Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-16
The Old Kentucky Home,

has resulted in a general Kentucky re-
vival throughout the whole country.
Everywhere bands are playing and
soloists are singing my Old Kentucky
Home" and newspaper readers in
every part of the land are having i'm
pressed upon them the greatness of the
Bluegrass State and the variety and
superlativeness Of its products. 1t is
a revelation to most people, for in
stance. to read that there are no fewer
than 100000 people living in other
states of the Union who were born in
Kentucky. We commonly think OF
New England as a section pre-emlnent-
ly famous for sending its sons and
daughters broadcast, but evidently
only illustrates the constant hux OF
Americas population.
OF course not all these 100000 people
and their children are back In the old
Kentucky homes this week, but many
thousands of them are there and the
others are improving the occasion to
demonstrate that they are loyal to the
state of their birth, and that they are
glad of the opportunity to advertise
its energy and resources to the world.
For instance, those who have supposed
that Kentucky produces little besides
thoroughbred horses. beautiful women
and excellent whiskey are now in
formed that Louisville boasts Of the
largest box factory in the world and
also the largest soap factory on the
continent But like most all other
states of the Union Kentucky chiefly
boasts at this time of the famous sons
it has reared. All the older states of
the Union can, of course. make splen-
did showing in this line. and Kentucky
Is not to be outdone by any Of its sis
tiers. A writer i'm the New York Post
has been looking over the record OF the
statesmen Kentucky has furnished
since her admission to the Union in
1872 and finds that no fewer than &c
kentuckians have served in Congress
from other states. The list of the ia
nous sons who have remained at home
is led by Henry Clay. 1t has furnished
one President. the immortal Lincoln.
Not only was Lincoln, who saved the
Union, a son of Kentucky, but by
Il remarkable coincidence jefferson
Davis, the leader of the COnfederacy,
was also a native of the same state.
AS to the prominent public men whom
Kentucky has furnished other states, a
| v ritter i'm the Post shows that Mis-
souri, has drawn most literally upon
| the Bluegrass state for lawmaking tai
ent. Eight United States Senators
| from Missouri have been kentuckianS,
| including AtchisOn, Blair, John b.
Gle rk, Vest and Stone. and II members
of the lower house. Champ Clark was
born in Anderson county; Dick"
| Yates was native of Warsaw; Carter
II. Harrison of Chicago went from
Fayatte county. and Tom l.. johnson Of
| Cleveland first breathed single tax
| and three-cent fares in Scott county.
Besides Lincoln and Yates. Kentucky
has given I" Illinois Senator Culiom
ana Adlai Stevenson. Every COVER
nor of Illinois elected in the 2S years
| ,.f L.
lucky. Daniel =. Cook. for whom
Cook county Che city of Chicago was
named, came from Kentucky, as vel!
as 10 Davirss aud other men who be
came prominent enough to have coun-
tics take their names. over t2 COG
kentuckianS still live in Illinois. The
lnew Senator from Washington, Samuel
II. Piles, is a native; Benton McMillin
Of Tennessee, former governor. and
Henry S. Lane, former governor Of In
diana, are also credited 20 Kentucky
And so the list goes on.
| Kentucky's history has been full OF
attractive figures since Daniel Boone
pushed out into the wilderness and
founded Booncsborough. AS Fincaatle
county, the region was a loose appen-
dage Of Virginia. AS kentucky county
il grew a little more definite in charac-
ter and when ii set up as a state Oh
its own account it was well able t.
take the buffetings that pioneer states
were subjected to. a modern cele
brant of its glory has written:
with the possible exception of Nir'
ginia the history of no American
| commonwealth embodies more of ro
nance and picturesque interest thar
kentucky. The type of the pioneers
| who first crossed the mountains ant
Iproceeded to plant civilization in the
| wilderness was of a singularly hlgl
sort Men who had been impoverished
by the Revolutionary War, in which
they displayed the highest qualities o.
courage ana capacity. came West tt
repair their shattered fortunes. and 81
il was that the political beginnings o