The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-21
GOVERNOR HoCH's TALK.
He Readily Proves "There's Nothing
the Matter With Kansas

he headIly Proves "Ihere'S Nothing
the Matter With Kansas
Senator Warmers Introduction Of the
governor of Kansas was most cordial.
He referred to the fact that the COVER
nor had been by his side a week ago,
when the Warner club had given its fare
well banquet in honor of the toastmas-
ter himself, Senator Warner, and he
amusingly blamed Governor Hoch for
being responsible for the fact that the
banquet was a dry affair. However, he
concluded that from the appearance of
things that the Commercial club ban
quet had evened up things and he was
quite sure that the assembly was ready
to believe what Governor Hoch would
say in reply to the assertion that:
There's Nothing the Matter With
Kansas"
Governor Hoch's response to this toast
was in the following language:
Pride of state and love of country are
twin virtues. They are born of royal
parentage and their family name is
patriotism. He whose heart does not
| beat faster at sight Of the old flag, in
whose bosom does not burn genuine
| love of country is
Fit for treason, strategems and spoils y
and he whose soul does not respond to
sentiments of state pride is bereft of
one of the first essentials of good citizen
ship. I like the man who always con-
tends that his township is the best town
snip III LnE COulAlys HIS COU4AAJ LAAG OCSt
county in the statey his state the best
state in the Union, and his country the
best country in the world. Happily in
Kansas state pride IS plant Indigenous
to. soil, to climate and all normal c0ndi-
tons View the state from any angle
and the result is pleasing. It's romantic
history, its limitless resources, its match
less landscapes, its exhilarating climate,
its magnificent achievements, its Splen-
did civilization, all stimulate state pride
H. IL -
hearts of its enthusiastic people. SANDER
the state and everyone of its citizens
resent it as a personal offense. Our
people all believe that the omnipOtent
Artist never painted fairer skies than
those which arch over pretty and pro-
life prairies And the Giver Of all good
never lowered a land with richer heri-
tage than that which He has lavlshed
upon the Sunf1Ower state. Little wonder
when an evangelist asked his auditors
if they didn't want to go to heaven.
one irreverent KanSan replied, No.
Kansas is good enough for me-" Gentle
ment, there is nothing the matter with
Kansas.
There is nothing the matter with
Kansas historically. The history of the
state reads like romance Coronado
traversed its treeless plains $50 years
years ago in search of a tabled, fabu-
Ious field of gold but found II not.
though he touched its possibilities at
every step. 1t was mapped in those DAYS
as a part of the great American desert.
at only for the habitation Of wild beasts
and wilder men. When it became ter
ritory half century ago, its limits ex-
tended far into the Rockies. the eastern
balf ar what is now Colorado being
part Of its domain. Pixies Peak was its
rostrum. In its territorial days Kansas
was the initial battle ground of the CON
hicting ideas of governments which f1nal-
lv cIashed at Sumter and climaxed at
Hnnomattox. And here were generated
the forces which finally shook the
shackles from the limbs Of four million
slaves. It's sturdy pioneers
! Crossed the prairies, as of old our
fathers crossed the sea
To make the west. as they the east the
homestead of the free"