Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-10-21

go oSSASs III sl1PiIs lie SGIl
policies OF the state that is maxine
its impress for good upon the c%irtliza
ton OF the twentieth century.
George B. Winship responded witt
2 the following:
National City. Cal. oct. IA. 1914.
To Hon. R. N. Stevens, Chairman
and Fellow Old Timers,
The observance Of the 18th anniver
sary OF the State OF North Dakota
and the interesting program that Ia:
been formulated to commemorate it
prompts me to write q few lines aat
contribute, in q small way. to the fe
licttfes of the occasion Owing to the
long distance from the ~ of my
past activities. I an unable to joir
you in person, much to my regret;
but Notwithstanding. I still have in
terest enough in the good old stats
to pay a tribute to its sterling charae
ter and its glorious past, and to ex
press the hope that the second quar-
ter centennial may prove to be as
fruitful OF progressive achievements
as the past one has been
Recurrence to the first session OF
the state legislature, of which | was
a member, opens up & food of uiem-
cries which my time and your pa
thence will lot permit NE to touch
upon in the small space of a letter.
1t is enough to say. in brief. that they
are pleasant memories, replete with
interesting episodes of parliamentary
s~crinlnages and exciting contests in
the political arena. out OF which has
come wise and constructive legisla-
ton in the interest Of the people. l
venture TO say that no other state in
the Union ever formulated its funda.
mental enactmenrS in an atmosphere
more charged with dynamic energy
where sharp shrewd. aggressive men
fought for their principles with a Wig
or and persistence characteristic
only of North Dakotans.
The particular period of strenuous
| activity began with the Constitution
al Convention and continued until
the close of the first session of the
legislature. 1t was my good fortune
to be d member OF the senate from
the Seventh district, and chairman of
the committee on appropriations, and
I assure YOU that I speak from actual
knowledge when I assert that that
session comprised the most animated
aggregation of forcefuI humanity that
had anywhere previously gotten to
1ether to consider the grave affairs
of state. The. Constitutional Con-
vention was a live and versatile body,
but what it lacked in inventive gen
Jus and failed to perform in its sixty
day deliberations, was adequately
supplemented by the first session Of
the Ie%gislatie ASSEMBLY, and particu-
larry By the senate, and more partic-
term the majority was characterized!
While I am now one Of the living six
teen. I was not in the days of yore
q member of the Fatal Sixteen" so
dubbed, I believe. because it con-
troIIed and decided the fate of all leg
fslation inimical to it's interests. On
the contrary, I was in decided opDosf-
ton TO that cabalistic combination,
and left no stone unturled to frus-
trate It's designs. Notwithstanding
all opposition. however, the fatal
sixteen" succeeded itself for many
subsequent sessions, and was a factor
to be dealt with for at least two dec
AIDES. The rapid growth OF the state
and an ~all-powerful public opinion
finally dethroned the autocratic Six
teen and from my observations at
this time I am led to think that gov
eminent by combinations in North
Dakota is an agency that has been
RELOCATED to the junk pile OF has
beens."
Good Has Come.
However, out Of the strife and tur-
MOL OF the past has come much that
is good and helpful to the people.
The first quarter century of the
states existence is rep1ete with work
of 4 constructive character, and
the citizenship Of no other state in
the Union can boast OF better con-
ditions, or 2 more prosperous career.
The standing Of the state throughout
the nation Is ideal It's effective pro-
hioitton law its wholesome food reg
ulatioEs, its large per capita wealth,
and it's healrhfuI, though rigorous cit
mate, are some OF the distinguishing
features that are pointed out by
writers and speakers almost every
day. Only yesterday / listened to a
tribute paid the state by Lieut. Gov.
Wallace of California, and he dwelt
particularly upon its splendid citizen
ship and what it had accomplished
since the date OF it's admission into
the Union. And what he said is the
.conceEsus Of opinion everywhere.
You do not know Of the splendid rep-l
utation you enjoy until you get away
from home and hear it from disinter-
ested people,
I extend greetings and c~ongratula-
tions to my old friends and ascot
ates of the past. May you live long
and prosper, and may your span Of
life be extended to the s~emi-centen-
nal period in 1893, when l hope to
the pleasure of attending the
celebration in person.
Sincerely yours,
GEO. B. WTNSHIP.
Many Toasts Given.
Then cane one Of the gems of the
evening, which we set apart in the
proper setting, elsewhere in these col
ur1g, 1t was from the pen Of Dennis
Ea1rafn.
Rev. r. H. Craig, pastor of the
Methodist church, spoke briefly. He
cane tc the state in territorial days,
then left and served in ten states and
over the In ali his journeys, he
declared, North Dakota soil and peo-
pie pleased him most.
In a stirring address, Major Henry