The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-14
Demonstration Opening the Colum-
bian Celebration Winds Up
With a Banquet
The Big Town by the Sea Quits
Kicking at the Loes of
the Fair.
Vice President Morton, Secretary Of State
Foster, Gov. Flower aad Others
tho Speakers.

NEW YORK. Oct. 13.--The Columbus cele-
bration in this city WAS brought to fitting
close tonight by grand banquet at the
Lenox Lyceum. Several hundred of the
best known men in the county were seated
at the table. Mayor Grant presided. Vice
President Morton representing President
Harrison was sitting at his side. Near him
were EI-President Cleveland, Ex- President t
Hayes. Gov. Flower, Secretary of State
Foster, Baron Fava. General Horace Porter
and Bishop Potter. The first toast
Was responded to by Vice President
Morton. The vice. president lamented
the necessity of the presidents absence,
saying he was standing in great shadow,
awaiting the issues Of life or death. He
tMorton) was here to thank them for the
respectful courtesy which assigned the
president prominent position in these
civic ceremonies. "1he twelfth of Octo-
ber," said the vice president, will here
after be marked with white. We have in
stituted the Columbian festival to be
repeated at the expiration Of each 100 years
to the furthermost limit of time by actors
who will not have been witnesses of the
preceding celebration" After briefly re-
viewing the impressive events of the past
five days, and speaking of the lesson they
convey, the vioe-president said, on behalf
OF the president, he was here especially to
thank the ministers of Spain, Italy and
France for their fraternal assistance. and
the representatives of other powers for
kindly appie ieoiation.
At the close of his address Mr.. Morton
proposed toast to the wife of the presi-
dent and expressed hope for her speedy
recovery.
Secretary of State Foster responed, to
"The United States,' making a graceful
speech. He said. among other things, that
in 10 other nation of the world is religious
faith, which 80 efficiently contributed to
the success of the first voyage of the great
discoverer, SO potent in controlling society,
enriching its charities and eleyatinR the
race. ut was in the United States civil
and religious liberty experienced its new
birth. Here it has it's most perfecs applica-
ton and its reflex influences have been a
prominent factor the last hundred years in
reoonstructing society and government in
Europe.
SD no other nation is education so muni-
ficently fostered and intelligence so gener-
ally diffused throughout all classes. When
we turn from social conditions to physical
III tHo OhAVCu oGdt5s Vic
contrast is equally marked. In the midst
of our glorihoation, however, it is plain
that many intelligent citizens have not
reached perfection in either society or gov
ernment. In my residence abroad the
criticism most frequently made to me by
public men and intelligent observers was
the lax and partial administration of JUS
tioe in the United States. Too often have
been made to blush at the recital, usually,
it is true, in exaggerated terms. of riots,
lynchinRs and the lawless execution of pun
ishment upon supposed culprits, not infre-
quent in this country. Usually it is the
imperfect administration of Justice by con-
stituted authorities which occasions but
never justi6es these lawless acts and back
Of derelict authorities may generally be
found perverted public sentiment. What a
well-grounded source of exultation it would
be il TO the list OF achievements already
enumerated we could make the claim that
in this land Justice was always impartially
administered to high and low, to rich and
poor, without fear or favor"
Gov. Flower, Gen. Porter, Congressman
Cummings, and others spoke.