THE PRESIDENT: I do not desire to be placed in the bragging class but as a Michigander several things have been brought to my notice very recently that cause me to take pride in Michigan. As I landed in the fine central station in Washington it occurred to me that a senator from Michigan, James McMillan, had caused the old railroad stations in the District of Columbia to be cleaned out and the fine new depot established in place of them. For his good work one of Washington's parks bears his name. The plans for the new Union Station were prepared by Mr. Spencer, an engineer from Michigan. Passing the Senate Office building I realized that another Michigan Senator, Senator Charles E. Townsend, was at the head of the national road movement in the United States, being chairman of the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, fully in accord with the tree planting plan that we have mapped out to be carried on on the public highways throughout the United States. Picking up the program showing what our work might be at this convention, I find five Michiganders noted thereon, a fair proportion of the program. Picking up the morning paper, if you please, you will find that Michigan has been advanced in population beyond the other states. You will find that our city of Detroit has passed a number of other great cities, going from tenth place to fourth, becoming one of the four cities of the United States with a million inhabitants. So you see we have a prosperous state. And we have good men in Michigan that have helped to make it so. Going into a railroad station in a Western city within the past two or three weeks this occurred. The morning paper had stated that the candidate of a great political party to the presidency of the United States was on a train that had been ditched, that the engineer had been severely injured and a number of others on the train; that the distinguished candidate himself had been badly jarred and might possibly have been injured. An hour or two after this first report came from this accident the news boys were calling on the streets: "Extra, extra." Naturally we thought it would be a continuation of news relative to this railroad accident and immediately I purchased a paper. What do you suppose its heading was? In great type three inches high: "Henry Ford has reduced the price of automobiles." Henry Ford perhaps is the best known Michigan citizen today and when we get the river and harbor appropriation that my good friend Dr. Morris referred to not long ago you will see the Washington steamers going up the St. Lawrence River and loading at the seaport of Detroit, carrying out the products of Michigan, we will hope the cargoes of nuts to which he referred. But next to Henry Ford I am sure that the best-known citizen of Michigan today is the next speaker upon the program. He needs no introduction to you. He is one of the pioneers of this movement and in my opinion has done more than any other man in this day and age to promote health, to promote good morals and to benefit the race in many ways along the lines that he has chosen. I take great pleasure in presenting Dr. Kellogg of Battle Creek, Michigan. (Applause).
Industry Journal
Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Eleventh Annual Meeting — Part 67
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