The Republican journal., 1908-11-19
MAINE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK.
Their Annual Dinner at Hotel Aston.

NEW YORK, November II. Gray-head-
ed boys and girls who claim the Pine
Tree State as their birthplace, together
W 18th young men and women who have
but recently taken up their residence in
the metropolis, met at the annual dinner,
of the Maine Society of New York held
at Hotel Astor tonight. Once year
thew gather to glorify the Pine Tree
State and talk over their earlier expert
ences in it's glorious confines.
81 was born in Athens, said bright
eyed, alert looking man of 10, as he greet
ed another gray beard at one OF the
tables
..Where did you hail from?' 20, | first
saw the light at Lewiston, the latter
replied. but then l left it in 81 when l
was - years old. | was present when
Col. Waldron printed the first issue of
the Journal. That was quite while ago,
wasn't it?
All over the big banquet hall similar
conversations took place. 1t made no
difference from what part OF the State
the diners came, all were glad they
could claim Maine as their birthplace
James McKeen, the president OF the so
ciety, who acted as POSTMASTER, made a
brief but heart-warming address in which
he described some of the scenes and eX-
periences of his boyhood days. He gave
most picturesque picture of launching
day at one of the shipyards which made
his hearers feel that those were good Old
DAYS indeed. He told of the gathering
of the farmers who came to the yard IN
OK teams, in carts and hay racks; of the
~, a1 tho work a 9
thew knocked away the blocks from be-
meath the ship; of the shouts that arose
as the vessel glided down the ways into
the waiting arms of old Neptune. Mr..
McKeen declared that there had never
been anywhere in the world a better ex-
ample of industrial democracy than exist
ed in these shipyards of the early days.
Every workman had an interest in the
vessel he helped to build. Such thing
as strike was unknown. They were
patriots. every one of them, who were
willing to fight and die, if need be, for the
flag. :.
G overnor-elect Bert M. Fernald OF
Maine received a hearty greeting as ne
arose to speak He said: eve are proud
of YOU sons and daughters of the Pine
Tree State who live here in New York.
You lead strenuous life and have habit
of knocking in the head many a financial
and social fallacy. When you came here
| was obliged to stay at home because
did not have the price of ticket. You
sometimes think that we have only one
issue in Maine-the liquor question, but
we have others. We are trying to de
wise ways and means for the preservation
of our forests which are one of our most
valuable assets. We have made progress
in the past, but l believe that it is as
nothing to what lies ahead of us in the
future.
''You people have done much for our
State. You have endowed our colleges
and the names Of many of your old fam
lilies are written across the front of our
libraries. For all this we are truly
grateful. We need your aid and your
encouragement and your advice.
Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin, the author,
made a charming little address, during
which she created some merriment by
saving that while her great grandfather,
her grandfather and her father and
mother were born in Maine, her parents
were so inconsiderate as to move to Phil
adelphia before she made her first ap-
pearance and thus rob her of the glory OF
claiming Maine as her birthplace.
Other speakers were Ex-Mayor Body
of Brook YIN and Ex- Comptroller Roberts
of Buffalo.
One of the features of the evening was
the singing of "a Song of Maine,
written by Mrs. Alice Bachelor, which
was rendered in an excellent manner by
Miss Dora Lipman, young girl OF the
East Side, who possesses a wonderful
voice.