The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-09-03
Old Settlers Of County Meetin An
nuaI Reunion at Paddocks
Lake This Afternoon
GREAT CROWD FILLS GROUNDS
Nearly Score Of Leading Politicians
Of the State Present at the Reunion
and -ecretary Of State
Makes the Address
From Thursday IS Daily


AL roads led TO Paddocks Lake to-
day where the annual reunion of the
Cid Settlers of Kenosha county was
held and the crowd winch thronged the
grounds on the shores of the lake dur
ing the day was the largest in the his
tory of the organization. From early
morning until long afternoon the roads
leading toward Paddocks Lake were
crowded with vehicles and at noon it
Nas estimated that fully two thousand
people were on the grounds and there
was then no let-up in the arrival. The
officers of the association predicted
this afternoon that all records would
be broken in the attendance at the
picnic and that the total in attendance
would pass the five thousand mark.
People came from all parts of southern
Wisconsin to the picnic. Every town
ic the county was represented and in
addition large crowds of pioneers came
from Racine and Walworth counties
and from Lake County, ILL., More. than
ever this year the Old Settlers s picnic
was of interest to tne politicians and
without any desire on the part of the
officials Of the association to make il
q gathering of a political nature it be-
came today the biggest gathering of
politicians in the state. lit seemed
this me rning that Republican and Dem
ocIatic politicians were stampeded
toward Kenosha. Secretary Of State
James A Frear, who is candidate for
reelection, was to be the speaker Of
the day and there came with him from
Madison, State Treasurer Dahl and In
su1ance Commissioner Beedle, and q
number of Madison politicians. On
the same train came Isaac Stephenson,
the Junior senator and A. J. Schmltz,
who is looking for the Democratic
nomination for governor Thomas S.
Nolan of GAINESVILLE, was one of the
early arrivals at the grounds In ad-
dition to these politicians every caudi-
date for Office in Kenosha county was
on the grounds and the state candidates
who were not there had agents at work.
Politics was everywhere in evidence
from the towering figure of Uncle Ike,
who mingled freely with the crowd,
down to the small boys who passed
political cards about in the crowd.
Nearly every man who entered the
grounds had button with some candi-
date IS picture on it. Every senatorial
candidate had representation on the
ground and most of the state officers
lad some one looking after their in.
terests. This side Of the picnic did not
appeal materially to the early pioneers
and they left the politicians and gath
cred IN little groups along the lake to
talk over the early times in the county.
There were hundreds of the pioneers
PRESENT and at noon a score of basket
dinners IN different parts of the grounds
furnished a chance for jolly family re-
unions Of the olu Kenosha county fami-
lies. There were many faces missing
at the reunion this year and the, pio-
neers brushed away the tear of renem-
blance many times during the morning
greetings.
IT was an interesting gathering from
many standpolnts Kenosha had her
part in the annual reunion for when
the train went out this morning it took
more than six hundred people from the
city and almost as many went out dur
ing the morning in carriages and auto
mobiles.
1t had been planed to have speech
making during this morning, but at
ten o'clock the hour set the crowd had
scattered about the grounds and Presi-
dent Stccksr decided that it would be
wise to postpone the meeting in the
pavilion until after dinner. This meet
ing was called to order at one O'Clock
by the president and large number
o. the old pioneers of the county occu-
pied places on the platform It has
been expected that all of the politicians
would have a chance to speak at the
meeting, but early in the morning
President Stocker put his foot down
and declared that Secretary of State
Frear was to be the only speaker for
the day and that the other politicians
would have to confne their work to
talking with the vast crowd on the
grounds.
Jacoby's band furnished the music
fol the day and after selection BY
the band the Rev. E. 7. Farri1 Of this
city, offered the prayer This was fol
lived by the introduction of Asa Foster
Smith of Milwaukee, who read his fam
Gus poem "a Little Leaven. AIT the
conclusion Of the poem Secretary Of
State James A. Frear was introduced
as the speaker of the day and he GER
tainly gave one of the best addresses
ever heard on the Old Settlers grounds.
The speech of the secretary was not
political one and not once did he refer
to his candidacy for office. In opening
this address he paid tribute to the mem
oly of the early pioneers Of Kenosha
county and Wisconsin and declared
that it was The duty of the people of
the county and state to reverse these