Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-10-20

A FITTING ENDING.
Spirited Banquet Closes the New
York Columbus Cele-
bratiOn.
Several Hundred Of the Nations
Best Men Partake Of the
Feast.
Toasts Responded to by the Vice
President, Secretary Foster
and Gov. Flower.

New York, Oct. 13-The columbian
celebration in this city was brought IL
Il fitting close tonight by Il grand ban
quet at the LenoX lyceum. Several
hundred OF the best known men i'll the
country were seated at the table.
Mayor Grant presided, Tice-President
Morton, representing President har-
rison, sitting ut his side. Near him were
eN-PreSident Cleveland, eX-PreSident
Hayes, Governor Flower, Secretary of
State Foster, Baron Eava, General HOr-
ace Porter, and Bishop Potter.
The inst toast was responded to by
yice-President Morton.
The vice president lamented the ne
cessity of the presidents absence, say
ing that h is standing III a great stad-
CIV, awaiting the issues Of life or death.
The 18th OF October, said the vice
president, will hereafter be marked
with white We have Instituted a
Columbian festival to be repeated at the
expiration of each hundred years to
The furJhern0st limit Of time by
actors who will not have been witnesses
OF the preceding celebration. At
ter briefly reviewing the impressive
events OF the past i've days and speak
ing Of the lesson they convey, the vice
president said on behalf of the presi-
dent that lie was here especially to
thank the ministers Of Spain, Italy
and France for their fraternaI asSiS-
lance and the representatives of other
powers for their kindly appreciation.
AT the close of his address, Mrs. Nor
ton proposed toast to the wife of the
president and expressed hope for her
speedy recovery.
Secretary OF State Foster responded
to the toast The United States, making
Il graceful speech. He said, among
other things: In no other nation Of the
world is religious faith which so Ell
GENTLY contributed TO the success OF
the first voyage OF the great discoyerer
SO potent III controlling society, enrich
ing its charities and elevating the race.
1t was in the United States that civil
and religious liberty experienced its new
birth. Here it has its most perfect APP
pGcatiOn and its reflect influences have
been prominent factors for the last 100
years in the recOnSructing Of society
and government in Europe. In no
Otner nation is education so munifcient-
ly fOStered and intelligence so general
ly diffused throughout all classes.
When we turn from the social condition
to the physical accomplishments of the
country, the contrast is equally
marked in the midst of our
glOritication, however, it is plain tC
any intelligent citizen that we
have not reached perfection in either
society or government.
Too often, in my residence abroad,
have [ been made to blush at the recital
usually, it is true, in exaggerated
terms-Of riots, lynchings and laWless
execution of punishment upon supposed
CulpritS not infrequent in this cOun-
try. Usually it is an imperfect admin
iStratiOn Of justice by the constituted
authorities which occasions, but never
juStiGeS these laWleSS acts, and back
of derilict authorities may generally
be found perverted public sentiment.
What well grounded source OF eXulta-
ton it would be if to the list of achieve
mentS already enumerated we could
make the claim that in this land JUS
tice was always impartially admins
tered to the high and the low; to the
rich and the poor; without fear or IA
YOr."
Governor Flower also spoke, and re-
ferring to New York's fight for the fair
location three years ago, said: This
weeks demonstrations have given mag
niticent proof Of the broad, unselfish
patriotism of New York's citizens in
cOncealing all resentment and uniting
heartily"