But behind and above all these inspiring and ephemeral incidents, wonders, troubles, excitements and personages, there is Kansas, growing always, not because of these things, but often in spite of them; prospering, not by their influence entirely, but because Kansas has nothing that is unsubstantial in her makeup. A fertile soil, a healthful climate, an intelligent, enterprising and brave people—these are the enduring foundations on which has been built our great and prosperous Commonwealth. Kansas is, so to speak, “all wool and a yard wide.” Kansas is sound in wind and limb. Kansas is the electric light of the Union. Kansas is the State of great crops, great herds, great flocks, great railroads, great school-houses, great development and great prosperity. There is nothing small about Kansas except her rivers, and these were probably made small because Providence, in fashioning the State, created a land so rich and goodly that it was deemed extravagant to waste much of it in big water-courses. There was a time, years ago, when it was necessary to do a great deal of advertising for Kansas. But the reputation of the State is now fixed. First in corn, first in wheat, first in school-houses, and central, not only in the heart of the continent, but in the hearts of its citizens, the Kansas man, wheresoever he may wander, is proud of his State, and advertises, judiciously or in any other way, its attractions and advantages. BIRTHDAY OF GENERAL GRANT. Address, at Topeka, April 27, 1885, at a celebration held in honor of the birthday of General Grant. MR. CHAIRMAN, AND FELLOW-CITIZENS: The felicitous concurrence of the birthday of a great American soldier and a great American civic society at the same date, has, perhaps for the first time, been generally noted within the past week or so. But hereafter, and especially in the distant future, it will afford a happy opportunity for a blending of military and civil celebrations. The very general and spontaneous celebration of the birthday of a living man—of a man, too, who occupies no high office, but is simply one of fifty-five million American citizens—is something unique and remarkable in this country, if, indeed, it is not in the history of the civilized world. But everything in the career of Ulysses S. Grant has been phenomenal. For years, during the war, thousands doubted whether he had any military genius. Yet in every position in which he was placed, he succeeded where others had failed. From Donelson to Vicksburg, from Vicksburg to Chattanooga, from Chattanooga to the Potomac, and from the Potomac to Appomattox—everywhere that this grave, silent, self-controlled man went, he inspired confidence and organized victory.