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"The world will little note nor long remember what we say here but it never can forget what they did here."
     - Lincoln's Gettysburg address.  

THE STATE-WIDE EVENT.

On the Fourth of July, 1917, McPherson county will entertain all Kansas at the biggest and most appropriate patriotic and military event ever staged in the state. The occasion is the unveiling of the first life-size equestrian bronze erected in Kansas. It is in honor of that beloved soldier, Major General James Birdseye McPherson, who fell in the service of his country, and likewise in honor of 752 veterans of the same war, many of whom fought under the general.

McPherson county has taken this opportunity to invite the whole state of Kansas and has made elaborate plans for their entertainment and for their convenience while here on the national holiday.

The nation being at war and the middle west being far from the scenes of most intense activity, it is appropriate that this unveiling should be a day of great patriotic effort and for that reason the event will pertake of deep patriotism and military splendor.

The highest ranking officer in the United States army, Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles, expects to be here and to make the unveiling address. The State of Kansas has appropriated money for the National Guards and a battery of artillery to be present, and these will take care of the military salutes, the battalion drills, the dress parade, and in every way lend a military aspect to the celebration. From reveille to taps the day will be one of military splendor and can not be otherwise than productive of renewed enthusiasm for country and flag. Such is the hope and anticipation of the committee on arrangements.

The efforts of the committee have met with exceedingly hearty co-operation from all parts of the state, and on this day there will be no other celebration of consequence in the state. From daily reports it is evident that the largest crowd ever assembled for a patriotic demonstration in Kansas will be gathered at McPherson. Ample arrangements have been made for their comfort and no one need question having his time well repaid by a trip to McPherson, July 4.

In the evening, McPherson county will stage the most imposing historic pageant ever produced in the state. There will be 1,200 actors in costume and they will depict the great events of a great and patriotic state. This feature of the day is under the auspices of the community building department of the State Agricultural College and under the direct personal supervision of Prof. Walter E. Burr and his corps of talented pageant directors.

McPherson county welcomes you to its county seat on July Fourth and extends you the hand of warm fellowship.

 

PROGRAM FOR THE DAY.

Firing the morning guns at sunrise. Immediately every bell in city will strike forty-eight taps in honor of the forty-eight states in the Union. All steam whistles will blow for three minutes.
Opening of headquarters in City building at 6:30 a.m.
Assembling of special police at headquarters for orders at 7:00 a.m.
Military escort - Band and reception committee to meet special guests and trains, 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Assembling for parade at 9:00, at points to be designated by Chairman of Parade Lindgren.
Military escort for Governor Capper and staff and guests of honor to reviewing stand at 9:15 a.m., where the parade will pass in review at 9:30 a.m.
At 10:30 a.m. the unveiling ceremonies will commence at the base of monument, concluding at 12:30.
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., luncheon for everybody. Special luncheon at Mayor Johnson's for honor guests.
1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., band concert in big tent by Hutchinson Municipal Band, followed by addresses by notable visitors, concluding at 3:30 p.m.
2:00 to 3:30 p.m., athletic contest.
4:00 to 5:30, p.m., battalion drill and battalion parade by state troops at the fair grounds.
7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Hutchinson Municipal band under direction of band master, Cavanaugh.
7:30 p.m., reception to General Miles, Governor Capper and staff, Mrs. John Logan, and other notables.
8:00 p.m., Grand Historical Pageant entitled, "The People Who are Building Kansas," one thousand two hundred people taking part, concluding at 10:00 p.m. with a selection by the band and bugle taps.

 

PROGRAM.
UNVEILING CEREMONIES GENERAL
McPHERSON MONUMENT.

July 4, 1917, 10:30 a.m.

 

NELSON APPLETON MILES.

Kansas takes pride in honoring the ablest commander in the Union, Lieut. Gen. Nelson A. Miles of the United States army, especially because of the great service rendered the state in the era of Indian uprisings. His thorough work at that time freed Kansas forever from the red menace and brought a formal vote of thanks from the Kansas state legislature. It is fitting that after nearly fifty years the Kansas legislature should invite him to be the state guest at the unveiling of the first bronze equestrian monument in the state.

Nelson Appleton Miles holds a wonderful soldier record of nearly fifty years continuous and active service for his country. From the time as a youth of 21 he marched down Broadway, New York, as lieutenant of a company of volunteers until he was retired in 1903, he was constantly in demand in action and in counsel. From a clerk in a mercantile establishment he succeeded in one year's service in the Civil War in becoming colonel of the 61st New York volunteers. In 1864 he was made a brigadier general and the next year a major general of volunteers. He served throughout the war and at one time when only 25 years old commanded a corps, numbering 25,000 men. He was engaged in every battle of the turbulent career of the Army of the Potomac, save one, when he was in the hospital. He was wounded three times, the most severe of which was at the battle of Chancellorsville. He received distinguished honors in the battles of Fair Oaks. Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness and the Richmond campaign.

At the close of the war he was given a commission of colonel in the fortieth United State infantry, in 1880 attaining the rank of brigadier general and ten years later major general. In 1905 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant general, the highest office possible in the United States army.

For thirty years after the war he conducted a number of very effective campaigns against the Indians and quelling uprisings and riots. He did valiant service in Cuba and Porto Rica, represented the army at the Turco-Grecian war, at Queen Victoria's Diamond jubilee and in 1902 made a tour of inspection for the government in the Philippines.

The west is especially grateful for his services in making the plains country safe for development and remembers well his valiant service of 1874 and '75 against the Cheyennes, Comanches and Kiowas, his driving of Sitting Bull out of the country, his dispersion of the fierce Nez Perces, his subjugation of the famous Geronimo and his settlement of the troublous Indian situation in the Dakotas.

Beside being a military authority in counsels of the nation and a fighter of unusual success, he has established quite a literary reputation, his best known works being "Personal Recollections" and "Military Europe."