Mexico Missouri message., 1904-03-24
MIssOURI-HEAYEN.
Champ Clark Tells a Funny
Story-Other Hits.

AhSb WGSh. AulOuB Vic ulnJAuB BulSu-
ed guests was theHon. Champ Clark
who made one of his characteristic
addresses. He said in part:
If you are in search of a magni-
ficent state, behold Missouri.
when the gold fe ever was rag
ing in 1S49, young couple from
Pike county made the journey in a
wagon overland to California where
they prospered and waxed rich.
The wife always wanted to return
to the scenes of her
childhood; but she had heard so
much Of the terrors of seasiekness
that she postponed the trip until the
railroad was built, by which time
by a turn Of the wheel they were
reduced to poverty and she was
never able to go back home. Final
ly she became sick. A doctor was
summoned, pronounced her mala-
dy incurable and notified her gen.
tly as he could to set her house in
order for her days were numbered.
The preacher was called in to ad-
minister the consultations of our
holy religion. When he was about
to go he said, Sister, is there any
thing else / can do for youi' Her
eyes frightened as she replied:
Brother, l do not know how much
influence you have on high, but l
wish that you would pray
that when l start to Heaven l can
stop off and visit two weeks in
Missouri
1t passeth all understanding
why any Of her citizens quit a
state with so many charms and
such amazing potentialities to
seek fortune and fame elsewhere;
but the fact remains that many of
them do. Wherever civilization
abounds, wherever adventure is
the order of the day, there is the
Missourian, ambitious, ,self-reliant,
unconquerable and suceessful-iu
: the front rank of good citizenship.
Tall of stature, supple limbed
big bodied, lion hearted, clear
headed, wherever he goes, he hoes
his own row, paddles his own ca
noe, holds up his own end Of the
handspike, carves out his own des
tiny aud comes out on top-the
place which his many virtues fit
him to occupy with grace, dignity
and the sang frOid of Richelieu.
He is equally at home in the
roaring camp or in the society of
princes. In any place where the
Missouriau sits is the head of the
table. Everywhere he is irresista-
: BILE. Danish a typical Missourian
} to the GreatSahara and the chances
are that in few years he woulC
be the chief shiek of all tn
chances in the desert. Give him a
fair show aud he would conver
the czar of Russia into an enthusi
astic friend of human freedom.
The Missourian is a restless
rover. There must be a strain q
gypsy blood in his veins. He is the
modern Jason, sailing all seas il
searchIof the Golden Fleece. In spiri
I. he can claim kinship with the mar
tial Macedonian who wept beeaus
there were no more worlds to con
quer. He believes with all hi
heart that to him was especial
addressed the command: BE y
9 fruitful aud multiply and repler
d ish the earth aud subdue it aud en-
|, Joy the fatness thereof.
o 1t is a scientific aud histori
W fact that emigration moves ol
,e lines of parallel. Virginians settle
d Kentucky. North Carolinians SCI
le tied Tennessee. Virginians, Kel
rs tuckians, North Carolinans an
is Tennesseeans. with a sprinkling
ar the elite Of all the states and coul
t tries, settled Missouri. Mi