Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-06-16
FIFTY YEARS A STATE
CELEBRATION OF WISCONSiN'S
SEMi-CENTENNlAL.
The State Capital Given Up to Re-
joicinG and Festivity for Three Days
Glance at the Official Proceedings
Distinguished Speakers Are Heard.
Ceremonies at Madison.

The semi-centennial celebration of the
admission of Wisconsin to the Union was
very appropriately celebrated at Madison,
the festivities continuing for three days.
Gov Bushnell of Ohio and his staff were
the guests Of the State during the cele-
bration. The attendance was large.
Tuesday afternoon the official exercises
were held In the great hall of the unlver-
sity. gymnasium. The principal address
was delivered by Gov. Scofield, and he
was followed by Mayor Whelan with an
address Of welcome to the people Of the
State and to the Ohio party. Gov. Bush
nell of Ohio responded and was heartily
greeted.
In his address Gov. Scotield referred to
the great progress Wisconsin has made
in material prosperity, and to its political
and military record. He said in part:
To-day and for the two following days,
in this, the capital of the State, we shall in
various forms of celebration, express our
thankfulness to the power which rules
the nations for His care over Wisconsin
during the half century which he's just
closed, and try to gather from our own
record some inspiration which Will aid us
in making the succeeding half century
greater in accomplishment and nobler in
the general effort for good than the one
which has just closed.
1--WE have not solved ali the problems Of
statehood, nor cleared yet for ourselves Of
brush all the by1aths Of good govern
ment, but we may congratulate ourselves
to-day that Wisconsin has intelligently,
honestly and periodically sought to solve
these problems and is coming nearer the
solution as each year passes. Human
nature is the same here as in other States,
and we have our partisan jealoJlSles and
chickering's, but when there is presented
to us some great question all these things
sink out of sight and we are one people.
IF one can scarcely keep from boast
ing when speaking Of the material pros
perity of Wisconsin, how much more diff
cult is it to repfess pride W'hea consider
ing the moral status of our people-a great
law-abiding community to whom moral
appeal is never made IN vain, where the
moral vigor of the puritan is toned down
to the kindly liberty Of the foreign cav
alier. Certainly We have what historians
might we'll have described in the past as
an ideal people"
Gov. Bushnell of Ohio responded for the
party from that State to the addresses Of
welcome, and referred in touching terms
to the late Secretary jeremiah Rusk, who
was three times Governor OF Wisconsin,
as product of Ohio.
Early in the evening the boat race be-
tween the crew of st. Johns Military
Academy and the University of Wiscon-
sin freshmen crew was rowed on the two
mile course on Lake Mendoza. The Wis
consin freshmen won by ten lengths. At
ter the race the semi-oentennial Grafton
was delivered by ]. V. Quarles of Milwau-
kee to an audience of about $500 in the
university gymnasium. His address was
devoted to a review of the growth of Wis
consin in both material and intellectual
lines.
/ The banquet of former members of the
Legislature took place in the basement
corridor of the capitol. Former United
States Senator w. F. Villas presided as
POSTMASTER. The State Press Associa-
ton held it's banquet in the Presbyterian
Church the same evening, and adopted
resolution thanking Queen Victoria and
the British Government for their attitude
in the war between the United States and
Spain. A toast was drunk by the assoc
citation to the Anglo-SaXon-A American alli-
ance. The resolution was drawn up and
sent to London.
In addition to the celebration proper
there were in session on Wednesday
number of State associations which had
selected this time for their annual conven-
tons; the congress of women's clubs, the
Wisconsin Press Association and the
State Bar Association, many Of the regi-
mental organizations of the Grand Army
of the Republic being in the number.
While these organizations were in session
the regular features of the official pro-
gram were carried out. The first event
was the Legislative reunion in the Senate
chamber, beginning at 10 O'Clock. AT noon
there was display Of day fireworks in
Capitol park, and an hour later there was
an official reception at the executive man
sion which many women attended. Regi-
mental reunions were held during the af-
ternoon at Camp Randall, and the prevail
ing war spirit made them unusually inter-
esting.
The parade of the veterans of the war
of the rebellion showed 900 men in line.
1t started at the east entrance Of Capitol
park and the route was down Monona.
avenue Department Commander Gray
Of the State Grand Army of the Republic
was the commanding officer, and the Gov
ernor reviewed the veterans as they pass
ed the west entrance to the park.
Official exercises were held "Wednesday
afternoon at Armory Hall, the Governor
presiding. There was large attendance,
and six addresses were made, the 'spea kers
being e. S. Elliott of Milwaukee, q. III.
Fethers of GAINESVILLE, B. f. Bryant Of
La Crosse, E. G. Kennedy Of West Supe-
rior and e. r. Hicks of Oshkosh.
State Items of Interest.
A valuable horse, buggy and harness
were stolen from Anton Nytes, who lives