Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-01-25
DEMOCRATS Of
COUNTY BANQUET
Large Number from all Parts
Enjoyed the Jollification
Last Friday Night.
.FRENSOORF SURPRISED THEM
Member of Prison Board Handed
Out SiZzler-Lentz Of Ohio
Gave Fine Address.

y Hood OF the famous democratic
oratory was let loose at the Gratiot
county banquet held by the faithful
last week Friday evening, to celebrate
the victory which came TO their stand
ard bearer at the election last No
vomber
Following the democratic repast
Archie Mccall Of Ithaca. announced
that owing 10 illness the Hon. George
7 stone. who had been selected to
act as toastmaster. was unable 10 be
present. and then introduced w a
Seegmiller of Owosso, who had gra-
ciously consented to act IN this cap
acity
Mr. Seegmiler Immediately called
upon the Hon. William A. Bahlke for
the address of welcome. Mr.. Bahlke
did full honor TO the occasion in his
address. introducing the various
speakers 10 the audience, informing
them just how welcome they were at
the banquet and iollifitation and then
he proceeded TO give sketch of the
history of the democratic party in
Gratiot county from the dim and
misty past. down 10 the present time.
He told of the great majority that the
republicans ran up years ago, when
they counted three votes 70 one for
the democrats, and then went down
the scale TO the recent election when
the democrats carried Arcadia and
Pine River townships and two wards
in the city of Alma A brief sketch
of the party from the time of Jack
son TO the fall of 1916, also came in
Mr. Bahlke called attention at this
time TO the fact that Wilson was the
first democrat TO he reelected since
Jackson in 1882.
Judge Beach of Saginaw with the
toast, Our Country Out of War
praised Woodrow Wilson for keeping
the United States a peaceful onlooker
to the terrible struggle that is wag-
ing in Europe Judge Beach claimed
that invasion should be the only rea-
son for the United States going to
war.
Universal Suffrage" the theme Of
Mrs. Francis +. Burns toast, held the
close attention of the large audience.
After pounding home some strong
points in favor Of woman suffrage,
she told her audience that il was not
the great American suffrage union
that was the militant organization,
but that the militants were small
group, which styled itself, the Won
ems Congressional Suffrage union,
and which is at present heckling the
president.
Edward Frensdorf of Hudson. a
member of the Jackson prison board,
called in to fill vacancy on the pro-
gram at the last minute. was the next
speaker Mr.. Frensdorf took a few
minutes time to knock a little. Con-
gressman Joseph Fordney of this dis
trict. was the object that Mr.. Frens-
dorf had in view, while he talked Of
wool and sugar. Following his de
liphtful little attack at Joe" Frens-
dorf opened fire on Jackson prison.
For one thing he said that any man
who used less brains in his business,
than was used in running Jackson
prison, would go busted. Then he ex-
claimed that when he was made a
member Of the Jackson prison board
h. would sooner have trusted twenty
pei cent of the inmates than those
who had charge of the prison
Frensdorf asked that the prison ,be
given chance 10 do the state print
ing He said that in case the prison
could get the state printing contract,
that the state institutions would not
have "a deficit as they have now He
also asked that Michigan have uni
form text books I'M her schools, and
then made the statement that if uni
form text books could be secured, and
the printing given TO the prison, that
Sl.25 text books could be printed at
the prison for II cents
He claimed that nothing could be
done with the legislature in this mat
ter, and said that he would give $780,
900 for a chance 10 make good on
this. and that he would file a personal
bond of 100000 Votes Of the wom-
en are needed to secure this reform he
claimed
Ex-congressman John j. Lentz Of
Columbus. Ohio, the last speaker on
the program, with a toast, "The Pres
ident Of the United States" paid n
glowing tribute to the president.
president Wilson is the kind Of
man that makes good; he keeps faith
with the people. He is president for
all the people and not for a chosen
few. He has been true TO the great
Jcffersonian principles Of democracy
President Wilson is free from any
ambition to gain another reelection.
Equal suffrage is coming during
the four years OF the coming admin
istration dor't know where I got
the right TO take the vote from my
mother Women couldn't make a
worse mess ~ government than have
The men