The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-18
STATF G0MWTTH STRONG FOR SECRETARY TAFT FOR PRESlg
FINE ADDRESS
BY HON
AT PITTSBIRG
West Wiz ginia sand
West Virginians

Below are given extracts from The
speech of Hon. stuart F. Reed. q
olarksburg. W. va. at the banquet
of the West Virginia University Club
OF Western Pennsylvania, at the Hos
tel schenley last evening.
Senator Reed, being the guest d \
honor invited to speak upon the sub
iect, West Virginia and West VII
ginians," was the orator Of the occa-
sion.
Mr.. Reed said:
In travelling about the country i
few years ago found that strangers
had rather vague ideas about Weg
Virginia. Classed as a mining state
we were accredited with an atnos
phere that was not conductive to the
highest moral, intellectual and social
development. This was not pleasing
TO me, and that I might be able 20
better defend the reputation Of my
State and her people against such Inn
putatIons have found delight In dely
ing into the history OF people who
rose up in the midst OF their war
wasted homes and proclaimed thern-
selves advocates of freedom. Their
defiant call for Statehood reached the
ears Of the immortal Lineolni AMI
West Virginia, the awsr-born State,
the last and brightest gem that we
plucked from virginia's crown. waa
given new settling In the royal
dladem of Columbia.
Much is being said and written about
West Virginia to-day and she Is rap
idly gaining a prominent place IN the
galaxy of the States. 1t seems 20 be
generally understood that our State
is great because of her untold mineral
resources. But my friends, # takes
more than these to make great State.
Some one has said that an essential
element OF greatness is patriotism. II
this he true, let 1t be not forgotten
that upon the soil Of West ylfglhia
was struck the earliest blow fot trees
dom. She gave the first soldier Of the
Union to ofrer a libation Of his IFS
blood upon the altar of his country:
The first battle of the Civil War and
the last of the Revolution were fought
within her borders, and soldiers from
her territory were upon almost every
battle field of Liberty. It Is a wei ans
thenticated story that when Washing
ton was asked what would have been
the consequence had the Patriots fail:
ed at Yorktown, he replied that with
but banner left and the means TO-
reach West Augusta he would have
rallied round him the men who would
life their bleeding country from the
dust and set her free"
A West Virginian took the native
ore from our mountains and made the
cannon balls with which Commodore
Perry smashed the British fleet on
Lake Erie, and in that same battle,
Captain Elliott, former wheeling
boy, commanded the Niagara 70
which Perry transferred his flag
when his own vessel, the Lawrence,
was wrecked and at the mercy Of the
waves Captain Chadwick, Morgan.
town boy, commanded the nasahip
New York" when the Spanish fleet
went down at Santiago, It was
West vlrginian in command Of an
American war vessel, cruising in Chi.
nese waters. during the late copflict
between Russia and Japan, who stood
sentinel at his guns, under the nag
OF the Union and compelled the hell
ligerants to respect the law Of nas
tions and the rights of neutrals.
Again it has been hald that 2 great
people, must be propagandists diitrs,
ing the blessings Of christianity and
the light of knowledge. Let the roll
Of West virginians be called. min
lister from Pocahontas county preachs
ed the first Protestant sermon beyond
the sierras and the Reverend Andrew
Monroe, who went from Hampshire
county is called the Father Of Meth-
odism beyond the Rockies Aexan.
der Campbell. who established Beth;
any College. was the leader ot q sue.
cesbful religious reformation and the
founder Of the "christian' church
Mrs. AR. Mcfarland vent from Brook
county and established the Missions
OF ice.bound Alaska. Or. John lfltchell