Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-27
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OLD Transmssissppi exposition days wildly
~ recalled by the initatory gathering for the semi
centennial celebration OF Nebraska statehood
Here is project which should have been officially
taken by the legislature but legislative neglect has
left for private enterprise Of public spirited citizens
70 1t that fitting semi-centennal celebration
IL provided. II with the exposition which
similarly inaugurated although the state later Joined
with official recognition and appropriation but IN
this case the fact that another legislature does not
normally until the Of the time for
brating, makes u necessary that whatever IL TO be
done be done by volunteers and without delay. Mr..
Wattes, at the head OF the working committee, he
was at the head OF the exposition management. serves
to give II sort OF exposition flavor to say nothing
Of assurances that there will be something doing and
that all arrangements will be conducted in a sys-
temauc and busnesslike manner.
In connection with the preparation for the SEMI
centennial Of statehood looked I'd the schedule OF
organization and arrangement Of the celebration Of
the fiftieth anniversary OF Nebraska a territory,
which we held here in Omaha in 1904 Dr. George l..
Miller was the chairman OF the general committee,
and was chairman OF the smaller executive commit
tee We had originally thought to commemorate
merely the laying out Of Omaha a TOWNSHIP and It's
achievement OF a place the map. but this
concident with the enactment the famous Kansas.
Nebraska act and the extension OF form Of terri
toral government for the first time to this part IT
the country. its widened, and II lost Its
strictly local character. We made the governor OF
the state and oil the living ex-governors honorary
presidents and all the territorial pioneers enrolled
the county vice presidents special session being de-
voted to reunion exercises for these earliest settlers
II Is interesting though 70 note that OF the nine
speakers the program for session only two are
still among the living and that the approximately
$50 territorial pioneers then listed nearly seventy-fve
TO personal knowledge. have passed TO the Great
Beyond during the eleven years that have since
elapsed
Speaking OF celebrations. let me refer to the cur
rent issue OF the Western LAborer which is special
number for the twentieth anniversary Of Frank A
Kennedy its editor and IL full Of pertinent remtn-
iscences All the way through Brother Kennedy
contrasts then and now-the year 1896 and the year
lslS-in labor circles In Omaha bravely including his
own portrait taken at those widely separated his
torlc turning points. No one can read the record
showing the progress made in shortening the number
or work hours. and enarging the envelope with
out better understanding the improved condition
OF the mechanical trades and other laborinE classes
] all OF which leads TO this sage remark
THE good ole days are nice 10 romance about
but no one who has been through them would trade
| 1915 for 1895"
Speaking OF celebrations again, am In RECENT NJ
an invitation requesting the honor OF my presence at
the Independence day celebration TO be held In PhI
| deiphia by the commonwealth Of Pennsylvania and
the city OF Philadelphia which the most
beautiful piece OF Invitation work 1 have ever seer
The card carries the coat-of-arms crests embossed
IN seven coors OF both the state the city. and
asks participation in the city's celebration on nde-
pendence square Monday and the commonwealth
banquet on the preceding Saturday. am sure Il will
be glorious affair. II goes without saying that I
| regret exceedingly to have to send my regrets
know this column has many critical readers for
never does mistake Of any kind get into 1t that
| IS not called forthwith. My reference to Mr..
| Bryans termination of his military career by the
resignation route spoke OF him colonel OF the Sec
| ond Nebraska regiment, which was a alp either OF
mine or Of the types. We all know should know
II was the Third Nebraska regiment which he raised
and commanded Brother A. e. Sheldon OF the legis-
latlve reference bureau lincoln got first though
several others got also and let know It about
the same time