THE torch OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, MAY 25, 1899
Charles K. and I took our leave at of Portland, Oregon, vtce-preaident
rather a late hour, after being roy- of the 0. S. 8. U. Mrs. Maxfield ,s
Abroad.
ally entertained.
visiting with her sister and is re-
Saturday was a beautiful day, sponsible for my visit with her
BY P. w . GEER.
____ _
anil Charles K. Tenney was kind husband at the home of his mother
Nothing would give me greater
enough to show me through the and sister in Milwaukee. 1 want
pleasure than to return to Durand,
city. We went to the top of the to take this means of thanking her
C
with Editor Hosmer,
capitol building, where I had a for throwing me into such delight-
^ s e e t h e reception the residents
splendid view. Madison was chosen ful company in a city where all
’o f X l d hometown would g it.
as the capital of Wisconsin before were strangers to me. I took din-
'Z
- n d , □ h e hi. w
’ ay n ic e , in anv city was built. The capitol ner and supper at the Maxfield
building’ is located on an elevation home and spent a very pleasant
overlooking the beautiful Lake Sunday. Mr. Maxfield is an en­
Monona, to the southeast, and gineer on the railroad, and expects
m l/m o n c y , hut a poor another lake equally as beautiful soon to he called into the northern
in the opposite direction. Four country. He intends to visit Ore-
ately thrown into convulsions upon place to live. I do not blame peo- avenues extend from the capital, gon in the fall and bring his wife
hearing of the return of “John pie for wanting to leave there wh
north, east, south and west All home with him.
Hosmer” to their midst. The lit- they have a chance of maki. g
Sunday afternoon I visited the
other streets run “corner- wise.”
living
somewhere
else.
tie church where he used to pray
All of the streets and avenues have Soldiers’ Home, where I met my
Returning
to
Chippewa
Falls
in
and work for Christ would he the
a row of trees on either side, and old friend, A. C. Renter, a radical
the
evening,
I
enjoyed
a
very
proper place for him to proclaim
at this time of the year the city is Freethinker, who played an active
pleasant
visit
with
the
Prestons
and
the truth as it is now revealed to
one vast forest of green foliage. part at the congress in Chicago in
Mother
Hosmer.
Mrs.
Hosmer
ex­
him. The very walls would fairly
One mile from the capitol building ’96. The Soldiers’ Home is a very
pects
soon
to
make
her
home
in
quake, but that would do them
on the west, at the terminus of one pretty place, and over two thous­
Silverton,
and
I
am
inclined
to
good. The walls of that building
of the above-named avenues, the and veterans are quartered there.
think
that
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Preston
ought to echo the truth once before
State University is located. In the There are, of course, many Free­
will
remove
to
that
beautiful
local­
they decay, and the inmates ought
afternoon Mr. Tenney took me in a thinkers among them, but I only
ity
at
the
same
time.
to he thrown into mental convuls­
buggy, and we drove out past the met two, Mr. Renter and Mr. Bales.
About
9
a.
m.
I
again
took
the
ions once before they die.
university buildings and into the They have a splendid band at the
electric
car
for
Eau
Claire,
where
I
Some of the younger ones argue
countrv over a very pleasant drive- Home, and I enjoyed the music in
waited
a
few
minutes
for
a
train
that it is cruel to preach Secular­
the park. Being the holy “Sab­
ism to grandmothers and grand-for Madison
It was during thia wav constructed along the edge of bath,” I was not permitted to go
the lake. The university buildings
fathers, even though it be true, for wait that I had the delightful ex­ and grounds are very extensive through the buildings, hut spent
it might worry them to have to perience of meeting with Mr. J. A. and have cost the state hundreds of some time in my friend’s room.
change their minds. They seem to Warren, of Menomonie, Wis. I thousands of dollars. The latest
I attempted to catch the train
met
him
in
the
doorway
of
the
de­
think error and falsehood pre­
addition is a very expensive build­ for Chicago in the evening, but the
pot
and
would
have
passed
him
by
ferable to truth for old folks. Great
ing for the State Historical Society, infernal thing wouldn’t wait for
unnoticed
had
he
not
been
adorned
guns! deliver me from ever enter­
where all the old relics of the state me and I had to wait until Mon­
with
a
Wettstein-
Freethought
taining opinions that will throw
are to be stored to he admired by day. I was glad of it, too, for the
badge-pin,
which
caused
me
to
call
me into spasms to give them up for
coming generations. The secretary Milwaukee Ethical Society had a
the truth at any age. 1 find that a halt and ask an explanation. I• of this society is Mr. Thwaites, and meeting that evening, and I was
our grandparents are often more had only a few minutes’ conversa­
I had a nice visit with him. He is glad of the opportunity of attend­
capable of accepting new truths tion with him when the train pull­
a Unitarian and quite liberal in ing and listening to the lecture of
ed
in
and
I
had
to
say
goodbye.
