Weekly journal-miner., 1910-07-06
PLANTING OF STATEHOOD TREE

tropie skies for the glory of the Stars and Stripes.
 It was a glorious and a successful celebration. The program was carried out like eloekwork, and its praise was on everyone's lips when the day was done.
 It opened sharply at 10 o'clock, when Governor Sloan and Hon. F. O. Smith, the speakers of the day, arrived in an automobile, and were escorted to the stand by E. A. Kast- ner and c. H. McLane of the literary committee. The band struck up ''Hail to the Chief,'' until the speak CTS were seated, and after another patriotic selection, J. W. Mines, chairman of the general committee, welcomed the visitors to Prescott, and presented Hon. F. O. Smith, who delivered an entertaining anI in- structive Oration, which was marked by clear enunciatiOn and effective delivery. His able address appears in full on another page.
 Again the band produced inspiring music and Hon. Reese NJ. Ling was introduced. who delivered thc follow ing interesting impromptu remarks, predatory to presenting Governor Sloan to the audience:
 Remarks of Reese M. Ling.
 MT. Chairman. Governor Sloan, and fellow citizens:
 Much to my surprise, the chair man of this committee requested that I say a few words before the plant ing of the Statehood tree, introduc- ing one who needs no introduction at my hands to the people of Pres cott. However, as has been said by the speaker of the day, this is a memorable occasion to the people of Arizona, and it is the first time in the history of Arizona that we can look forward to that great name of Statehood, for which all of us have labored for so many years, and shall be able to say in the future the hopes of all these years have at last been realized at the hands of Congress, and today we stand upon the tnresh- old of a long cherished hope, and it will be but a short time before we can say that we belong to the United States of America. We have all of us thought we had a right to say that, but when the time came to tell the state from which we came, we could not do it. I do not deny that I am something of a Democrat, but I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and while I won't say that our Representatives in Congress who are Democrats did not do every thing which was in their power or which could have been done to se- cure Statehood, still I must say that I believe there is no more credit due anyone present than is due our pres ent co-patriot and townsman, Gov ernor R. E. Sloan.
 Speaking from the stand, Governor Sloan said:
 Mir. Chairman, and fellow citizens: The ceremony for which you have just been called will occur about the tree. What I have to say in con nection with that ceremony I shall say there. I only ask that you gather about the place of the plant ing in such a way as to afford us all an opportunity to be seen and heard. There is ample room, I take it, for everybody to see and to hear, if they will but dispose of themselves in such a way as to make it pos sible.
 Escorted by the chairman, the Governor proceeded to the Statehood tree-an American white cedar, trans planted from the Sierra Nevada Mountains-and was handed the spade by Geo. F. Harrington, chair man of the Board of Supervisors. It had copper blade, a silver shank and a gold handle.
 The Governor then delivered the inspiring address quoted above.