The Indianapolis journal., 1897-09-11
ranks Of the first division, and thus closed
the programme of the afternoon.
Two Senator's and "A Governor Among
the Speakers.

Two Senator's and n Governor Among
the Speakers.
The annual campfire of the Sons of Vet
erans organization was held in Tomlinson
Hall in the evening The, list of speakers
was one of unusual strength. Senators
John NJ. Thurston of Nebraska, and c. w.
Fairbanks, of Indiana, were among those
! who spoke, and with the Governor Of the
State, the congressional representative
from this district. the mayor of the city,
the department commander of the G.. A r.,
several other prominent c. A. r. men and
a number of leading Sons of Veterans, in
! cluding the two candidates for commander
| in-chief, and also lastly but not least,
Miss Kate Raynor, the president of the
Ladies' Aid Society, adding their efforts to
filling out the programme, the evening was
one long-continued feast of reason and
flow of eloquence." What portions of the
! time the speakers did not consume were
very agreeably occupied by lively military
music from Wehrley's Louisville band
| which was placed on the back part of the
stage. Charles A. Bookwalter had the hon.
or of presiding
The hall was tastefully decorated for the
occasion. Flags were hung from the cell
ing of the stage, and pictures of Morton,
Lincoln, Mckinley and Grant were dis
played. On either side of the stage banked
with plants We're suggestive stacks of
arms. Among those seated on the platform
Were: Senators Fairbanks and Thurston.
Whlte, Department. Commander J. 3
| Dodge, General K. S. (Sandy) Foster,
| Mayor Taggart Representative Overstreet,
| State Senator Thomas Boyd, of NoOfesvlle,
| who has the unusual distinction of being
| an old veteran and also the son of a vet
| eran, having served in the same regiment
| with his father; Charles A. Bookwalter
| past adJutant general and senior vice COM
mander OF the Sons of Veterans; Judge A.
| u. Marsh, of Winchest er, past department
| commander of the Indiana G. A r.; New
| lin j. Mcclure, also past department
| Harvey, of Danville Mrs. Ella Zinn, past
| president of the Womans Relief Corps;
| Miss Kate Raynor, president of the Ladies
| Aid Society, and Russell b. Harrison, of
A feature of the evening, which was COM
| mented on by many, was that the two chief
| personages on the stage, Senators Fair
| banks and Thursto1, were respectively the
| temporary and the permanent chairmen Of
| the last national Republican convention.
1t was $3.50 o'clock before the campfire
may be said to have begun, at which time
music, interspersed with ear-splitting dis
| charges of firearms. A divertlng incident
occurred about this time, occasioned by a
| young man in linen duster who was so
ambitious that r. U. Buckley, of Louis
ville should be elected commander-in-chief
to-day that he pinned huge sign to his
| back and paraded himself before the audi
ence. The sign contained the name Of his
favorite candidate, and the audience ap-
parently believed that the young mans
performance was tirst-class piece of cleo
tioneering.
GOVERNOR MOUNTS SPEECH.
Bishop White invoked the divine blessing,
and, Governor Mount being introduced, de-
livered the following address:
"In sacred remembrance of the valor and
the patriotism of the brave men who so
Ecbly upheld tie countrys honor and de-
Tended the Nations flag, welcome to
this commonw ealth their patriotic sons.
Indiana reveres the memory of the patriot
dead and honcrs the heroes living. The
grandeSt monument ever erected to the
memory of brave men towers above this
capital city and attests Indianas love and
gratitude to the soldier. A thousand SAN
culinary battlefields tell of bravery; half
q million Of lives tell of patriotism. This
Nations anchor of saftey is not found in
large standing armies, but in love of coun-
try transmitted from sire to son. In an
cient Sparta, on state occasions, the old
soldiers would march with trophies of their
victories and bearing the motto We have
been brave. The young men followed in
the procession, carrying the motto We are
the motto we Win be brave Such lessons
under Leonidas, defended Thermopylae to
the death, and who, under Miltiades, made
immortal the fame of Marathon.
Sons of Veterans, you have seen the
glory of your fathers heroism If the dark
into the fury of battle, inspired by their
patriotism you will march forth to deeds
of noble daring, SURPRISING in valor the
imperishable achievements of your noble
Sires.
&c Their deeds shall shine like jewels set
In freedoms glittering coronet,
But how they fought and how they fell,
And falling died, let others tell,
Who, looking backward through the years
Can read with eyes undimmed with tears
And tell with more than patriotic pride,
Tie children how their fathers died.
Inspired by love of your loyal fathers, I
welcome you. In freedoms name, 1 well
come you. AS the guardians of our cCun-
try's honor in the future, 1 welcome you.
In behalf of this great commonwealth,
again l bid you welcome
The Governor was we'll applauded and
Mayor Taggart a diffident, though ear
rest manner extended to the Sens of Vet
Grams a welcome to Indianapolis. He said
1t was a pleasure to extend this welcome
and that he would freely turn the city over
to the organization if it had not already
taken it by storm.
Brother Ira Christian, of Noblesville. as
Chairman Bookwalter called him. per-
formed the pleasing task of replying to the
welcome addresses of the Governor and
mayor. He said that Indianapolis was a
magnificent city, and that when the Sons of
Veterans came to it they found it's gates
wide open, as we'll also the doors of the
beautiful Capitol building. He spoke in
commendation of a State that would rear
its war heroes, and said he was proud of
Indiana and proud of the reception ac-
corded to the Sons of Veterans. Continu-
ing. he spoke concerning the sentiment
sometimes expressed that the old soldiers
cost too much, and declared that all the
pensions and honors that could be given
them could never repay the debt the coun.-
try owes them. Pray Cod said he, that
the rulers of this country will never fail to
sustain the men who riSked their lives that
the republic of liberty might not perish
from the earth"
SENATOR THURSTON'S ADDRESH.
The band played THE Old Kentucky
Hcme' at this point and the principal
speaker of the evening. Senator John M
Thlrston was introduced. The senator
began by saying that it gave him great
pleasure to come to Indianapolis on the
present occasion There is no honor pos
sible to man." said he, which / prize more
highly than my right to sit in the present
encampment of the Sons of Veterans and
my right to march in the streets in the
company of the men with whom 1 have
marched to-day AS a son of a soldier / am
glad to be in that State which had such a
great American such pure, patriotic war
Governor as Oliver =. Norton and l am
glad to come to a city which is the home
of that grand statesman and President who
so greatly advanced the prestige of the |
country abroad and upheld its dignity and
honor at home.
1T were no purpose to meet in annual
encampment if we had nothing better to do
than to greet each other or give ourselves
the Axte No