Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-21
NAMES PAST, PRESENT AND
FUTURE.
Governor Powers.

The subject which has been assigned
to me covers ground enough to occupy
large space of time should | attempt
to elucidate it, and l feel that perhaps
in justice to those here assembled and
to myself that l should have given it
some thought, and prepared brief ad-
dress, but the truth is, have neglect
ed to do so, having expressly stated
to Col. Stevens that l should only
make few ''off-hand' remarks
: Names past is safe, secure. honor
able. We would not change it if we
could. Its present furnishes to all her
sons and daughters hope, inspiration
and implicit confidence in her future
Maine may not boat of any historic
battlefields within her territory of
great moment to the progress of civil
iZation. We have no Plymouth Rock,
we have no Bunker Hill, but the SOL
diers of Maine have taken an active
and honorable part upon the great bat
tlefields of our nation.
Names early history goes back to a
time contemporaneous with the land
Ing of the Pilgrim Fathers. 1t does
not begin when she was admitted in
to the galaxy of states in 1920. We
point with just pride and gratifica-
ton to the eminent and distinguished
statesmen, brave and patriotic SOL
diers Maine has produced in the past,
and whose names are written upon
the nations roll OF nonor. We are also
proud of the men who today so con-
spicuously represent our own State,
and who fill high places of trust and
confidence in other states and in the
councils of the nation, that were born
and very generally educated within
our borders.
We are proud of our juristS, our
sweet singers, our eminent divines,
whose unselfish devotion, eminent
learning and spotless life and char
acter proffer to the erring ladder of
light and hope, leading up through the
mists of doubt and darkness to the
Seat of the Eternal.
We are having at this present time
in the State House an evidence of
what our State can produce as teach
ers in our various institutions of
learning, an evidence convincing that
there is no State where the standard of
education is higher or where the aver
age of intelligence is greater. We
have in our common schools, in our
seminaries and in our colleges, men
and women as teachers, of sound
learning, of industry and of untinch-
ing devotion to the cause of education
They are doing a grand work and de-
serve the thanks of the State.
The early settlers of Maine were men
of character, men who knew their
rights and dared to maintain them;
an unflinching determination to DO the
right as they understood and beileVed
it. dominated and controlled all their
very largely of English extraction
MANY were descendants of the Puritans
and the discharged soldiers of the wars
Of the Revolution and 1872. They sub
dued the forests. creating homes ana
towns in the wilderness, and lald pfoao
and deep the foundations of our free
whether remaining in our institutions
institutions. Their descendants nave
whether remaining in our state, Or
settled in other and more distant ones,
ever stood conspicuously in tine 1foht
rank for intelligence, for ability ana
for personal worth.
We have not so much of wealth ana
numbers a 5 many Oh oul oioeSi o'"S~'
,,at in all that constitutes true great
mass and worth in the answering 10Y
a,tv and devotion of its citizens 10
right and duty, Maine is second 10 no
,ther state in our Union.
cone one has said or written, Hap
NV is the nation that has no history.
rrhat may be true of those whose rec
ord ryoes back to barbaric or se1nl-clV-
u;.ed times. and whose history, until
tha recent centuries. is blotted over
win MANS inhumanity to man, pus
II does not in any sense apply 10 US.
r,he mast history of our state piie
arand achievements of its noble sons
and daughters, furnishes an example
.nd an inducement to US an 70 .na
a. future more grand and glorious
All our people enjoy in a nlarAee ,; ue
az ia blessings and comforts OF llfe-
: sa,iaya that there is no otner piace
o raa,s green earth where the man o,
On u .erafa means can live happier ana
ha surrounded by more cohlloi o. oil.
ps tha safe of Maine, today. our en- 81.
- -. ~. IS of the best. our scenery i,e
i llsa ,,.,ast and most beautiful, eur nut
=, ~ valleys are dotted over, ~ tns ~ !,
ia. ga,ts. withathe happy hosnes = I i