The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-19
1t Discusses the Bill Now Before
the National Congress.
Merchants Are Willing to Aid the
Wo0dman Picnic.
Shall the Reporters Be Admitted to
the Organization?

the parcels post" bill. That body,
through the secretary, j. B. Ogle, has
been corresponding with Congressman
McCleary concerning the proposed meas
ure. Mr.. Ogle at last nights meeting of
the association made a report on the
progress he had made so far. He had
received reply from Congressman Nc
Cleary stating that there was big fight
on over the bill, and certain interests
were working hard to get the measure
adopted. The congressman himself had
been making some study of the matter
and was considering what was best for
the people and particularly for that Sec
ton which he himself represented. As
far as he could see at present, the posi-
ton which the Business Mems associa-
tion had taken was sound. T. w. Hart
referred to some correspondence that
Postmaster Benedict had had with the
congressman in which the latter mention
ed circumstances against the bill he
had received from various other quarters.
What the congressman seemed to de-
sire was strong backing on the part
of his constituency. Then he could go
ahead and oppose the bill in good, Wig
orous fashion. Such was the consensus
of opinion of the merchants present at
the meeting. 1t was finally decided to
circulate big petition among the Man
kato business men against the measure
and send the same to Congressman Nc
Cleary. The matter was placed in the
hands of the committee on laws and
legislation, consisting of w. B. Tor
rey, Dr. D. d. Smith and FL. E. Hance,
with j. B. Ogle added as chairman.
The association placed itself on record
as heartily in favor of the scheme for
bringing the Woodmen's picnic to Man.
kato. The following resolution was
passed:
believing that Mankato as commu-
nifty will be greatly benefited thereby,
Resolved, That this association give
its hearty endorsement to the project of
having the Woodmen's picnic in this city
at some date in June; and that as indi-
vidual members, we pledge ourselves to
give earnest support to the enterprise
in every way possible"
T. W. Hart, in commenting
on this matter, remarked that the as
ISOLATION had once passed a resolution to
guard against SO much soliciting among
the merchants and other business men
for funds to be subscribed to this, that
and the other thing. Here is an enter
prise, however, that was really worth
hearty support.
J. R. Snow, who is himself one of the
committee of Woodmen, who have been
canvassing the situation and working for
the project, remarked that the commit
tee had already raised about two thirds
of what funds had been thought neces-
sary to induce the convention of the
Southern Minnesota Woodmen's Picnic
association, to decide on Mankato for the
location of the next picnic. This con-
vention would meet the next day and a
good, big fight would be made on be-
half of Mankato. Mr.. Snow thought
Mankato had a splendid chance of win
ming.
MIR. Ogle began a discussion of the
banquet which will be held under the
auspices of the association next Monday
evening. Tickets had already been sold
to the number of l40. He was confident
that l6o or ITS and possibly as many as
200 will have been sold before the time
for the grand event arrives. It was not
get certain at what hour the dining room
will be ready. The guests, however, will
assemble in the hotel parlors at eight
o'clock. If there are 200 or more tickets
sold, there will be service on the table
instead of in courses. To prepare the
dining room for this after the regular
supper would require from an hour to
an hour and half The banquet pro-
per might thus not take place before
Gals or $3.50 o'clock.
No person will be admitted to the ban
quet who has not ticket. There will
be no dead heads" in this affair.
Quite long discussion was held over
the question whether newspaper report
ers should be admitted to membership
in the association in case they applied.
Mr.. Ogle said he thought it would be
all right if in writing up the reports
the reporters would do as the associa-
ton wanted them to. Yet some of these
scribes had an idea that they must
publish everything. In the account of
the previous meeting Mr.. Ogle said he
had made some humorous remarks with
respect to the old time rivalry of Sup
town, "down-t town" and "Dutch- town"
and it came out in the paper. He could
not tell for the life of him how it got
to the knowledge of the reporter.
Another member spoke of the time
when local newspaper man was admit
ted into one of the meetings of the as
sociation; how this, that and the other
speaker would preface his remarks with,
Snow I don't want this to get into the
paper;" and how the scribe got hot and
told the members they had better let