The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-06-22

O1cen T. Edgar, %, Sole
Smuiuor Of the Merican
War, Has Seen a Wonderful
Parade of National Progress.
owen THOMAS EDGAR, 90
" year-old citizen of Washing
ton, sole survivor Of the Mexican
war. has seen a wonderful parade
of national progress.
When he marched away to the
Rio Grande, slavery was the imperl-
Gus master Of the land and aboli-
tionists were whipped by mobs IN
northern cities, while statesmen in
Washington daily preached the fu-
neral sermon Of Uncle sam, now
the healthiest gentleman on the
map.
The name of Washington was on
the lips of orators as the name OF
Lincoln is today; John Adams and
Thomas jefferson had been in their
graves a little over twenty years,
While here and there a few old men
were reverently hailed as surviving
soldiers of the American revolution.
Clay, Webster and Calhoun, the
great triumyirate of our history.
we're looking with fearful eyes to-
ward the abyss of civil war and
across the Atlantic the royal ruler
gazed with satisfaction upon the
apparent collapse of the form of
government which threatened his
throne
Stephen A. Douglas was rising as
a political gladiator while in the
house of representatives a tall, an
gular rail splitter was delivering
his speech on the spot resolution
which later was to plague him, and
on rainy days was delighting his
congressional associates with the
rarest stories ever told in Wash
ington.
~ ENERAL Winfield Scott was
W commander of the army, and
Robert E. Lee and U. S. Grant we're
captains, while with them we're a
hundred others, winning in that
conflict the experience which they
we're later to use in the war of the
sixties. Machine guns, modern
rifles, iron cIads, poison gas and all
the furies of the laboratory were
unknown, while aviation was wait
ing for unborn genius
The iron horse had not found
his pasture in the heart of the Re-
public and canals apparently we're
the last word in transportation, the
trip de luxe being made on the deck
of the packet line where ladies and
gentlemen of the old school sat be-
meath umbrellas in the heat of the
day while passing through the viz
cir country at the terrific speed Of
eight miles an hour.
Lawyers we're riding the circuit,
going from court to court, where
their services were retained by watt
ing litigants who told them of their
cases while sitting beneath the
trees Of old court house yards.
And to these courts came the
people for miles around, waiting to
hear the great men plead and later
to hear them as they debated pub
lie questions.
DOLITICAL campaigns we're a
L riot of color and passion con-
tending candidates debating before
multitudes which sat for hours be-
meath the branches Of the forest
Torch light professions were miles
in length and party ties had a
strength which bound men from the
cradle to the grave.
Religious fervor was at white heat
and the voice Of the initerant evan
gelist rang in The wilderness, while
round the open fireside Of the cabin,
early settlers earnestly talked of
QOCJI liz.
Militant torch bearers Of the faith,
like Peter Cartwright went up and
down the old frontier, working their
congregations into spells Of ecstasy
which would amaze our time.
The old country doctor grandest
figure Of pioneer days, rode the
forest with his saddle bags, dis
pensing quinine and calomel, going
where distress called, with little
thought Of financial reward.
Thomas A. Edison was just learn
ing to walk; Henry Ford had not
been born and Lizzie was not even
dreamed Of.
Yes, this sole survivor Of the
Mexican war has seen great
paradel