, 1891-12-22
BRILLIANT BANQUET.
Worlds Fair Officials Gorge
ously Dined at DelmonicO's.
Speeches of a Number of the
Distinguished Guests.
The Most Elaborate hffair of
This Season.
A Magnificent Banquet.

big banquet hall has had no more dis
tlnguished or representative gathering
this season than that which assembled
tonight to participate in the dinner given
BY the New York state commissioners of
the Worlds Columbian Exposition,
Depew, Thatcher and Allen. The feast
was given to consider the Empire states
interests and the duty in connection with
the great event.
There was a host of distinguished men
prescott, including all the principal officers
OF the exposition, and prominent repre-
sentatives OF the commercial, professional.
literary and political circles of the coun-
try. Among those who sent their regrets
were Secretary Tracy. ex-President Cleve-
land, Vice President Morton, Mayor
Grant and Lyman j. Gage of Chicago.
who is very i'll in his apartments at the
hotel. The immense white and gold ban
quet ball was hung with the national
colors and banners and a lavish display of
flowers. The clock tolled the hour of 10
before the good things of the banquet
we're fully discussed and the company
was ready for the speeches. DIR. Chaun-
cey Nj. Depew then arose and was well
coined by a generous outburst of applause.
Chauncey NJ. Depew.
New YORK, Dec. 2l.-Mr. Depew
said in part: The Columbian exposi-
ton comes at the most oppOrtune time.
The unprecedented crop this year and
the equally unprecedented demand for our
food products abroad will give us for the
next twelve months az exhilerating period
of prosperity. 10 the ordinary course of
financial experience the over confidence,
with probably a different relation in
another year between the farm and mar
kets OF the world would be followed by a
collapse.
But this great industrial exhibition at
Chicago will take up the trayed threads
of opportunity, too iavishly employed, and
weave them into new cables to draw the
car of American progress; save us as a
nation from the dangers which might
threaten and crystalize into permanency
thousands of enterprises which otherwise
wonld fail from lack of confidence or cap
ital. The citizens of Chicago are to be
complimented and congratulated upon the
courage and f%orethought which have
characterized their local preparations for
this grand event.
They have already expended $lO,-
900, 600 of their own money and their
patriotism and arc not yet ex-
hausted. But the expense of this q a
tional enterprise should not be wholly
borne by the locality where congress
placed it. The nation should do its part
to second the efforts of the citizens OF
Chicago to have the exposition surpass
any yet held in any country.
Speaking of New York, Mr.. Depew
-
the state to ask what should be New
York's place in this grand exhibition
Speaking for the people of New York
he would say to the country: New York
will be at the Columbian exposition and
she will be there in the full grandeur of
her strength and development Speak
ing of the magnitude of the great expo-
sition Mr.. Depew said: Its creation, its
magnitude. its location, its architecture,
and its striking and enduring features
will be American. The city in which 1t
is held, taking rank among the first cities
in the world after an existence of only
fifty years, is American. The great in
land fresh wafer sea whose waves will
dash AGAINST the shores of Jackson park
is American
The prairie extending westward with
its thousands OF square miles OF land,
half a century aga a wilderness. Int today
gridironed with railroads. spanned with
webs of electric wire, rich in prosperous
farms. growing ~yjllaRes, ambitious citizens
and energetic. educated and progressive
people is pure'y American The exposI
ton commentaries the discovery of the
continent which has become the home OF
the people of every race; the discovery OF
which has accomplished more for
humanity in its material, intellectual and
spiritual effects han all other events since
the advent of Christ"
PaImeT's Speech.
Mr.. Palmer. president of the national
commission. said: THE charge has been
made that partisan notifies has had some,
thing to do with the management Of the
exposition. To him the charge had
seemed without the slightest foundation
He called attention to the fact that the
principal offices of both the commission
and the local directory was divided be.
tween Democrats and Republicans and he
SAID that he believed that each of those
gentlemen wonli consider themselves dis.
honored if they lent themselves to and
did not oppose on any and all occasions
the slightest tendency to partisan discrim-
ination.
The creation of so large a board of
lady managers land | am glad to say here
that the board would nave much pre-
icrred the name Of woman to that of
lady') was the cause OF some adverse
The course of that board.
however. has justified the action Of the
commission. 1t was the first time that
this government had in any such wav
recognized women, and it has diVni6ed
woman. 1t has given weight to her
opinion. 1t has opened new avenues to
her efforts.
ITO those who believe in a more varied
work and better wages for women. who
appreciate her artistic taste, who believe
the more woman is dienifcd the greater
assurance there is of worthy sons to be
given the republic. The action of the
commission needs no defense. Mr..
Palmer spoke at length Of the interest
taken in the fair, Of its great Importance
in many ways, and said: II have never