Morris tribune., 1909-02-20
GET TOGETHER.
Entertainment of Improvement
Union a Great Success.

The first annual entertainment OF
the Morris Improvement Union, (and
there will certainly be many more)
was an unqualified success, and the
committees which had the matter
in charge deserve great credit
for their efforts. All who attended
were very much pleased not only with
the program provided but especially
with the enthusiasm that was mani
tested in the "booster" idea. The ar
mory was well filed, fully two hun
dred and fifty persons being in at
tendance. The evenings entertain
ment consisted first of card playing
and social intercourse, followed by
short speeches by J. G. Morrison and
T. Fl. Mcguire, after which the dane
ing program was begun. An excel
lent lunch was served at half past
eleven.
The hall was tastily and appropri-
ately decorated by George Hogan,
one of the features of the decorations
being the catchy and artistic mottos
which were placed about the walls.
Music for the evening was furnished
by Watzke's orchestra, who rendered
a fine concert program before the
dancing.
The remarks made by Mr.. Mcguire
were extemporaneous, and consisted
of some practical remarks on getting
together and obtaining new settlers.
He has recently returned from Iowa
and South Dakota, and after seeing
conditions there his faith in Stevens
county has been strengthened. Mr..
Mcguire is always an enthusiastic
booster, and what he said was very
well received.
Mr.. Morrison's talk was as fol-
lows:-
Ladies, Members of the Morris I'm
provement Union and Fellow Citi-
zens:-
In the circumstances under which I
have been invited to say few words
to you, am reminded of the deaf old
lady who was travelling in a remote
part of Scotland where the use of the
ear trumpet was unknown. AS she
entered the kirk of Sunday, dea-
con noticed the ear-trumpet, and
thought it fit subject for official ac-
ton. Hastily summoning the other
deacons, they consulted together, and
appointed one of their number as
spokesman. He approached her just
as she was adjusting the instrument.
and said, "Madame, one toot, you're
oout.''
Morris was discovered by the I'm
provement Union in the summer of
1908. 1t is situated on the Great
Northern Railroad half way between
Hancock and Donnelly, and on the
stub end of the N. P. which runs
from Little Falls, and the near end of
the G. N. which runs to Browns Valley.
Being thus favorably situated, you
can, as Brother Colyer says, start
here and go anywhere except to
Alberta when the road is blocked with
snow. The city of Morris has a popu-
lation of 1000 boosters, besides few
retired millionaires. 1t lies in the
midst of an excellent agricultural
section densely populated with va
can't farms, which contribute nothing
at all to the welfare of the commun-
ity. The chief pursuit of its citizens
is craftsmanship, and there are few
politicians. 1t has been widely ad-
vertised as the home of the consul at
Niu Chwang, the supreme court Judge,
the district Judge and the probate
Judge, the assistant attorney general,
the postoffice inspector, two repre-
sentatives and most of the county
officers. Besides these, there are and
have been -adjutant- generals, ex-
custom inspectors and ex.senators
which the memory of man verify fails
to recall, and yet it has not appeared
what we shall be in furnishing gov
ernors and congressman.
But the pursuit of politics is delu-
sion and a snare, and as much a
menace to the prosperity of COM
munity as it is conceded to be to men.
The whole bunch previously herein
before mentioned and all that may
subsequently come after are not in
their political activities worth as
much for the up-building of Morris
and the country tributary thereto as
is Stewards Mill Or the Stevens Cpun-
ty Creamery. Morris is politically
daffy and industrially deficient. What
we need is less politics and more
business, less craftsmanship and more
saving wood, less debate and more
doing.
We are like the man who wastes the
L