The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-09-19
GLORIOUS is IOWA
SAYS COL. SWALM
NOTHING TO BEAT 1T IN THE
WIDE, WIDE WORLD.
UPPER MISSISSIPPI is GRAND.
Scenery Along the Rivers Banks "a
Among the unmatchabIe Things
On Earth--in oskaloosa
Today.

Des Moines, Sept. 1S.-'I have Just
had the enjoyable pleasure of nearly
a week in northeastern Iowa." said
Colonel Swain last evening in an in
teryiew with one OF The Register and
Leader staff, "and want to say to
you that one must look the world over
very closely to find anything superior
or even equal to its scenic beauty.
had the honor to attend the annual
meeting of the Northeastern Iowa Edi-
torial association, which held its ses-
sions at Dubuque, and the real worth
and editorial democracy which has
marked the craft in that section from
a very early day in Iowa history has
not suffered in the accession of wise
younger men. Their sessions were all
of the most practical character; the
papers presented touched living mat
ters of the day, trenchantly and forci-
bly,, and it gave me infinite pleasure
to be in the midst of the newspaperists
once more; where there was the smell
of printers ink and distantly loomed
the old Washington hand press, days
of hard toil--the whole put into a
kind of overture-with the whir of the
new-fangled presses and type-setting
machines giving the real Wagnerian
effect.
ut fell to my lot to be placed ON the
program of the association with Sena-
tor Allison at the Thursday evening
session. | was more than delighted
to find the senator in such very fit
condition. He spoke for about one
hour with all of his accustomed clear
ness and force, discussing the ques-
tions of the day and of current thought
with the old time vigor and attention
to detail of fact and figure that has
marked the long years of his public
service. To me. it was the old and
able Allison that stood before those
editors. and he has seemed to sur
mount whatever of pain that may have
been his affection in the recent past.
And that was very gratifying to Inc.
by the way, do you know that the
scenery OF the upper Mississippi is
among the unmatchable things Of
where and away from our most en-
chanting scenes at home, and notably
this section of the greatest of the
worlds rivers. An excursion was Civ
en- the editors by the Commercial club
to Cassville, Wis, which gave all
many miles of the most beautiful and
varied river scenery. 1t is better
than the tabled rivers of Europe, for
it is unadorned with mans crazy cas-
tied creations, and nature is left in its
own adorning. 1t is a great, satisfy
ing trip to any one, no odds what he
may have seen in foreign ports. Sid
ney A. Fosters good old motto, In all
that is good Iowa affords the best
holds good in northeast Iowa scenery.
Have you ever gone up the Turkey
river valley to Clermont, and then out
to Montauk, the home of Ex-Governor
and Mrs. Larrabee2 7Itthink that is
one of the many Iowa homes that may
be specially pointed out with pride. It
occupies such a commanding position.
and then the landscape rolls away in
such an artistic way-not often met
with anywhere, and where it is poets
and artists use 1t fruitfully, of course.
My household unitedly have always
looked upon William Larrabee as one
of the strongesta intellectual men of
Iowa or the west II men generally
were to give to all current topics the
study and thought-close, thorough
and intensezas does William LARA.
bee, it would be to their infinite help
and credit. He is digger at all
times and he is also 'knower'
THE one great regret of Governor
Larrabees life is that he was not able
to enter the union army in 1861. He
enlisted with the very first-in fact
was the organizing factor in the first
company that was raised in Clermont,
numbering in its ranks the late Col.
Dave Henderson. The loss of an eye
kept Governor Larrabee out of the
actual ranks In the front, but not out
of the loyal and patriotic activities at
home. Probably no private American
citizen has more practically shown his
deep appreciation of the leaders than
he. In Clermont, he caused the erec-
tion of splendid bronze statue of that
master of men-Abraham Lincoln. In
another green he had the same artist
create perfect and telling bronze Of
Colonel Henderson. and then about his
residence you are in great company
in majestic bronze--that of Grant. Of
Sherman. of Farragut and of the lead
er of all Iowa soldiers, Gen. Grenville
M, Dodge.
An work has been done on the free,
sympathetic offering of the man who
could not enter the ranks of the union
army in the days when Lincoln called
for help to save the nation. In my
knowledge no Individual American has
elsewhere shown such tender vet
practical way of intoxicating the les
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