The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1902-07-11
At MT. VERNON.
Text of His Address at Mt. Vernon
on July 4th. 1902, and Heard
by an Immense Crowd.

on July 4th. 1902, and Heard
by an Immense Crowd.
Ladies and gentlemen:
When / received this kind invi-
tation to address you today l won
dered what I might say that would
be of interest to you. The subject
being some what old | wondered if
could possibly present a single new
thOHght upon lit, but as / came
along the road this morning and saw
the beautiful prairies and the great
fields OF waving grain and the trees
dressed in their evening attire, and
in fact, it seemed as though all
nature, clothed in her most beauti-
ful garments, was dripping with dew
drops and kissing the sunlight, and /
thought that dumb must be the
tongue of any man who could not come
forward and speak a few patriotic
words on an occasion like this.
Twenty years ago I first saw this
little city and at that time it was
quite an infant. Two or three little
houses being built is all there was of
it and when / think hack to this
country as it was then I can fully
realize the wonderful improvements
that have been made. Then a great
rolling prairie as far as the " could
see. not a tree in sight, and nothing
to break the monotony, excepting
now and then a new house marking
the spot that some one had selected
to begin life anew and build a home
fol. his family. Perhaps some are
here today who came to the territory
in that year and if so / need not
point OUT to you the wonderful de-
velopments that have been made dur
ing The past twenty years. at that
time it was a wild and woolly coun-
try waiting to be tanned. Today we
have a state with 500, 600 population
and. having bsen snbdued, the Jul
try is yielding up its treasures. Dur
ing 1901 the total value of its agri-
cultural and mineral prodcuts was
more than sI13. 800, OJo-s227 for
every man, ina and child in the
state. We have the richest 100
square miles in the world. Last
year the live stock industry, not in
Guiding u creameries, Yielded more
than 3 OsoO0, 900. We nave 1872
creameries supported by 225. 900
cows. yielding annually sI2. coo, Ooo.
We have 1900 artesian wells in the
state that have been an important
factor in cooling the breath of
those terrific winds. Last year u
manufactured products brought to
the state more than s12, 900, 600. I
know that many of you have en-
countered hardships. 1 know that
many of you have seen dark, very
dark. and gloomy days. I know that
when you have stood by and watched
your neighbor cover his wagon, load
up his few effects, and start back to.
what he called Goods country. it
has taken all the nerve force at your
command to keep from following him
but those of you who have stuck to.
and have kept hammering away
lived to see our state pass
triumphantly through that trying
ordeal and today. instead of having
the finger of scorn pointed at us. peo-
pie are falling over each other to
get here SO that when they 90 away
from home they can register from
the great state of South Dakota.
Our record is that during the past
five years we have produced more new
wealth per capita than any other
state in the union. just think of it!
Pennsylvania with her rich mineral
deposit, New York state with her
great money center of the world, Illi-
nois a yeritable garden of Eden, with
her great Chicago and her immense
wealth. and yet as a wealth producer
lead them all.
In November, 1889, we laid aside
our short dresses and put on long ones.
In that year WI were admitted to.
statehood. a new star was added to
our national emblem and since that
time none have shone more brightly
than ours. How befitting it is that
should meet on this one hundred
and twenty-sixth anniversary Of our
nations independence and help
commemorate the day when liberty
was ~unshackled and the God of destiny
pointed out the way for a weak and
struggling people to become a strong
and powerful nation. How BETTING
it is that we should assemble today
beneath the banner Of the stars and
renew our faith in this mighty
republic. Wherever a patriotic heart
is beating today old glory is un-
furled. and what a flag and what a.
record Born at Fort Henry, when
the immortal keys set the world
the "star Spangled Ban
ner," baptized at Fort Sumpter.
- E-H ~ = tFA - n