I
than some of the younger and
his views, as well as being an ex­ Mr. Lewis J. Duncan, who is a very
wiser(?) ones. Oh, well, such is was delighted to meet him, and I cellent gentleman. During our iberal-minded man, and from what
life in Northern Wisconsin.
I wish all Freethinkers would wear
drive we stopped at the home of I can learn, the Ethical Society is
found many good people there, and the Wettstein badge, so as to have
Mr. Tenney’s father, a gentleman doing a vast amount of good. They
hope to return to that part of the some way of recognizing each other
80 years of age, who is quite radi­ iave morning and evening meet­
when we meet as strangers.
country before I go to Oregon.
ings and a Sunday school every
At 6 o’clock 1 arrived in Madi­ cal in his Freethought views. We Sunday. I met several of the mem­
Chippewa valley seems to be
quite prosperous, the principal in­ son, the capital of the state of \\ is enjoyed a short visit and then re­ bers and enjoyed the time spent in
turned to the city. Mr. Tenney is
dustry being lumbering. Wiscon­ consin. I was not long in finding
greatly interested in the Liberal their midst.
sin has turned out a vast amount Mr. Charles K. Tenney. I had
I am now in the great city of
of lumber, and the Chippewa river had a great deal of correspondence University and is at work formu­ Chicago, enjoying the hospitality
lating a charter for said institution
is now full of logs, which are trans­ with Mr. Tenney, but never had
of Brother Green, of the Free-
ported to numerous mills to be the pleasure of his acquaintance. in order that it may be perpetuated thought Magazine, and C. E. Reich-
forever along the line it was start­
made into lumber. Acres and acres I always admired his good sense
wald, secretary of the American
of stumps now remain where once and quick wit as portrayed in his ed. He considers the Liberal I Di­
Secular Union.
were vast forests of pine. The logs writings, and I enjoy his company versity to be the grandest institu­
they now use for lumber are very equally as well. We spent the tion yet started, says there is a
The church has always ; opposed
small and would hardly be used for evening at the home of Mr. Ten­ great need for it and considers the
ney’s uncle, D. K. Tenney, whose institution under the right manage education. This is particularly true
firewood in Oregon.
ment.
of the Catholic church, which has
I became quite well acquainted name is familiar to most Free­
Saturday evening I went to visit never favored education, except
with Eau Claire, which is a very thinkers and whose experience in my friend, Mr. Leitch, who is, in­
enough to make Catholics. A re­
pretty city, situated on both sides the Holy Land delights all who deed, a friend to the cause of free­
cent example of Catholic opposition
of the Chippewa river. Chippewa read his “Holy Smoke.” Mr. Ten­
dom, which he shows by his un­ to genuine education occurred in
Falls is a nice little city ten miles ney is a lawyer of note and a Free­ stinted generosity. I did not have
Peru. Catholicism is the state re­
up the river from Eau Claire, and thinker of decided views. I en­ long to visit with my friend, for
ligion of that country, and the
as it is the home of Mr. Hosmer’s joyed myself immensely in his had to take the 3 o’clock train in
Catholics have finally succeeded in
mother and sister (Mrs. Preston) I company and was delighted with the morning for Milwaukee. We
forcing the board of public instruc­
decided to visit the place before his hospitality at his beautiful retired rather early, and I awoke
leaving that part of the country. It home on the hill overlooking a next morning just in time to catch tion to close the high school at
Callao on the pretext that its
is a lovely ride on an electric rail- beautiful lake. Mrs. Tenney is a
way, consuming 45 minutes’ time, delightful lady, but does uot ex- the train. I did not disturb my teaching is opposed to the Peruvian
This school was
sleeping friend, hut wrote him from constitution.
I found Mrs. Preston and her mo­ actly like her husband’s radical
Milwaukee and told him “good founded by American and British
ther at home and had a spleudid views and severe criticisms on the
capital and was the only school in
visit. Mrs. Preston was preparing religions of the day. Mr. Ienney bye.”
which more time was given to sci-
Arriving
in
Milwaukee,
I
went
entjfic
and historical studies than
to go to Stanley, about 25 miles has promised to write an occasional
distant, to visit her sister, Mrs. article for the Torch, which I am to the home of Mr. Ben Maxfield, a to religious absuadities.—[Free-
Hedrick, and, wishing to become, sure will delight our readers. brother-in-law of Mrs. Clara Bailey, thought Magazine.
acquainted with all of Mr. Hos-
raer’» people, I decided to accom­
pany her, and I was very glad I
did. f,,r I enjoyed my visit with the
Dedncke and am glad to note that
there is a chance to have them in-
cate in Silverton the near future,
where they will prove a valuable
; addition