Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-02-05
FIRE WHEN you ARE
READY, GRlDLfY"
Continued from first page.


always being much appreciated.
Mayor Willard F. Palmer came next
and the POSTMASTER on introducing
him, threw in a mixture of wit and
humor in contrasting him with the
mayors of Bedding and Ionia. Mr..
Palmer's talk was Of Michigan"
He eloquently traced the history of
the Wolverine state from the time II
was but secluded wilderness of the
northwest territory up 10 the present
day He told of the part Michigan's
sons have played in the great battles
OF the republic and the councils of
the government at Washington. He
took up the story of Michigan In Re-
publicanism, and suggested the prom
inent part which the Wolverine state
has played in party victories. He
spoke particularly of the Captain
Gridley who commanded Dewy's flag
ship in Manila bay and after whom
the Republican club of Ionia county
have taken their name.
sit is not too much 10 say that we
Wolverines are tonight as near TO the
center of the universe as mortals
ever can be The acknowledged SUI
premacy of the United States in this
commercial age makes us the envy of
the ambitious foreign powers, that
fain would oyertake, but cannot out
run us in the race.
michigan looks back upon state
hood of only two-thirds of century.
but to a record bright with splendid
deeds and names of undying fame, and
ir the names of that past we learn
our A. b C's. Blair, Chandler, Cooley
shall be the ones of imperishable re-
nown in the ireside story for our
children and our children's children"
State Senator Chas. Z. Simon of
Detroit responded to the toast "False
Prophets" He is an eloquent speak
er every word of his fine address being
distinctly heard in all parts of the
large banquet hall.
Representative Edwin DENLY fol-
lowed Mr.. Simon in glowing tribute
to Mckinley and Roosevelt.
"If | were asked to give one strong
argument" said he, "to prove the
eminent fitness of the American peo-
pie for self-government, | would in
stance the election of President Nc
L s,,1n DAA1aua1t In he
theory of a true republic is that the
president shall be the leading states
man and the most prominent citizen
of the nation, chosen for fitness only.
1t is ometimes said that our best men
do not reach the presidency, but if
there are in these United States any
better men than the late President
Mckinley and the present President
Roosevelt, we are richer than | had
dared to hope.
Hon Curtis Guild spoke on "Repub-
lican Achievements" and the elo-
quent Boston orator enlarged on the
subject, few heads of which are here
given.
THE Republican party favored free
soil and later the abolition of human
slavery. 1t was opposed by the Demo
crat party. The Republican party
won. The Republican party support
ed and put through the war for the
Union. 1t was opposed by the De-
mocracy in arms in the south and in
politics in the north. The Republican
party won. The Republicans proposed
al put through the resumption of
specie payments, raising our currency
to sound financial basis. 1t was OPP
posed by the Democrat party The
Republican party won.
'The Republican party proposed a
protective tariff, believing that such
a policy would make this country first
among industrial nations of the earth.
The Democrat party has opposed and
does oppose that policy. Protection
has made the United States the first
industrial nation on this earth. The
Republican party won.
THE Republican party having car
ried through the Cuban war in spite
Of an army without enough gunners
TO man our coast defense cannon in
time Of peace, without enough train
ed officers to leayen the lump of
mass of volunteers in time of war,
sought to strengthen and improve the
army. The Democrat party, which
had been foremost in criticism, voted
against even an increase in the cadets
at West Point, voted against barracks
TO shelter American soldiers from the
damp miasma of the tropics. But
army reform came in spite of the
Democrat party. The Republican
party won"
Gen. j. II. Kidd of lonia closed the
program with the toast "The Press,
the Party Organ" Mr.. Kidd was in
the best of spirits and kept the audi
ence in good humor with his sallies of