Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-19
Capt. S. H. Harper.

Captain Harper said:
Ladies and Gentlemen:-In response
to the kindly welcome SC graciously
extended tic us by your good Mayor
Humbert, will say in behalf of the
old settlers of Wapello county, that we
fully appreciate the warm reception
and the generous hospitality that the
people of Agency have always given
us.
This is the sixth time we have met
here together, and l fully believe that
all of us have thoroughly enjoyed
these gatherings. The people of
Agency have done much to make these
meetings pleasant and profitable.
For three years you have honored
me with the presidency of your asso-
citation, and l thank you for the cour-
tesy and kindness with which you
have borne with me during this period,
and as shall retire from this honored
position today, l ask you to bestow up.
on my successor the same generous
treatment you have extended to me.
ask the privilege of few minutes,
that l may pay slight tribute to the
early pioneers of Iowa. They were an
honest, plain, generous hearted God
fearing people who came into the wild
erness to make homes for themselves
and their children. They builded better
than they knew. They founded a
state that ranks high among the gal
aXy of states in population, education
and, wealth.
| Once a scion of the French Bour-
bons twited Napoleon of his humble
descent; Bonaparte turned upon him
with a look of unutterable scorn and
said: You are q descendent, am an
ancestor" So it is with the pioneers
| of Iowa. they are the ancestors
Their descendants are the farmers,
the business and professional men, the
statesmen of today who have given
Iowa glorious name.
For more than fifty years Iowa has
occupied a proud position in the ma
ton. Her sons have been renowned
in peace and in war. She is proud of
her statesmen. She is proud of her
early governors, Lucas, Grimes and
Kirkwood Proud of her senator's
Dodge, Harlan, and Allison Proud
that one of her sons is today the lead
er of the United States Senate, that
another is the speaker of the national
house of representatives
Iowa has proved herself strong in
war. 1t was an Iowa regiment that
the gallant Lyon led in the charge of
Wilson creek. 1t was the second Iowa
that charged over the walls at Fort
! Donelson, and it was the Nineteenth
Iowa that made the gallant charge at
Prairie Grove. Iowa soldiers have
proved their loyalty and their courage
on hundred battle fields, worth,
A descendants of worthy ancestors. L
devolves upon you to see that Iowa il
the future occupies high position il
the Nations councils, to see that mer
of character. ability and honesty, I'M
der whatever party name they ar,
known, are placed in the chair of stat,
once filed by 4 Lucas and kirkwood
I Our meeting today is saddenet
by the great tragedy at Buffalo
A The President of our country. 4 gal
land soldier. a statesman, citizen O
spotless character. Christian gentle
man, a man of the people, gentle, kline
and forgiying, has been ruthlessl,
slain by redhanded anarchist. an
glad to say that these anarchists are
few in this country. believe that
this awful crime will cause the people
to rise in their might and eXpel from
this land of the free, all such beasts a!
Czolgosz.