The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-10-07
WHOLE STATE
CELEBRATING
Indiana Recognizing Birth
day Anniversary of James
Whitcomb Riley
is MOST BELOVED
CITIZEN OF STATE
Celebrated Persons from ALI Over the
Country Have Made a Pilgrimage to
the Poets Home-Mr. Riley to Read
Poem at Banquet.

. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Oct. 7. j
James Whitcomb Riley's 62d birthday
anniversary came today, and, Just to
make it more memorable than any that
has preceded it, the entire state joined
him in celebrating it.
This year was picked for honoring
the poet because the citizens of Indiana
wished to pay him tribute while he
would be fully able to take part in and
enjoy it. In addition to the weight Of
years, Mr.. Riley has felt the burden of
i'll health, He has reached that sea
son of his life "when the frost is on
the punkin', an the fodder S in the
shock, - and the state of his birth and
lifelong residence felt that it didn t
want to delay longer the complete and
formal expression of its love for him.
Governor Samuel NJ. Ralston recently
issued a proclamation asking every com
munity in the state to set aside the day
for the honoring of ''Indiana s most
behyed citizen.' His plan was to have
business suspended as much as possible
The proclamation is being generally OBJ
served in every city. town and village,
from indianapolis down to Greenfield
where Mr. Riley was born. and Garlic
ton, the tiny hamlet, under the name of
Tailholt, the praise of which the poet
sang with the lines:
"You kin boast about yer cities, and
their stiddy growth and size,
And brag about yer County-seats, and
business enterprise,
And railroads, and factories, and all
sich foolerv-
But the little Town o Tailholt is big
enough fer me-
| Greenfield took particular interest in
the celebration. Many of its older in
| habitants remembered James Whitcomb
| Riley as a little boy, unknown TO the
world except as the son of Captain
Reuben Riley, a highly respected citi-
zen. Also it recalled that it is situated
on the banks of the Brandvwine. the
little stream whose joys the poet chron-
! icled in eth Old Swimmin' Hole,
and of which he had said. that wander.
ing up and down it, he chad more fun
to the square inch, than ever any
where" ..-.-.
Governor Ralston. Mayor Joseph f
Bell, Charles Warren Fairbanks, Mere
dith Nicholson and George Ade had
charge of the celebration in Indianapo
lis. In order to lend nationwide inter
est to it, they invited celebrated per
sons from all over the country to at
tend. Many accepted.
William Allen White came from En-
Iporia, Kansas; DR.. John II. Finley ant
Colonel George Harvey from New York
Ellery Sedgwick from Boston anC
Young F. Alhston from Louisville, Ky.
to help honor Mr.. Riley.
The list of Indiana citizens taking
part in the celebration is big. In addi
ton to the mebers of the committee o.
arrangements, there were Former Sen
ator Albert J. Beveridge, Senator Kern
Vice President Marshall and others
The program of the day called 70
an entertainment in local theater il
! the afternoon and a banquet at whicI
Mr.. Riley was to be the guest Of homo
! in the evening. 1t was expected tina
the poet would read q new poem a
tho banquet.
At the entertainment, several of NJ
Riley's poems. including The Ragged
Man and Little Orphant Annie, wer
set to music by Mr.. Ward-Stephen:
4 Dancers from Anna Pavlowa s compan
y interpreted a number of the verses.
Hundreds who had hoped to atten
! the banquet this evening will be dit
appointed The committee in chare
! have been compelled to reject scores G
4 appears for accommodations as the7
q are seats for but 400. Former Vic,
4 President Charles w. Fairbanks will /
POSTMASTER.
The coming of his birthday in Oct,