The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-02-27
WHY / AN PROUD OF IOWA.

| pers on why l am Proud of Iowa.
Rev. j. C. w. Coke, of Oskaloosa, en.
tered the contest and offered the fol-
lowing excellent paper on the Hawk
| eye state, of which he is ever proud: :
state pride involves far more than
| territorial extent, ingenious re-
sources. climatic conditions, popula-
ton or wealth. Quality counts for
more than quantity. The best for
the highest is good motto for the
state, as it is for the individual. Iowa
signifies THE Beautiful Land" 1t is
such in sense that never entered
the thought OF lhe aborignes from
| whose speech words still cling to the
queen of the prairies in her own name.
and that of many counties and cities
| within her domain.
She is beautiful in the wide ex-
panse of her fertile acres, embracing
$4,000 square miles. within which
there is less waste acreage than in
any other state in re union.
"She is beautiful and bountiful-in
the productiveness Of her soil, which
bears abundantly almost everything
which belongs to the temperate zone.
Wheat, oats, rye, barley, potatoes
are raised easily and profitably. Her
hay crop is surpassed only by New
York; while in oats she ranks second
in the United States. Her staple,
however, is corn. in the production
of which she stands as close rival
Of, Illinois and has once or twice sur
passed the Sucker state in the aggre-
gate annual crop-which is valued at
from $100,000,0O0' to $150,OOO, 900. Her
live stock had reported valuation in
1900 of nearly s300,000,000, Texas
alone surprising her in neat cattle.
Iowa has no large cities, to which
wealth flows as naturally as streams
to the sea; nor has she any large
manufacturing interests which invite
capital. She is pre-eminently an agri.
cultural state, and yet the surplus in
her banks exceeds that of most OF
her sister states; and best of all she
has no embarrassing state debt!
Her chief asset is in the character
OF her population-their intelligence,
their thrift, their patriotism. their de-
votion to high ideals. The percentage
of illiteracy is lower only in the state
of Nebraska, and that only by frac-
ton of hundredth per cent. Her
public school system, crowned by UNI
surpassed normal schools, a state
agricultural college and a state uni
versity, together with her numerous
academies and colleges, supported by
private beneficence, are justly the
pride and joy of all her citizens.
Her record in the civil war is one
to stir both pride and patriotism. The
response to Father Abraham's call for
troops was prompt and generous; the
valor of Iowa regiments was second
to none; the names inscribed on the
SCARED battle flags preserved in the
Capitol at Des Moines are transcript
of the most notable engagements or
the armies of the west; while roster
of her heroes who fell in battle, or
who survived the terrible ordeal of
field and fight is one which makes ev-
cry loyal Hawkeye thr,n with pride
over his native or adopted state.
Il am proud of the high ideals
which have been and are cherished
by her people. Three times they have
Enthusiastically demanded that Iowa
should be a free state-not merely
from the shame of human bondage
which so long cursed the South and
precipitated civil war-but from the
even more shameful bondage of the
liquor traffic; the last time, by a.
popular majority of nearly 10000, APP
proving constitutional amendment
forever prohibiting the manufacture or
sale of either fermented or distilled
liquors within the state. Political in
trigue has. in a measure, thwarted
their will; yet in spite Of corrupted
courts and legislatures and the will.
full disregard of duty by venal officials,
three-fourths of the state enjoys ex.
emption from the curse of the open
saloon.
Iowa has been and is conspicuous
in congress for the character and
ability OF her representatives in both
houses. She is proud OF the tradi.
lions of the courtly Grimes, of Har-
Ian, the wise statesman and counsel
lor of Lincoln, of Wilson, the rugged
and sterling yeoman, OF Gear, the
old Business of both lower and up-l
per house; of Allison, the dean OF the
senate, of Dolliver, the silyer-tongued
orator, OF 'Tama Jim as a cabinet
officer; OF her past and present rep.
resentatives in the lower house; OF
her diplomats, among whom kasson
and Conger stand conspicuous; OF her
honored list of governors from Rob
ert Lucas to the present incumbent
two OF whom have become members
OF the Presidents cabinet She has al
presidential possibility in Ex-Secretary
Leslie M. Shaw; she has one Of thel
best looking governors who ever
graced such an Office. persistent
agitator. would-be reformer of the
tariff, an aspirant for senatorial to-
ga who would not shut his eyes on .