Weekly journal-miner., 1910-07-06
Its Dedication Is The Feature Off A Most Successful
 Celebration
Brilliant 0ratiOnS By Governor Sloan And Hon, F. 0. Smth--Juveni1e Sports Interest
 Big Crowds
The Statehood tree is planted.

Beneath a sky that was dotted with but a few pretty white clouds and under a sun that smiled be- highly, the first Statehood tree was planted yesterday, forenoon. in the first capital of the Territory of Ari- zona.
 Governor Richard E. Sloan was the principal speaker and he deliv- cred an address that will live long in memory as. a model of rhetoric and dictiOn, and an example of a timely, entertaining and practical talk on a subject of of most absorb ing interest to all Arizonans.
 In the presence of several hundred citizens who had gathered to. witness the ceremony Governor Sloan put the first spade of earth on the new tree. Determined to do a good job the governor added several other shovels of terra frma, and then delivered the address, which was listened to with rapt attention by the crowd which witnessed the ceremonies.
 It was in every way royal event not alone for Prescott, but for the entire Territory. It marked the first permanent remembrance of the joy ous news received some days since that Arizona may now be admitted into the grand gTofious Union.
 Preliminary exercises preceded the formal planting of the tree, which had been ordered from California. Intersting, instructive and entertain ing addresses were given by F. O. Smith and Reese Nj. Ling. During the interim, splendid selections were pleasingly rendered by the Prescott band.
 It was then announced that the statehood tree would be formally planted, and in the presence of sev- eral hundred citizens the ceremony took place. '.' '-."
 Governor Sloan spoke as follows:
 Fellow Citizens: In nearly every literature and from the earliest times the tree has been used as a symbol of human life. It is easy to ae- count for this: Standing at the head of all plant life as the highest product of nature in the evolution of the vegetable kingdom, the tree excels all other growing things in strength, beauty aud majesty. Who does not love tree? Who of us may not derive pleasure from any one of these, its graceful form, the sweep of its bOughs, and the shim- mering sheen of it's leaves; or who has not looked with admiration and awe upon some mighty monarch of the forest, with it's massive trunk, and rugged old top piedeing the sky9
 It is fitting, therefore, that we commemorate an epocnal event in our history by planting a tree and dedi- eating it asa kind of living symbol of our hopes, our aspirations and our dreams. Today we plant this beautiful young tree in. recognition and in commemoration of fifty years of hope and anticipation, and we dedicate it to that commonwealth, now in the making, which is the real ization of these hopes and the dream of these years.
 Statehood, so long looked for, hoped for, worked for, and schemed for, is ours if we wish it. It is in conceivable that after all these years of waiting, we may yet reject it, directly by our own act, or indirectly by our own folly. We. therefore, plant this tree in the full confidence and expectation that in anticipating our speedy admission into the fam fly of states we are mot doing a vain thing.
 What does this simple ceremony of tree planting signify to us? In the first place, as the soil in which We plant this tree is such as will admit of it's growth and development under conditions best adapted to its nature, so the toll, labor and effort of half a century have prepared the way, and determined to some extent the character and destiny of our new state. The soil in which we plant our new commonwealth has been fertilized by the blood of the pioneer, and enriched by the labor the herOism, and self-sacrifce of two generations of Americans, who have peopled these mountains, plains and valleys. "'i'" '' t'r '':t