The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-01

with which they spoke to each other
and of the happenings of their lives,
the depth of quiet sentiment, which
lay upon the meeting. gave it a char
acteristic too powerful to be told in
words and cold leaden type.
AS Governor Click assembled the rOs-
trum he was given round of APP
plause. Like his vigorous character
were his first words: kansas had
to be made. She required a class of
men who had courage, intelligence and
force Though these differed with
each other in politics, in matters per-
sonal to their lives, yet they differed
in nothing which meant the making of
truism which says: An old man has
no friends Men forget you=you for
get them Twenty years ago in To-
pelza it seemed as if I knew almost
every man in the city. Now as I go
along the streets l feel myself for
tunate if / know one in a thousand
The young men grow up about US,
their time their lives are taken up
with other matters We soon forget
each other. But then there are some
friends left-Our lifelong ones And
of such there are some here-Some
of us who came here together and
helped to make Kansas with our hands
and with our hearts.
Governor Click then called upon
Rev. J. B. McAfee to act as perma-
prefer some one else to take my
place.
q will listen for YOU" said Gov
ernor Click, and this, with the hearty
applause, brought the Well-lxnown To-
peka divine upon the rostrum as
chairman. He enivened the meeting
with interesting anecdotes of the early
days and told some rich stories which
viii be lost with the passing of the
pioneers. Should these real flesh and
blood events be gathered they would
make a great book. Just the things
that Chef Thomas said and did, and
as he said and did Them said Rev.
McAfee. why they would read that
book from cover to cover and crave
for more"
In taking his place as presiding Of
ficer of the meeting the chairman said:
There are three kinds of soldiers,
first those who go into battle because
of their patriotism, second, those who
go as substitutes for the money third,
those who are drafted against their
viii. And that is just the way I feel
now. But 1 love Kansas. There is no
state like her. Some time ago 1 made
a trip with my wife to California. We
came back by the way of the southern
route through Arizona and New Mex
leo. AS the train drew nearer to Kan
sas, I thirsted more and more for the
great old state. When we finally got
to Liberal, 1 told my wife 1 wanted to
get out and step again on the soil of
this great commonwealth before 1 went
a foot farther. When the train stop
ped, I went outside and literally stomp
ed about in the loan, and kicked up
some of the earth. I thanked God then
and there that he let me step upon
the sacred soil of this dear old state
again"
Two raps were taken at the speech
OF Secretary of War Taft at the meet
ing and Rev. McAfee look one of them
by saying this: Il was a little dis
appointed in the speech made yeSter-
dan in hal in x8-bf he inf
was made that we came to Kansas as
bummers. We didn't. We came here
to find homes. We had not enough
money to start in the East and we
own abodes." The other mention of
Taft and his speech was made by
Jack Garrett Of jefferson county in
this way: That man who inferred
that we were buns was wrong. We
came here to settle and to live and
we have proven it,
]. N. Gibbons of Doniphan county
told of his early days in the state, how
he had settled in Brown county sand
then in Doniphan in 1854. and where
he still lives. He enlivened his talk
by telling how the Indians had invited
him to plant corn and then join their
green corn dance.
D. W. Boutwell, famous in Kansas
history as a scout and army messenger
recited at length his trials while a pri-
waite soldier in the early Kansas armies.
c. G. McClelland, of Oskaloosa, re-
counted some of the work done in con-
junction with the work first territorial
legislature of which body he was a
member.
]. 3. Garrett of jefferson county
spoke feelingly of his life in the state,
his sorrows and misfOrtunes. Up in
the little graveyard near his home in
jefferson county are graves of his
four brothers and two of his children,
and all of them were part of Kan
sas' making.
prohibition movement in the city and the
state and recOunted the events which led
up to the formation of the first temper
ance society
The names of those who registered and
the dates upon which they came to Kan
Hale Ritehie. 1855: G. W. Click, March
4. 1852, z. w. Davis, Dec, 1859: R. \
Randlett, March g. 1856; G. w. Packard,
June 1857; John F. Carter, May, 1859; Jer-
son, May &c, 1855; J. P. Barnes, March 2,
1851; D. W. Boutwell,, March Il, 1857 Geo.
NJ. Kellam, March 20 1857; A ". Moore,
Now 1884; Frank A Root, April q, 1857:
F. G. w. Travis, April TO-, 1883; Mary Ry-
nerson Warren, October 1857; Mrs Maria
Gleason, 1855 Thomas and Margaret
John H. Sayler, 1856; E. J. Sayler 1855: c.
b Mcclellan, 1857; J. B. Garrett 1857; Mrs
William P. Mcclure, 1867: A. B. Whiting,
1856: Mrs. George w. Veale, 1857; Miss
Henderson, 1858; W. G. Gray 1862 Mrs
Annie Payne, 1853; Mrs. H A. Spalding
1859; j. Spalding, 1860; George w Ward
1858; John Davidson, 1873; Frank Wyatt,
1859; p H. Souther, 1863; A. McKeever
ton, 1855; R. B. Steele. 1850: Arthur Jor-
DAN, 1864 E. r. Partridge, 1854; J. B. Nc
Afee, 1855.
Il. Z. STUDENTS PLAY.