The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1908-09-02
Senator Foraker Said EIimi-
nate Modern Environment of
Fort Meigs and Appreciate
Site as in Historic Times.
EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY
AN IMMENSE CROWD.
Speaker Contrasted Condi-
tions of Today to Those OF
Time When General Harri-
son Turned Back British
RECORD OF PAST YEARS.

Toledo, Ohio, September "A street
parade of civic character, predatory
to the G. A. R. parade or veterans to-
day, and the dedication of the FIT.
Meigs monument at Perrysburg, II
miles from Toledo, divided interest
yesterday in the forty-second encamp-
ment of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lic
Forty thousand journeyed by trolley
and boat to the historic spot where
General William Henry Harrison in
1S1213 checked the ambitions of the
British General Proctor.
Many speeches were made, chief
ymong them being the utterances of
Senator ]. B. Foraker, Governor Har-
ris and General Benjamin H. Young,
who represented Governor Wilson of
Kentucky, who was unable to be pres
ent
When Governor Harris and his par
ty. including Senators Foraker and
Dick. arrived on the ground shortly af-
ter II o'clock this forenoon the Cover
nor's salute of II guns thundered from
the field pieces of Battery B, under
command. of Captain Grant S. Taylor.
When the bunting which draped the
newly completed monument. was
drawn by the hand of David Robinson,
Jr. four guns of the battery gave an
other salute and the band burst into
patriotic music, which was almost
drowned by the cheers from several
thousand throats.
Senator Foraker. chief orator of the
day. then addressed the throng of
gray-headed veterans. He said in
part, as follows:
Foraker's Speech.
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow Citizens:
1t would be difficult to exaggerate the
greatness of our country or the happi-
ness of our people. Our territory belts
the continent and invades the seas.
Our population represents the blood Of
all the races, yet it is the most homo
geneous of any country in the world.
Our resources are practically exhaust
less and our industries are as count
less and as varied as the tastes and
wants and genius of man. Our civili-
zation, intelligence and morals mark
the highest standards ever attained.
From ocean to ocean there is an end
less succession of visible monuments
to lofty achievements. The farms,
the cities, the mines, the mills, the fac
tories. the railroads, the churches and
schoolhouses, combine to record the
greatest march in human progress that
has ever been made.
THE picture We today present is so
complete and perfect in all its features
and proportions that it is hard to re-
call and realize the sufferings, hard
ships, denials, labors, struggles, bat
| ties, patriotism, heroism, blood and
| death that are involved and represent
ed. 1t is only by some such occasion
as this that the past is again brought
vividly before us and we are reminded
of the trials and tribulations that went
before our triumphs.
ITO intelligently appreciate this spot
and what We are seeking to commem.
oldle, We huSI uiot oul Tie UedElllul
picture of today and paint another
We must eliminate the railroads, the
trolleys, the telephone, the telegraph
and shut out of view entirely all kinds
of electrical and steam motive power
on both lan1 and water We must
| wipe off the canvas all our beautiful
| farms with their fields of wavins
grain, and grassy meadows. We must
| blot out the turnpikes and public
highways. We must stop the busy
hum of industry in all its forms We
must substitute for all this scene oi
beauty, cultivation. improvement and