Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-09
Madison, June 5,

MdNlSNn, june y,
At the university armory Tuesday
evening large concourse assembled
to listen to the semi-ceutennial grafton
by j. Y. QuarleS OF Milwaukee,, His
subject was The Development OF Wis
consin. MIR. Quarles fully met the
expectations OF the audience and hand
Somely sustained his reputation for
elouuence, The platform was occupied
by Gov, Bushnell and stan and Gov !,
Seoheld, ex-senator Philletis Sawyer.
Gen, +. +, Bryant, ex-senator w, +.
Was, II. A, Taylor and President c
N. Adams, Clauder's band gave some
very we'll rendered selections before
the meeting. Mr. Quarles was AZ
times vigorously applauded. His ad-
dress was the prceminent oratorical
feature of the semi-ceuteuuial.
In opening he said: IL sing OF u
hero and OF arms. These, he CON
, tinued. are the familiar words ON.
ployed by Virgil to introduce hts i'm
mortal poem, They amount to con.
fession Of the limitations imposed upon
his muse, No great epic poem has
risen above the plane of martial glory,
They were the stirring cradle SONGS
of the race. Time and men have
changed since Homer and Virgil sang
Out of the epic has sprung the civic
\ genuine hero Is now possible with.
out either helmet or breast plate. He
may be most heroic when equipped
only In the panophy of manhood.
Under the new dispensation the axe
and the pillow win greater victories
than the blood-staiued implements Of
war, The Wisconsin coat of arms
was designed to embody this very
thought. 1t Is embellisheh by no
weapon u braye-armed man points
out the way In which the new state IL
to follow its significant motto For
ward. Continuing Mr., Quarles said.
The topic assigned to me would
afford 10 Genius a theme greater than
the Had. Whoever shall be able to
portray with true dramatic colorng
the thrilling episodes of frontier life
In the northwest territory and the ad-
ventures of Wisconsin men In the later
war of the rebellion will treat of he
roes as brave as any that We're mus
tered on either side OF the walls Of
Troy. Mr.. Quarles then briefly re-
viewed the brilliant achievements OF
the last nifty years, In speaking OF the
natural advantages he said I'VE must
not arrogate to ourselves alone the
credit for these grand results Wis
consin owes much to her natural ad-
vantages. 1t becomes us on this oc.
casion to acknowledge reverently our
obligation to Almighty God for favor
able conditions which have played 80
large part In our material success, ~
climate healthful and bracing, soil.
rich mineral deposits. immense for
ests of hard wood and pine quarries
OF budding stone, water powers many
OF which are yet undeveloped. Scat
tered all over this fertile domain are
myrlads OF little lakes that add an
exquisite charm to the landscape COW
ering total area OF 1900 square
miles Thus nature has contributed
from the full plentitude OF her bounty
to furnish field where capital indus.
try and invention might join their
mighty energies to advance the stand
ard of civilization" After speaking
at some length upon the territorial ok.
perlence and pioneers OF Wisconsin.
Mr. Quarles took UP the subject OF cd
ucation. lie said; THE destiny OF
this young state has been Iii my judg.
ment shaped In no small degree by the
early and energetic stand taken by
these pioneers on the subject OF e.lu-
cation. Here Ii the postuate. Ed
ucati1n Is the cornerstone OF free gov
eminent. Therefore II ought not to
be left to chance or Individual caprice
but should be the supreme concern OF
the state. After fierce battle the
common school system was adopted
under the territorial regime The fu-
ture influence OF this grand, liberal
system OF universal education cannot
be calculated Neither would | omit
Or underestimate the powerful and
beneficlent influence Of church, schools
and colleges There has been work
for them all to do. The process OF
assimilation which has been necessary
to prepare for intelligent citizenship
required the conscientious labor OF all
these agencies. without them who
can tell what would have become OF
the experiment OF self-government."
In speaking Of the badger as fighter
and patriot Mr. Quarles said: III
there Is anything in breeding, the badg-
er Ia bound to be fighter. In his
veins flows the best strains OF fighting
blood. His love OF country is sure to
be deep and passionate. To the credit
Of Wisconsin be II said that no oppor-
tunity has been lost to show It's graft
tude to the soldiers OF the late war.
They have had political preferment
and honorable recognition. IL repub-
lies are ungratcful. Wisconsin 10 a
notable exception, and nobody feels