The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-04
GOVERNOR HoCH TALKS.
Looks at the Kansas Situation From a
Hopeful Standpoint.

Looks at the Kansas Situation From
Hopeful Standpoint.
Judge Hutchinson, of Garden City,
| introduced Governor Hoch.
81 never stand in a presence like
| this said Governor Hoch, "in the
presence of the gray headed veterans,
that do not feel silence would better
become men than speech. When the
tocSin of war was sounded had not
entered my teens. It was a fortunate
thing for the confederacy that 1 was
not old enough to enlist One of the
saddest things that comes to me is
that of all the organizations that exist
the G. A r. must be the one to finally
pass out of existence. The church
shall go on as long as time shall last.
The MasonS will meet upon the level
and part upon the square as long as
time shall exist. The @. A. r. is rap
idly passing away The tramp, tramp
of the army is heard marching to the
burial ground. God grant that the
last days of these old veterans shall
be their happiest. 1 say that these
history of the world. The sacrifices
that these men made have never and
can never be told. I saw Buells army
of 10000 strong-was any one here
in that army?"
II was" said an old man, raising
his hand.
Sacrificed Opportunities.
''The greatest sacrifices of the war
were the lost opportunities. Nobody
knows what it meant to them-the
loss of education, the loss of trade,
and SO I repeat the greatest sacrifices
were the loss of opportunities. There
was courage on both sides. I do no
offense to the union soldiers when
say you had foemen worthy of your
steel. We are pardonable when we
tell with pride of our modern heroes
swimming the Bagbag, but he wouldn't
have swan the river if the rebels had
the recruiting officers coming with the
fife and drum. To my ear the grand
est music on earth is the fife and drum
plying Yankee Doodle
Governor Hoch told some very
amusing anecdotes.
Let me call the roll of battles.'' he
said, land see if we haven't representa-
tives here, soldiers from one-half. yes,
two-thirds, of those battles? Who was
at Bull Run?' shouted the governor.
A dozen hands went up.
Now Mill Springs?"
One hand assembled.
Now Perryville p A dozen Here's
were heard.
rs anybody here from Franklin ?'
Here, here" came the voices.
Now, who was with Pail Sheridan
in the Shenandoah ?' There was a
shout.
anybody here who trudged through
the mud from Corinth to Shiloh ?"
"You bet
us there anybody here who was at
the bloody Antietam with Mcpherson
when he fell?"
Yes, yes, yes
Governor Hoch then led up to the
cause of the war. He said it was the
unwillingness of the south to obey the
law that caused the struggle. Then
he said:
A Rebellion in Kansas, Too.
There are those now who have an
unwillingness to obey they law, but
sooner or later in Missouri and Kansas
they will be made to do it. I know
the difficulties that confront my couT-
ageous friend Governor Folk and the
difficulties that confront me. In 1898
the metropolitan police law was re-
pealed in Kansas. We have got lit
tie rebellion here in Missouri and Kan
sas, that's all. We now have a greater
observance of law than at any time in
the recent history of Kansas. 1 am
going to do my duty whether 1 am re-
nominated or not. All I ask is that
you law abiding people of Kansas help
me in my efforts
'We'l do it, came back in a shout