The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-04-25
Eighty miners and the Friends o.
Eighty miners:

teHe% ann INV AAtfNH
Eighty miners
1t is a very great pleasure to m,
and ] deem il a very great honor, 4
join in the annual observance OF tn
anniversary of the opening to settle
ment Of that portion OF the i.ouisian;
Purchase OF 1903. LATER known al
Oklahoma Territory. and, Old Obla
homa.
These meetings should bo OF grea'
interest to all friends OF Oklahoma
and must be especially interesting tc
all who made the run for home in
this country, and likewise those who
have aided in any manner to bring
about the beauty and stability of the
country.
AS for myself feel double and
thribble interest in the observance OF
these anniversaries. and greater in
terest, as they come and go. because
OF the fact that | had loved ones in
that great race and I have had loved
ones all the time aiding as they could
TO the growth, progress and prosperity
OF that part of which has now become
portion of the great state of Okla
homa
In addition to this. | feel very
grateful for that which has come TO
us by the foresight. industry, econo
my and patriotism OF those We love
hope the time will soon come
when the 22nd day of April viii De
made legal state holiday.
AS We meet 10 celebrate the anni-
yersary OF our origin as a state, We
may be reminded that the country
which We call ours was purchased uy
Thomas jefferson on behalf OF the
United States, in 1902, right al the
beginning of the 18th century; that
from thence forward TO 1889,
period of eighty-six years. il was
substantially unknown 10 human civ |
ilization. ii was but a tractless i
prairie, the home of wild animals and
Indians, and that in a period OF
twenty five years it has gone from
its wild state to a high state Of cul-
livation and civilization.
As we mdeitate waon these things
we RAY also remember that prior to
the aznd day of April, 1889, no like
historical fact and event had been
known or taken place in Inc history
OF the world and neither can such
thing ever take place again in the
United States.
We remember the opening OF the
Cherokee outlet: the Iowa, Sac & Fox,
the Cheyenne and Ara aho and the
Kickapoo lands. but these were mere
incidents and the natural sequence OF
this first, original and only opening
OF the kind known 70 history, which
eliminated in the settlement Of what
is a small portion Of the old original
Oklahoma.
We remember the waiting and I
wandering OF the children OF Israel
Tor their entrance into the promised
land Canaan. and their final day when
hey crossed the river Jordan We
read that thereupon stones we're
placed. as a monument. al the point
where they crossed the river, so that
heir children and chidrens children
might see and know the point where
heir fathers entered the promised
and.
That is an old. old story which we
owe TO read, and so ! say the history
eading up to, and the opening OF TINS
promised land is an old. old story
which we all love to tell, read. hear
,nd sing, because We know il If trne.
ind the unborn generations shall tell
cad hear and sing the old, old story
ina love IL because they know IL II
rue The eighty miners did not mark
he splace OF entrance but they did
cave marks and monuments Of their
xanderings, waitings and hardships
IN the banks OF the River OF delay
disappointment and tardy justice.
In other words. the monuments oil
he eighty miners were builded III the
,romised land. not in river beds sur
To the old, old story Of this
event should ie added
therefore,, the heroism and achieve
nents Of the intervening quarter OF
eniury Now as We talk. read ana
ing of that glad day. why not look
,ack down the corridors Of time ana
,lorify the present by appropriatins
he fires OF the past ana by taking
took Of the accomplishments Of the
ears gone ny.
The transformation Of this land