The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1906-07-24
2E MlNENED OWF05TER lAX

From every land and every cline
Kentuckians will turn their steps and
set their faces toward the old home
for the week of June 1917, when a
grand reunion of all former residents
of the Blue Grass State will be held
under the auspices of the Louisville
Commercial Club. Louisville will be
the mecca of the pilgrims and it is
conservatively estimated that 1907
900 visitors will be in the metropolis
of the Blue Grass State during Home
Coming week.
The suggestion of Homecoming
week, which came from Miss Louise
Lee Hardin, of Denver, Colo, has led
to one of the greatest gatherings ever
held in the country. Though "Old
Home Weeks" have been held in the
New England States for many years,
Kentucky is the first to invite all of
it's absent sons and daughters to re-
turn to one city at one time, and it is
the first which has attempted to Sc
cure the name and address of every
former resident of the state. How
great this task was may be judged
by the fact that there are now living
in other states and territories over
10000 native born Kentuckians. The
Blue Grass State has given of her
best citizenship to the upbuilding of
other states. Especially in the cen
trail and western parts of the United
States have Kentuckians gone IN
great numbers. Indiana has about
$4,000, Missouri over 88,000 etc. In
every walk of life, in politics, in law,
in medicine, in business, Kentuckians
have always been in the forefront.
In Lincoln and in Davis, the state
gave both to the North and to the
South the war presidents.
To Missouri she has furnished one
half her governors and many of her
congressman and senators. The list
might be extended indefinitely were
all the Kentuckians who have taken
high rank among the distinguished
men of their day named. The Brock
inridges, Clays, Crittendens, Mar
shalls and others have in every gen.
GRAFTON taken a prominent part in
the affairs of the state and the ma
ton.
The invitations to attend Home
Coming week have met with enthusi-
astic responses from former Ken
tuckians in every part of the world.
Acceptances numbering about $4,000
have been received from every state
in the Union and from fifteen for
eign countries.
The preparations for the entertain
ment during Homecoming week
have been made on an elaborate
scale. The citizens of Louisville are
raising fund of 100000 to be de-
voted exclusively to this purpose.
Five parades, the unwilling of two
statues, air-ship flights and many
other features have been decided on.
The programme for the four days has
been arranged with view to recall
ing in the most attractive and beauti-
full form the history of the state.
The first day, June 10, will be- given
over to welcoming and registering
the guests. In the new armory build
ing in Louisville, the second largest
of its kind in the United States,
which will be the general headquar-
ters for Homecoming week, head
quarters for each of the 119 counties
of Kentucky will be opened. These
headquarters will be in charge of a
hostess and a commissioner named
from each county by Governor J. G..
w. Becl1ham. Here the visitors will
register and receive badges showing
the county of their birth. The for
NAL address of welcome will be de-
livered by the Hon. Henry Waiter
son, editor of the Courier-Journal,
and the response will be made by the
Hon. David r. Francis, formerly gov
ernor of Missouri, and the head of
the Louisiana Purchase exposition.
Other distinguished Kentuckians' who
will be on the programme during the
weeks are Associate Justice John M.
Harlan from Washington, d. c., for
mer Vice-President Adlai e. Steven
son, of Springfield, ILL.,; former United
States Senators VIM. Lindsay and
John G.. Carlisle, of New York City i;
former Governor Thos. G. Crittenden
of Missouri; Governor E. w. Hoch, OF
Kansas; Senator S. H. Pyles, OF
Washington; Senator Shelby r. Cul
lom, of Illinois; former governors OF
Kentucky Proctor Knott Sinon