The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-11
HAIL TO .INDIANA!

One of the most luminous and eff
fulgent of the stars in the galaxy Of
Uncle Sam was added Just a century
ago today-the star that stands for
Indiana, the home Of the Hoosier,
the land Of statesmen and authors
All the Notwithstanding world
should join today in celebrating Hoo
sierdom's centenary, for what person
reading the English tongue has not at
least one representative Of the Hoo
sier school among his favorite au-
thors? In any event, 1t is certain
that the celebration will be wide
spread, for Indiana's sons may be
found scattered all over the continent
They occupy high places in Washing
ton and New York, and they have
helped to settle and to fructify the
western states Of the Union and prov
inces of Canada.
It was on December II, 1916, that
Indiana was admitted into the Union
as the nineteenth state, being the
sixth new state added to the original
thirteen. Jonathan Jennings had al
ready been inaugurated the first state
governor at Corydon, a village in the
southern part Of the state. Vincen-
mes, in southwestern Indiana, was the
1913 the seat of government was
transferred to Corydon, and it was
in that place, still q mere village,
that the machinery of statehood was
set in motion. In 1920 a committee
was appointed to select site for
a permanent apita1 The members
William Conner, on the west fork Of
nd hn cit oh
was accepted and confirmed by the
legislature, and the capital named
Indianapolis. Thus was born that
city to which all HOLSTERS point with
pride as the center of American Gull
ture and letters.
In view of Indiana's subsequent
greatness in literature, it is amusing
to recall that ''Hoosier" was originally
term of reproach and derision, sim
liar in meaning to yokel, 'rube," and
''hick." "Hoosier" is derived from
the word "hoosher", which was ap-
piled by the merchants of New Or
leans to Indiana boatmen because Of
their uncouth anad rude manners,
their boisterous proclivities, and their
perpetual Dragging about the wonder
of their native country. 1t must be
admitted that Hoosiers have never
wholly lost the latter tendency-but
who shall blame them? And who
now can deny the largest measure of
culture to a state which has produc-
ed such literary celebrities as Lew
Wallace. Joaquin Miller, James
Whitcomb Riley, Booth Harrington
Meredith Nicholson and George AIDE :?
to mention but few Of the latter
day Hoosier lions of letters. Indiana
has taken it's badge ~ same and con-
verted it into a synonym for honor.
Indiana was originally a. part Of
New France, and constituted an out
lying part Of that New World en-
pire which had its seat of government
in Quebec. The French Canadians
were its first white settlers. Early
in the eighteenth century they des-
cended thee lassic Wabash and estab-
;ished several posts on it's banks, in
Guiding Vincennes. The Indians
were friendly, and the pioneers APP
pear to have amalgamated with the
savages. OF their simple annals we
have no record, for until 1863. when
the country was coded to England,
we hear nothing Of them. Twenty
wears later Indiana became a possess
sion of the United States Then fol-
lowed a period Of Indian wars, which
continued to 1915, when the sava ges
were overwh elmed. and ceased to mo-
lest the settlers. The paleface pop
ulation of Indiana was only 1880 in
1910, but this mad greatly increa sed
at the time statehood was achieved,
and in 1920 it was 145,758.
XMAS TREES, WREATHS
AND ROPING .
JOHN RECK- & SON