Evening star., 1926-03-07
MISSISSIPPI STATE
/ SOCIETY IS ACTIVE
Is Oldest Organized, Continu-
0usIy Assembled Body of
Kind in Washington.
BY MARGARET b. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET Il. DOWNING.
3, The Bayou state has been Promi-
! nent in the annals of the National
4 Capital since the first quarter OF a
century after it was established on the
Potomac, and its Stale society IS not
only one of the most f1ourishing in
Washington, but as an organized. con
tinuously assembled body it is the old
est. For, while the existence of other
local organizations is continuation
of Republican or Democratic clubs.
the Mississippi Society of Washington
was attracting favorable attention for
residents and for temporary dwellers
from the commonwealth away back in
Grover CleV2land'S first admlnlStra-
ton, when LuciuS q. G. Lamar was
Secretary of the Interior. There was
a nucleus of the present State society
when Jacob Thompson of Mississippi
was President Buchanans aide in the
same office. AS an organized, highly
efficient body with a Cast-irOn conSti-
tuition which manages its activities
most acceptably it goes back to 1891.
But all the State societies took on
new life and entered on a wider field
of activity about - years or more
ago. That Of Mississippi, under the
able leadership of Mrs. Percy Ed
wards Quin, wife of the member from
the seventh district. revised some of
its methods to meet the newer condi-
tions and it became at once one of the
most popular and influential of the
Southern State societies. Mrs. Quin
was president for several years and
retired about two years ago, but she
still retains the deepest affection for
the association and aids it in every
way possible. She is in mourning this
Winter and she and Representative
Quin have not attended any of the
brilliant functions given under it's aus
pices.
Present Officers.
The present officers are: Charlton NJ.
Clark, president; Mrs. Harry o. Cut
ting, Miss Lillian ChenoWeth and Mrs
Oscar Wilkinson. vice presidents. Mrs.
Sue Fite Ramsey. secretary: Miss
Perry WhiteWaN, assistant secretary:
Harry r. Fulton treasurer. and Wal
ter :. Erwin, financial secretary. The
society holds several meetings sea
son at the Washington Club and these
are usually decided by some important
event or the presence of certain citi-
Zens of the State at the Capital. For
instance. the Bayou State has at the
present time greater number of it's
native sons serving in the national
defense in Washington than any other
State.
The brilliant reception given the
MlsSiSsipptanS who are in the Army.
Navy and Marine Corps and the vari,
Gus AVIATION units at the Washington
club on January % was an eXamnle
of Bayou State festivities. All of
these officers of the national defense
are members of the local body. and a
committee composed of Col. Ephraim
.. Peyton. L. 5. A.; Comdr. John :.
McLain, L. S. n, and Lieut. c.. w
Walker, L. S. NJ. c.. acted with the
officers, with the result that more
than 30 martial heroes and their
wives, all born in Mississippi and the
majority still calling it their home,
participated in the reception. Rear
Admiral Joseph l.. Jayne was in the
receiving line, and Maj. Gen. and Mrs.
Henry z. McLain and Mai Gen. and
Mrs. Fox Conner of the Army lent
their presence.
Mississippi has eminent and dra
matte talent among the several hun
dred members of its local society, and
only rarely does it have to go outside
for material for entertainment at the
less formal gatherings 1t has abun.
dance of material also for excellent
historical sketches. as. for instance.
at the midwnter assembly. Repre-
sentative William Collier held his
audience closely depicting the roman
Tic and adventurous career of the IA
nous Indian warrior Pushmataha
Keeps Eye on Sons.
The society has a vigilant eve out
for native sons who have gone from
their old home and attained fame and
fortune in other commonwealths. One
OF the notable events in its recent
history was a banquet given eight
years ago to members of the Senate
and House born Mississippia who
were representing another State in the
National Congress. John Sharpe VIII
hams presided at this dinner with his
customary wit and brilliancv. Mr..
Williams, though 50 loyal and de-
voted a son OF the Bayou State. was
born in Tennessee, but to make
amends for this there were serving
in the Senate at this time such prOmi.
nent members, who were natives of
Mississippi, as Chamberlain of Oregon,
born in Natchez: Bailey Of Texas, in
I Copiah County. and Key Pittman of
: Nevada in Nicksburg
Former Senator and Mrs John
q sharpe Williams. who were constant
+ attendants at the Socioty's meetings
+. during their residence i'm Washington.
i still show much interest in it's affairs
~ and send a greeting at least once a
s. year.
:. Mr. Williams had always turn for
p historic associations and he frequently
i. gave Illuminating talks to the Missis-
,, sippians. recalling the giant figures
h from the State who have cast their
shadow on national and international
;. history. Mississippi had Secretary of
y the Treasury in President Polk $ ad.
ministration, Robert ]. Walsh. and the
N Secretary of War under Franklin
= Pierce, Jefferson Davis, has caused
!. whole libraries of history to be written.
:. The President of the Confederacy
: sfspent his last days on his native heath.
u and former Senator Williams knew him
= well. and had studied every phase of
his character and his official acts, with
sthe result that his addresses on this
= thorny subject were of substantial
value.
Harrison Regular Attendant.
Senator and Mrs. Pat Harrison are
regular attendants at the meetings.
also Senator and Mrs. Hubert Durrett
Stephens. Both these members of the
upper house served in the lower. and
had become affiliated with the State
society in their early days in Wash
ington Both often address the meet
ings. though the custom is to have
only occasional speaking" and more
Of the time devoted to social relaxa.
ton.
& The first president which Mississippi
elected after the adoption of it's CON
4 stitution in 1891 was Harry Peyton.
still an active member Mr.. Peyton
served for several years, when the Gus
tom of electing a new set of officers an
nually was adopted. that the burden
should not rest too heavily on a few.
Mrs. Percy Quin is deemed in every
sense the second founder, in that she
placed the organization on a sound
business basis. and month after month
she kept open house for the members