The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-17
An Interesting Address by Lieutcn-
ant Governor Gilbert.

President of the United States and he was
vastly more. lie, more than any other,
had welded the discordant elements OF our
Nation into one homogeneous people. IN
der his benign influence descendants OF
Puritan and Cavalier have united their en-
ergies more than ever before Tor the glory
OF our flag and OF our Union. In peace and
war ne has wrought 50 wisely and so
lovingly that sectional and party differ
ences have well-nigh disappeared, and pull
pit and press patriot and politician, from
the rising to the setting sun, chant paeans
10 his memory. Under his leadership liberty
has been carried 10 the four corners of the
earth and cheers and tears Of rejoicing
have greeted "Old Glory even in the for
hidden city OF the ancient capital or the
oldest empire upon the globe. We mourn
to-day a fallen leader, but more than this
we mourn a loving mana sweet-tempered,
clean-hearted. Hberty-lOving. God-tearlng
man. y man who loved the earth, and who
manifested his love for it, and for all its
joys, hopes and visions. when he said in his
last hours to the nurse who sought to close
the curtain by his bedside. The trees are
SO beautiful, L love TO look at them. n
man who loved his wife, and who loved her
so well that his tender devotion and loving
sOlctude have fallen upon the homes of
America as a sweet benedictlon. man
trusted Him so much that, as he surren-
dered in his heroic struggle for life, so
dear TO him as well as us, he could look In
His face and in that of his fond wife and
say: Gods will, not ours, be done.
Talk of his doom without sigh;
For he is Freedoms now, and Fame s.
One of the few, the immortal names,
That were not born TO die
THE PRESIDENTS DEATH.
His death is pitiful. 1t did not come in
the ordinary struggle of life. He was not
stricken in fair, open fight, nor given a
chance for his defense, but he was taken
from all he loved and from all who
loved him by the dastardly deed of
an assassin, an assassin whose muir
extended to grasp In fraternity and equal
ity. Nothing could better demonstrate the
necessity of an order such as yours, and
could he speak to US to-day, he would say:
Men of America, lay aside your grief. ana
press forward to solve the problems of the
shadowy future. He would have us pro-
coed with the exercises of to-day and of
this week. He would have US, did he,
live in the future and not in the past. And
so l feel that 1 may say a few words to
you upon this occasion which are not
prompted by this most terrible tragedy
Some of you have not been in Indiana
before. Perhaps none of you know
Well as we know ourselves. Let me say
word of our commonwealth and our people.
The time was, in the memory Of some of us.
when Indiana was regarded as almost the
meanest in our sisterhood OF States, and
when the word 'Hoosier' was one of con-
tempt and scOrn. But this has long since
changed. As you sped to this city you no
ticed our fertile farms and numerous fac
tories. You passed through prosperous cities
and towns. You saw busy workmen taxi
ing from the surface of the earth stone
WhereWith to build the most stately struc-
lures between the seas Within your gaze
thousands of engines were pumping from
the bowels of the earth, OIL to light and
heat the continent. You behed at short in
tervals the country schoOlhOuse, calling 10
your attention the best common school sys-
TEN the world has yet devised II you have
talked with our people you have learned of
our system of taxation, which equitably
distributes the burden of government Sc
frrr from la int EGfc Vva11 frnrp
small, just share of the States revenues.
You have looked into the faces of our peo-
pie. and have seen that they are happy and
intelligent. You have not been confronted
by pitiless poverty or by arrogant wealth.
You have seen that we have no greater
center of population where the vicious ele
ments of society cOngregate, or where An
archy raises its iniquitOUs head. But our
homes are happy. our workshops busy. our
barns full. Our common schools have
SO raised the standard of intelligence that
you reading to-day more books by Indi-
ana authors than by those of any other
States. The names of Wallace and Riley. Of
Nicholas are household words throughout
the land. May / speak of the high standard
which Indiana has set for the Nation in the
character of her public servants? When
called upon TO furnish TO the national gov
eminent a high officer no suspicion has
ever tainted his selection. Improper meth
DDS have never obtained. The power of
wealth has never been used and could not
be among our people Morton and Colfax.
-
men whom Indiana has contributed to the
Nations progress. They have all been
- Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils OF office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and 4 will;
Men who have hOnOr-men who will not lie
HOSPITABLE PEOPLE.
81 speak for that people 1 bring you
their greetings. No more generous. kind
" or hospitable people can be found any
where; and they are glad You have come
II is more than a quarter of a century
since you visited before. but we have
known of you and Of the work you are
doing The need OF brOtherly love among
men has never been so universally recog-
nized as in the strenuous times which we
have to-day.
Numerous societies have been organized
to further that end Among these organt-
cations the Independent order of odd Eel
| lows has no superior. The nineteenth CEN
/ fury gave birth to many noble institutions
yet none call her mother of whom She NAV
/ be more proud than Of your fraternity.
| Your brotherhood Is made up of the strong
ana thoughtful men OF America who be
| lieve that friendship, love and truth are
not mere empty sentiment. 1t knows no
I politics or worldly wealth or wisdom and
/ inculcates a charity which not only moves
] mems hearts but actuates his hand The
/ homely virtues il impartS are such as arr.
( indigenous TO the soil OF Indiana. and il
I easily follows that the State has today
/ more than 5000 members ina your great
( brotherhood. But, Mr.. Chairman Indiana
greets YOU because YOU are more than a
! fraternal order You are essentially a patri-
{ otto order. lndianians are essentially
/ a patriotic people. When the flag of our
] country has been assailed none have arisen
/ more quickly TO defend il than the citizens
/ OF our beloved State. Those of YOU who
I do not live under the stars ard stripes are
/ living under her sister flag. and / am sure
\ viii pardon my speaking for = moment ~
i the flag which waves over Indiana In *
! said that when that banner of freedom
has been borne forth 10 victory in the last
half century more odd Fellows have fol-
/ lowed 10 uphold it than have members of
any other fraternal order. Indiana has
shown her appreciation OF the services of
! her soldiers by the erection. almost within
I sound of my voice and in the center of her
population. Of the most heroic shaft ever
! dedicated 10 the private soldier You have
/ looked upon it and have felt that n would
/ be a sublime lesson i'm patriotism for many
/ coming generations Love az country Is
/ older than Your order but no man can be-
/ an odd Fellow who does not love his
/ country.
THE CONTROLLING SENTIMENT.
Patriotism has been the controlling
sentiment OF America since the rigorous
winter of las. when that body Of men nm
! paralleIed i'm the worlds history. unpaid
unclothed and unified. tracked the snow.
/ OF Valley Forge with the blood of their
footsteps. and never turned fheir eyes to
| their country with complaint or from their
| enemies In fear. "a was the iuspiratiou
IL. a..