Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-01
IN GERMAN AND ENGLISH.
A Patriotic Celebration of the WASH
ington Centennial.


GERHAN-AMERIcANs SING THE STAR sPANaIED
BANNER AND LISTEN TO AN ELOQUENT Ap-
DREss-THE CELEBRATION LAST NIGHT UNDER
THE AUSPICES OF THE sAENGERBUND.
About two hundred German Americans at
tended the Washington centennial celebration
under the auspices of the Saengerbund of this
city, at Edels hall last night. In front of the
stage large portrait of the Father of His
Country rested on an easel draped with a
handsome silk American flag The exercises
were opened by chorus by the Ssengerbund
'>The Lords Own Day" by Kreutzer. Mr.. VIM.
Waldecker being the director. Then Mr.. Paul
Schulze, the president of the Bund, made q
few Introductory remarks in German He was
followed by musical selection. Mr. F. Knoop
rendering The Red, White and Blue" with a
chorus. His clear, strong tenor voice filed
the hall perfectly. and caused loud applause.
An original poem in German by Mr.. Frank
Clandy was recited, and received with rap
turous applaust
THE STAR sPANGLED BANNER.
The next part of the program was so thor
oughly American as to be unmistakable. Mr.. E.
Holer singing 1.-The Star Spargled Banner"
with fine effect, accompanied by the Bund in
Holers voice is a rich, flexible baritone. cana
bic of great expansion. and possessing q wide
range. The patriotic ring he gave to the ma
tional song had a stirring effect with his audi
ence.
MR.. VOLTS GRAFTON.
Mr.. Simon Wolf. president of the Washington
Schuetzen Verein, delivered the Grafton in
English. He was greeted with applause when
he appeared. and was forced TO wait after al
Ln oir CHI l.
clear of the hand-clapping and the ''brayos" OF
the people in the hall. He said that they were
not assembled there as Germans or as belong
ing to one or another of the sectarian creeds
or faiths, but as American citizens filed with
patriotic desire TO celebrate the dav and to COM
memorate the occasion as it deserved He
would not. he said. insult their intelligence by
portray1ng the features of the life character
and achievements of Washington. the man of
men whom all adore and revere In fact
nothing has ever been said that was more ex-
presSiye of the whole range of thought on this
subject than the words spoken in the House Of
Representatives. after the death of Washington
by representative Lee. of Virginia. abiding to
Washington as being First in war, first in
peace and first in the hearts of his country
men" words that have rung their echo to this
day and will never die.
THE PROGRESS OF THE NATION.
They were there, he said, to review the
achievements Of the nation. made possible by
Washington. There have been opinions ex-
pressed. both in other countries and in this,
to the effect that the republic would fall. but it
has lived and survived all shocks. all doubts
and criticisms, the scorn of European despots,
the strife OF civil war, and is to-day in the
front rank of nations. This has been due. to
a large extent, to an undercurrent of good
sense In the American character that always
goes right at the right time, aided by the moral
poise Of the nation.
Mr.. Wolf spoke eloquently of the progress
of the nation in science. religion, morality,
comforts, wealth and intelligence, to which the
efforts of our inventors and designers have con-
trlbuted in vast degree. Had they lived a
century ago, he said. they would have been
hanged in old Connecticut for Witches but
their work has stamped the century just clos
ing with an undying fame. The foundation.
he said, has only been laid. The first pillar of
that glorious temple that is to rise has hardly
become visible and the nation. notwithstand-
ing its progress is still only in embryo.
FoREIGS-BORN CITIZENS.
He spoke with great warmth of the position
Of the foreign-born population Of the country
who. he said, guard the American institutions
and liberties to-day with greater zeal and
energy than 1.-The dudes who go to Europe to
spend their money and to air their ignorance"
This statement was received with great ap-
plause. He then went on TO say that he was
regretful and indignant that any doubt should
have been raised by some scurcilous scrib-
blers" as to which side the German-Americans
would stand on in case of war.
At this the hall re-echoed with cries of
"good," and loud applause, while from some
portions of the room came faint hisses almost
drowned by the marks of appreciation. TO indi-
cate that there were few present who did not
share the speakers sentiments. He con-
Guided with the hope that the progress would
go on, and that in another hundred years our
grandchildren may form part of a nation of
800 900 people thoroughly free.
His grafton, though somewhat brief. was re-
plete with energy and patriotic fire, and its
close brought mole applause. The exercises
ended with grand chorus by the Saengerbund
"The Nations Prayer" by Franz Abt.