Excerpt from Year Book of the Minnesota Society of New York, 1903-4
In earlier days before New York-3 had gamed this kind of primacy, people came here to 1dent1f v themselves with the town, and in so doing to lose altogether their identity with the places from which they came. In this later stage, however where New York no longer belongs to New Yorkers but to the whole country, and where it becomes necessary for almost every large busi ness to have its New York office, and for men ofdiverse or widespread interests to spend more or less of their time in New York - it has become entirely possible as well as highly proper that men should preserve their identity with the States or sections from which they come, while assuming their fair share of responsibility for the metrop olis itself. Thus it has come to pass that in recent years there has been a large growth of organizations and societies recognizing the desirability of preserving the home feeling and connection. The New England Society, of course, is of venerable origin, and the Southern Society is of ever-{swelling dimensions. The Ohio Society and the Pennsylvania Society have become bodies of influence, prestige, and impor tance.
Besides these four, several other State societies have been formed, and among the most hopeful of these is the Minnesota Society, which is meant to include not merely the native sons of the splendid State at the headwaters of the Missis sippi, but also all others who by virtue of years Of residence and activity in Minnesota, or of other vital connection with the State, feel that it is both grateful and pleasant to avow and to preserve the memory of life spent in the State and of asso ciation with Minnesota’s men of affairs.
Where the nation has developed a real metropolis, the centripetal forces are bound to draw from every State a quota of active and energetic men to do their share of the business at the cen ter of things. Minnesota has, for a young State, certainly been drawn upon by New York for its full share. When in 1901 the Minnesota Society was tentatively organized, its projectors had in sight about fifty possible members. But in due time they found that there were in New York and vicinity a possible membership of several hundred eligible and desirable men. Of these the club has made a list of more than 300, of whom, at present, 128 have definitely joined the Society as resident members. There are, further more, a large number of well-known Minnesota men in public life, business life, and professional life, whose affairs frequently bring them to New York, and 137 of these are now enrolled by the Minnesota Society of New York as non-resident members. It is hoped that the resident mem bership may in the near future grow to at least 200, and that the non-resident membership may keep even pace.
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