Mexico weekly ledger., 1909-01-21

ms n. B. A. Banquet
It was about $50 Thursday even
ing when the members OF the Mexico
Business Mems Association with the
ladies entered the dining room OF the
Hotel Hoxsey where five long tables
had been arranged to accommodate
the guests. The tables were decorat.
ed with white and red carnations
placed ~ fern fronds and from q
secluded corner the music OF an or
ehestra reached fhe ears OF the ban
queters between the toasts and dur
ing each course.
Mayor T. d. Graham. president Of
the Business Mems Association was
POSTMASTER and In this capacity pre-
sided most aeceptedly. After the in.
vocation BY the Rev. W. NJ. White
the guests were seated.
The first to be heard was secre-
tary Rufus jackson who read his sta
~tistical report for the year. Il con-
tanned the fact that over $1,000 had
been collected In the past ~ months
and that 1890 Of this sum had been
spent In the entertainment OF the
Missouri Dummers Asso. and for
other purposes to the advantage OF
Mexico. There stEl remains some
$500 In the treasury. Mr.. jackson
has done most efficient work d his
official capacity and the Ledger now
Joins every member Of the associa-
ton in compllmenting him upon his
success.
Prof. l. b. Hawthorne whose sub
Jet was The Tardy Bell, spoke
Of opportunity and what the realis-
alton of Il meant as wen as grasping
Il when knocking upon our door in
its ~infreQuent waits. His remarks
were pertinent 70 the progressive
spirit that should be the power be-
hind a business mems association !.
They should. II anyone. take the psy-
Geological moment.
Building a Railroad, by Judge w.
w. Bolts, contained some interest
ing data concerning the success OF
the movement for the building Of
the inter-urban line. When this gen
ial gentleman was introduced, by a
misunderstanding, the orchestra be-
gan an indian dance. For a second
we were almost led to believe the
Judge whose term in the Probate Of
flee had made many hearts happy by
the elimination Of the word "obey" in
the wedding service intended to do
a Kickapoo t~erpsichorean stunt.
Among the many good things he
said were the following:
Mexico, the center OF thesys-
tenn will increase the vol
ume of her trade annually by half a
million dollars. 1t viii bring peo-
pie of Rails. Monroe, Galloway and
Boone counties in closer touch not
a half hours ride from our front
doors. 1t win open to her coal fields
as good as those of Pennsylvania and
West Virginia.
Mexico, famous for her enterprise
has to be begged, threatened and
dragooned into taking $4,000 worth
Of stock in this enterprise. The
little community of Molina and those
in that vicinity have about complet-
ed raising $1,000. Perry Is raising its
$40. 900 and Santa Re has already put
in $4,000 and stands ready to raise
$40, 900 more.
On the South line the small com-
munity Of Hatton has already raised
$40. 900. and all along the line com.
mittees are al work making up their
quota OF 500. 900, that they think win
be needed to make the enterprise go.
60"
Omar d. Gray. of the Sturgeon, Mo.
Leader, responded TO the toast The
Press. What Mfr. Gray said warmed
the heart Of all the newspapermen
present. He told the truth and
shamed the devil. He informed the
business man that the editor was hu.
man and had to eat as well as tell
the truth and that II he didn't tell
the latter 1t was because he had been
misinformed. We would like to pub
lish his toast, II space would allow.
for 1t covered a wide field and one
that too much cannot be said of.
W. W. Fry in his talk on what
We Have Done" pointed with pride to
the Industries OF our city and what
they meant to the community. He said
the f4iiroads had done much for the
city and cited facetiously as an ex-
ample the recent arrest Of several
prominent criminals in this city. In
closing he told Of meeting a police Of
ficial hurrying to the train one night
who told him he was in search for
several Italians who he understood
had escaped from Messina and for
whom there was a reward offered.
A. d. Perry, of the Alton, spoke
upon the Red Train" He stated
the road intended to give Mexico the
best service within their power and
announced the reliable Red Train"
was rapidly displacing watches in
south Mexico because Of its always arl
irving on the dot"
Upon Our Resources" G. +. Clark
delivered n Of his characteristic re-
sponses and entertained everyone mo
pleasantly. He especially dweIt upon
the excellent fire clay deposits here
that would some day make this city
the center Of such industry In the
West.
The three RS" President Million
announced, did not mean Rum, Ro-
manism and Rebellion. but Readin,
'ritin' and 'Rithmetic. He dweit up
on the fact that Missouri now stood
21st from the front in the table Of
illlteracy among the states and that
this could only be remedied by the
betterment Of the rural schools. In
elosiHg be added Missouri was max
Ing great headway already to over
come these social factors and in al
few years would stand near Il mot Al