Evening star., 1908-01-30
MICHIGAN SONS DINE
ANNUAL SOCIAL FUNCTION OF
STATE ASSOCIATION.

The annual dinner Of the Michigan State
Association was held at the Arlington Mon
day evening and was attended by large
number of Michiganders, including many
prominent public officials and a number
of guests who are residents of other
states. but came to share Michigan cheer
and hear the interesting addresses Incl
dent to the occasion, which was the sew
enty-first anniversary of the admission
of the state into the federal Union, which
occurred in the closing months of Andrew
Jackson's presidency. after a long con-
test, during which the question of slav-
cry extension was prominently in evil
dence. and was one of the few states ad-
mitted with the word free" in It's con-
stitution. The people of the state are
proud of the record it has made since
its admission, and for many years the
association has given an annual banquet
in honor of that event. The association
itself is forty-five years old, having been
formed in the civil war period.
The president of the association for the
current year is Gen. Ira c. Abbott. who
commanded the LIST Michigan Volunteers
during large portion OF the war, and
was a brigadier- general at its close, ana
is one of the few surviving officers OF
that rank hailing from the state. he
cussion of the menu with brief review
Of the early history of the state. its ad-
mission, and participation in the sup
preston of the great rebellion. Michigan
being considered one OF the most pa
triotic states in the Union.
Makes Things Lively.
At the conclusion of his remarks Gen.
Abbott introduced Henry M. Rose, assist
ant secretary of the Senate, who acted
as POSTMASTER, and made things livery
during the evening by interspersing en-
tertaining introductions between the
speeches and short talks of the evening.
Representative Townsend paid a nne
tribute to the war Governor OF Michi-
gan, Austin Blair. in whose city OF Jack
son he resides, and under whose tuteiage
he began IS political career.
Willis L. Moore of the weather bureau
mad, an address on what he called iso-
thermal lines" in which he credited Mlcn-
igan's prominence in the past and present
to the development of force and charac,
ter by her bracing. hardy climate, ana
made. a number of humorous illusions.
Rev. Henry n Couden, chaplain of the
House, was Introduced by Toastmaster
Rose, who alluded to his blindness from
his war service and for having Tor Twelve
years served as pastor of ST Joe Can
mons church on the hill. The chaplain
said he never introduced or passed blils,
and then spoke appreciatfveiy or ms
flock. He alluded to the news that a
statue bearing an inscription Is to oe
erected to the memory OF Capt. Wrz'
who was in command of Andersonvilie
prison during the civil war. and spoke his
Sc entiments on the subject feelngly ana
freely Chaplain Couden also said ne
would like to see statue of Abraham
Lincoln, whom he termed 1.-The savior OF
the country" erected somewhere between
the Capitol and the Washington Monu-
ment He also said he would like to
see another statue-erected to the brave
men who fell upholding the Union-pIaced
somewhere between the Washington Mon
ument and the proposed statue to Lincoln
for the permanent preservation OF the
memory of the things accomplished by
them.
Names of Other Speakers.
Remarks were made by Hamilton Gay
Howard, son of former Senator Howard;
the commissioner of patents. Mr.. Moore;
the superintendent of railway mail serv-
lf