The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-28

he loved. Partly for his memory or him
and for the pleasure of meeting those
among them who were his own friends
too he was glad to be with them.
1t was fitting that the old pioneers
should assemble on Washington's birth
day for no mans life stood more for
Godliness, fearlessness, and industry
than did his. A born aristocrat, in
fiuential, great though not highly edu-
Gated, he might have had kingly powers,
but though a strange mixture of con-
tradictions in some respects nevertheless
the inspiration of pioneers and all other
good citizens
1t is a time today to compare the
present with the past. Is all of our
vaunted progress an unmixed blessing?
Years ago each little community was
complete in itself. There was the shoe
maker, the cabinet maker and every
| other tradesman all in the same town.
Today things are made at less cost then
then but is this cheapening of produc-
tion better-for all? Is it better for the
man who formerly made an entire
| article from start to finish to stand now
| in front of machine and almost become
| part of it? The answer to him seemed
to lie in the answer to another question.
1t was better for that man as for the
rest of society as well if he shared
equally in the added benefit which the
improved methods of manufacture
brought. In transportation too are the
benefits all on one side when by the
cheapening of transportation by the
great ocean freight lines and the rail
roads the people are brought into com
petition with the cheapest labor on
earth?
In society there are changes too which
are open to question as to whether they
are all blessings Where formerly the
entire population attended the social
functions now all are broken up into
cliques. It even seems that social adj
vantages so far as the men at least are
concerned are less than they were years
\ ago. Now the man is so tied down to
his labor i'll providing for the increased
wants Of his family that he has little
time for the social side of life In the
country this is quite offset by the
farmers clubs where both the ladies and
the gentlemen meet and all are ac-
quainted but in the city the ladies only
have the climbs and about all that the
men have is their lodges But is this
progress for the man?
Glorification of progress is a good
thing but it is still better if with it i.
combined a consideration of the benefits
of the progress. He was not pessimist
he said-a man who was nothing but 6
pessimist would better cut an artery and
die; every sane man must be an ultimate
optimist, and yet the benefits and disad
vantages should be carefully weighed.
The original settlers have nearly al
passed but in the best sense there must
always be pioneers and he who shoulder.
new ideas and grasps new response
bilities is worthy son of worthy sire
And the pioneer. gatherings of today
have not done all of their work until in
addition to the bringing in of the old
pioneers they gather to them the young
men of today and endue them with the
spirit which made their fathers such
powers in the land.
Among the other noteworthy parts of
the afternoon program was the reading
of an original poem by Rev. Riley
Crawford, of Byron. The poem bore
the title '1S36-Shiawasse County
Then and Now-1902 The first named
year marked the time when Mr.. Craw-
ford came to Michigan with his fathers
family and settled in Shiawassee county.
The poem which was given in blank
verse told of the experiences of the
family on the trip and then of their
early life in the wilderness Mr.. Craw-
ford is himself one of the most interest
ing characters at the pioneer gatherings.
He was one of the early circuit riders
for the Methodist church, his first cir
cult on which he began work in 1s43,
coming into this county for a part of its
course. He has preached the gospel in
this state for over sixty years.
An interesting sketch of the early life
of Knagg's Bridge, one of the historic
points of the county, was given by
Secretary Lucius E. Gould
A. H. Owen, of Vernon, historian
of the society, made a report at the
morning session, on the deaths of
pioneers during te past year 1t was
as follows:
William Caldwell. born in the state
of N. Y. in 1924, came to Shiawassee
county in 1867, died Feb. 20, 1901,
aged n years.
Mrs Charlotte Potter, born in the
state of N. Y. in 1887, came to Shia-
wassee county, died Feb. %, 1901,
aged 70 years.
w. M. Chaffee, born in the state of
N. Y, in 1918, came to Shiawassee
county in 1885, died Feb. "a, 1901,
aged Ss years.