Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-11-28
Democrats Of GratiOt Held JOllifl-
cation Banquet Last Week,
Wednesday Evening
GOV. ELECT FERRIS PRESENT
Next Governor Made Fine Address, Asserting
Allegiance to Pre- Election Pledges r

Last week, Wednesday evening, the
leading Democrats of the county with
their wives and friends banqueted at
the |. o. o. F. temple in celebration
of the recent Democratic victories.
Govern reject Woodbridge N. Fer
ris was the guest of the evening and
delivered the principal address. Rep
resentative Democrats from Ithaca,
Middleton, Breckenridge, Ashley,
Riverdale, Forest Hill, Elwell, st.
Louis and Alma were present, accom-
panied by their wives. 1t was the
first Democratic jollification in these
parts since the days of Cleveland,
but the presence Of ladies brought a
new feature and a new spirit to the
celebration and lent to it a dignity,
while the hollowness of.tin pan cele-
brations of past years was entirely
lacking
Emphatically declaring his allegi-
ance to all prediction pledges and
his platform, Gov-elect Ferris made
one of his characteristic addresses full
of startling facts and conclusions,
fired in his gatlinggun way with an
unquestionable sine Gritty. Toastmas-
ter John T. Mathews introduced Mr..
Ferris as "The great Commoner of
Michigan, in sympathy with the COM
mon people of the state.
After thanking the Gratiot county
people for their splendid support, Mr..
Ferris said: with full feeling of the
obligation of the present, can say
nothing much different to you than
the views presented at the meeting
here before election. / do not know
how to get away from the simple
Democratic principles. | am
not here as a schoolmaster to instruct
nor to disappoint or hurt. | have
been a candidate for office many times
before but though this is my first
victory, / have never dreamed OF
changing my politics.
Democracy is coming to be habit
with our country. The old-time
method of voting has gone forever.
The old-time convention system has
gone forever. 1t will be only little
time when the National conventions
Will DC vi ltlG past. hC wi
poration campaign contributions are
gone forever. The day of Lorimer-
ism has gone by, but do not believe
that all the Lorimers are out of the
senate yet. All of these things are
past :"
Appointments, solely as political
rewards, are things of the past. This
may not be particularly easy to those
who have waited 4s years. Com
petent men can be found in the party;
the aim for efficiency must never be
forgotten. Efficiency should be the
aim of the government. 1t will re-
quire lot of heroism and ] do not
know whether Mr. Wilson or | have
sufficient of it. but the people demand
efficiency and must have it,"
In speaking of woman suffrage, Mr..
Ferris said: "The day of disfranchis-
ing any number of citizens Of suf-
frage has gone" AT this point there
came a great wave of applause which
continued for a number of minutes.
1--WE have reached that point where
pledges must be fulfilled" declared
Mr. Ferris, and then he asserted with
great positiveness that he would carry
out all pledges he had made to the
best of his ability and further pledged
himself to the real Australian ballot.
TOO much credit is given to
Roosevelt for the recent upheaval.
The people are seeing a vision and
L,,t I'll roI
UP by the people," said Mr.. Ferris.
To William Jennings Bryan he gave
the credit, saying, William Jennings
Bryan taught you sixteen years ago
the new politics that touches the hu-
name soul as the Carpenter of Pales-
tine touched the souls. 1t has come
to stay" He then declared that the
Democrats must make good for they
will have no excuse for failure as
they control both houses of Congress
and have elected a Democratic presi-
dent. -Four years from now it will
mean either a tremendous victory or
a Waterloo"
Mr.. Ferris strongly commended
President Taft for his stand for peace
and prophesied the time when "War
is no more"
AS TO the work of~his administra-
ton, Mr.. Ferris gave some inkling at
the close of his address. He dealt
shortly with the problems of di-
sease, poverty, ignorance and immor-
ality, and said that the state was ig-
noring these. He said that the
schools were but in their infancy and
that the future would see twelve
months of school and sessions held