The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-11
NORTH xATO BANQUET
MADE GREAT SUCCESS
e,om Fridays pslrs.

With most gratifying success, the
annual banquet OF the Mems club
Of the Belgrade Avenue Methodist
church took place last evening. The
dining room In the church base.
ment was filled with tables, at which
were gathered not only men OF that
church. but representatives of many
other churches on both sides OF the
river. A sumptuous supper was serv-
ed by the ladies OF the church,
and standing vote OF thanks was
extended To them. The whole affair
was under the general MANAGEMENT
of the pastor. Rev. Warner John
son. toastbaster Of the evening.
o The guests included quite a dele.
,gation from St Peter Among these
were Senator II, ". Benson, Sheriff
August Olson, Judge of Probate
William Mol and Clerk OF the Court
William Mallgren.
The program was varied from
time 10 time with vocal solos and
duets, rendered by ID. NJ. Jones, Sid.
Sney Davies and Frank Blyler. The
accompaniments were played by Miss
Stella steele The banquet was
opened with prayer by Rev. @.
A. Cahoon, the Methodist district
superintendent. fA o.
County Attorney l.. p. Johnson of
lvanhoe responded TO the toast, "The
Relation of the Law to the Church.
Happy Mood OF Pastor. &C
Mr.. Johnson referred TO the happy
mood In which his namesake, the
pastor OF the church, was invariably
found. and said he believed the time
would come when the happy, joyial
ministers would be the ones that
would do the pulpit work, and the
grave. long,faced ministers would be
a thing of the past. If b q
The speaker said the church was
the fountain head Of right thinking
and right living. II helped to mold
the character OF the people, and as
ihe laws reflected that character.
the church was itself great In,
iucnce I'm the making Of the law.
The laws were by no means perfect,
hut they were being gradually Inn
proved. Perhaps the time would come
when there would at hast be per
feet laws. .-, -.s.ts-.
Dwelling on some of the great
questions of the day that would
have to be solved. the speaker made
prominent mention OF that of wom-
an suffrage He spoke of the eman-
cipation of the black man. but said
women were yet to be emancipated.
lie declared he had never yet heard
n good argument against giving
women the ballot lie knew that a
great many of the women : would
cast their ballots more intelligently
than the men did. Women we're en-.
titled to the ballot and they were
going TO get IT,. ...- Las.
The Proposed Amendments.
Mr.. Johnson spoke of the failure
of most of the proposed amend.
ments to the constitution, because
so many OF the voters did not know
anything about them. The only one
that got through, was the one that
he deemed TO be of the least import
ance VI all, that OF the state refores-
tation. II seemed that this amend
ment passed just because II was ad.
vertised. He greatly regretted the
failure OF the proposed amendments
for the initiative. referendum and
recall. He spoke of two farmers
whom he had heard talking about the
amendments. One OF them remarked
that he knew nothing about any of
them. so he just folded up his ballot,
leaving II blank. Such vote was
a vote against them all. The other
farmer said he knew nothing about
any Of them. and he just voted no
on them all for that reason.
ag Another great Issue on which the
speaker .dwelt was the prohibition
OF the sale OF intoxicating liquors.
lie declared that Senator Works tried
To throw county option bodily out
of the window. lie. said the senator
took the position that the democratic
party should concern itself with i'm.
portant issues, as II county option
were not an issue of importance
The speaker declared that he had
great respect for Senator Works,
but he did NOT agree with him that
county option was an unimportant
Issue. County option would giye
every citizen the right to vote on
q mntter that vitality concerned
himself and his family.
Mr.. Johnson declared that the man
who finally succeeded in getting a
law passed that would secure abso-
lutte prohibition In this country
would write his name higher on the.
tablet OF fame than any other man
who ever lived. This remark was
greeted with an outburst OF ap-
planse
Address % Senator Benson.
at Is Worth While" was q toast
TO which response was made by
Senator II. y. Benson
Senator Benson spoke OF the crit.
icism that mad been made OF sena-
tor Works. He said AFR. johnson.
had made a geographical error. for
Senator Works district was located
- a.