelrs peroration had subsidized,
President Thomas introduced the great fig
ure of the occasion and Mr.. Mckinley S
face lit UP as the audience rose en- masse
and shouted cheer after cheer. To the cor
respondents, who joined most heartily in
the ovation the scene recalled a national
convention when the name of some ma
tional favorite is mentioned in a nominat-
ing speech For several minutes the cheer
ing went on and the President could only
stand and smile and wait. At last quiet
came, and in a clear penetrating voice and
with more gesture than is his wont, the
chief executive delivered the following
speech, which will long hold place Of
highest honor in the annals of Tennessee:
Officers of the Tennessee Centennial Elk
position, Ladies and Gentlemen-American
nationality compared with that of Europe
and the east, is still very y9lng, and yet
already we are beginning to have age
enough for centennial anniversaries in
States other than the original thirteen:
Such occasions are always Interesting and
when celebrated in a practical way are
useful and instructive. COMBINING retro
spect and review they recall what has been
done by State and Nation and point out
what yet remains for both to accomplish in
order to fulfill their highest destiny. This
celebration is of general interest to the
whole country and of special significance
to the people of the South and West. 1t
marks the end of the first century of the
State of Tennessee and the close of the
first year of it's second century.
"One hundred and one years ago this
sixteenth member in the great family
of American commemorative. 1t was
welcome addition to the national house
hold-a community young strong and stur-
dy, with an honored and heroic ancestry,
with fond anticipations, not only of its
founders, but faith in It's success on the
part of far-seeing and sagacious statesmen
in all parts of the country / am justified in
saying that these anticipations have been
grandly realized and that the present OF
this community Of sterling worth is even
brighter than prophets Of the past had
dared to forecast 1t.
THE builders OF the State, who had
forced their way through the trackless
forests of this splendid domain, brought
with them the same ideals and fearless
devotion to home and country, founded on
resistance to oppression, which have every
where made illustrious the Anglo-American
name. Whether it. was the Territory of
Virginia or that of North Carolina mat
tered little to them. They came willing and
eager to fight for independence and liberty,
and in the war of the revolution were ever
loyal to the standard of Washington. When
their representatives served in the Colonial
Assembly of North Carolina they chose, for
the first time in our countrys history, so
far as L know the great name of Washing
ton for the district in which they lived, and
at the close of the revolution sought to or
ganize their Territory into a State, to be
known as the State Of Franklin, in grateful
homage TO the name of another Of its most
distinguished patriot commoners.
Spain had sought to possess their Ter
ritory by right OF discovery as q part of
Florida France claimed it by right OF
cession as a part of Louisiana, and Eng
land as hers by conquest But neither con-
tention could for an instant be recognized.
Moved by the highest instincts OF self
government and the, loftiest motives of
patriotism, under gallant old John Sewer,
at Kings Mountain, your forefathers brave
ly INDICATED their honor and gloriously
won their independence.
Thus came the new State, second then
of the now mighty West and southwest.
And it has made wonderful history Tor
itself Tennessee has sometimes been
men, 1t furnished us the immortal Jack
son., whose record in war and whose ad-
great Republic shines on with the adyanc-
ing years. The century has only added to
the luster of his name, increased the obli-
cations of his countrymen and exalted him
in their affections. Polk and Johnson also
were products of this great State, and
many more heroes of distinguished deeds
whose names will come un5ldden TO your
memories while / speak.
'"Ternesseeans have ever been volunteer
mot drafted patriots: In 1915. when .4OO
soldiers were called for, 10000 loyal Ten
nesseeans offered their services; and amid
trials and terrors of the great civil war,
under conditions of peculiar distress and
embarrassments. her people divided on
side found thew fought fearlessly to death
are no contendng sides in this glorious
Commonwealth or III any spart of our COM
mon country The men who opposed each
other in dreadful battle a third of a cen
fury ago are only more and forever united
together under one flag in a never to be
broken Union.
The glory Of Tennessee is not alone in
tie brilliant names il has contributed TO
history or the heroic patriotism dis
played by the people in so many crises of
our national life. but its material and in
dustrial wealth, social advancement and
popul alton are striking and significant in
| their growth and development Thirty-five
thousand settlers in this State in 1880 had
increased TO l. 1893 600 in 1860 and to-day ii
has a population. closely approximating
| 1000 COO Its manufactures which in 1866
wore small and unimportant, in 1890 had
reached S72. 100000 in value while its farm
products now aggregate more than S62 900,
600 annually. Its river commerce on three
great international waterways, its splendid
railways operating nearly three thousand
miles OF road, its mineral wealth of meal
culable value, forms a splendid augury for
the future. l am sure no better workmen
could be found than the people of Tennes-
see to turn these confident promises into
grand realities.
Your exposition shows better than any
! words of mine can tell the details OF your