The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-10
TRIBUTE To A Diplomatic
Dinner by the Ohio Society OF New York
in Honor of Minister Whitelaw Reid.
Speeches BY the Latter. Secretaries Foster and
Elklns. Hon. ChauRcey NJ. Depew and
0thers-Allusi0ns 10 the President.
:rec,al 20 the rndian.poIIs Ioura.l

honor of Hon. Whitelaw Reid. minister TO
France. The society gives an annual din
ner, and monthly dinners and suppers
throughout the year. It's banquet to
Mr. Reid tonight was the most sig
nificapt event in its history. 1t gath
cred together a most distinguished
company. Many distinguished guests
sat down at the six tables In the
large a;ping room. Letters of regret were
read from NJ. Patenotre. the French minis
ter &C " ashington: Vice president Morton.
Senator Tliscock. Senator Hawley, Score
tsry Rusk, the Hon. Edward J. Phelps of
Vermont. George William Curtis. Joseph
Pulitzer and Frank Hatton. Gen. Wager
Swayne. the president of the Ohio Society.
presided at the dinner. Speeches were
made By the guests of the evening. secre-
tares Foster and Elkins. &. NJ. Depew.
Col. 4. NJ. Mcclure, 1t. Clair Mcheiway,
and others.
After thu dinner General Swayne said it
was with pleasure the Ohio society vel
coined Mr.. Reid back. "One conld have
rold he was not a prophet" he said. "Judg-
ing by the honor he has at home. don't
want TO keep you from him, and invite
you one and all to drink TO the health of
Whitelaw Reid"
MR.. REID's RESPONSE.
After this toast had been fittIngly hon.
ored, Mr.. Reid responded He said in part:
ION one OF the last occasions, when had
the opportunity TO act In the office which
you honored me as vice president OF the
Ohio society. i found occasion. IN pre-
senting to you n gentleman who had been
recently dropped from the Senate, and had
thereupon described himself as dead
sta.ssman,' TO point out that, nevertheless.
he had in him the material for an uncOIn-
monty live President. Well, gentlemen, i
have not yet seen the necessity of apollo
giving for any mistake made in that pre-
diction as to the future of that particular
member of this society. Now it 10 said
that the other party IL looking about for
candidate. But why should 1t have the
slightest difficultyi Here Is the first presi-
dent of the Ohio society ready TO its hand,
statesman himself. and the son of states
man; and. although he has the prOverbial
shyness of the politician and the lawyer.
will undertake To be responsible that he
will answer quite soon after his name Is
called. And if. for any reason that the
name of Ewing is not called then In the
language of my friend. Mr.. Bennett. L
would like to know why not Calvin 5.
BriceP Two States claim him, and he Is
bright enough for the whole fOrty-four.
The Ohio man continues to be prevalent
In the present Cabinet, for example, out of
the seven members. four of them are from
Ohio, and two of them are here tonight to
explain the circumstances. When these
four Cabinet officers vote together and the
President joins them, the rest of the con-
Germ must feel lonely. l am most happy to
md my self so thoroughly at home, so COM
pletely surrounded by those know best
and prize the highest. / am touched beyond
WORDS that you should have shown me this
kindness-and / am happy to have escaped.
In apparent safety, from public service
and to be received among you again. and
close with q heartfelt expression of my
profoundest and most grateful thanks"
SECRETARY FOSTER on oHIANs.
Secretary of the Treasury Foster was
then introduced, and said:
81 am here tonight as ranking officer of
President Harrison's Cabinet 10 testify to
you OF p the great success GEES, OF Min din
his duties at the court of France. Mr..
Reid has had q great deal TO say
shout Ohio. We never forget to glorify
was four years. was called upon many
times to respond to the toast. The State of
Ohio It begun TO be irksome. l found
myself repeating. and / went into study
singularly and beyond the other States of
the Union dIstin guished themselves Upon
examination of the State found a peculiar
condition of things, conditions that exist
1ae.ur mo other state Our m msq
camille and mining interests. four
great interests, exist here IN about equal
proportions. New York and New England
interests, Pennsylvania manufacturing.
The South and the West agricultural Now
all these great forces operating upon the
minds of the people of Ohio so equally.
New York and New England these forces,
not operating equally. produce lop-sided-
ness.
"0ur institutions are peculiar. We be-
heve them to be the best of any country on
earth. Certainly here every man. be ne
rich or poor. has an equal chance in the
race of life We believe in rotation In of
ice, but hot inst now. We have no class
get some in theoiyii service. who bold their
Offices Yet IN other countries, Europe, IN
the diplomatic service. the diplo.
mates are trained from boyhool
and and, remain 1an IN that that a sS1v,es all
pick up our dplOmates from our lawyers,
our merchants. orr newspaper people. and
we send them abroad to discharge this
duty. Now, undertake to say thar from
benjamin Franklin down to the present
time our diplomates have been as able and
as successful, and. think. more so. in the
discharge of these duties. than the Trained
friends. that one of the finest illustrations
w. have of the success OF the newspaper
fraternity Is that of Mr. Reid.
REMARKS OF SECRETARY EIKINs.
Secretary OF War Elkins was the next
speaker. He recalled the fact that when
Mr.. Harrison was n guest of the society al
its frat annual dinner the guests of this
evening had suggested the posi- bIllty that
another Harrison might some day fill the
presidential chair. As Ohio men they were
proud of their Ohio President. lApplause
Hewould stand among The first of the great
Presidents of the republic. lie was mat
ter OF pride to the society that Ohio had
given to the country President Harrison
and four members of his Cabinet. In the
conrse of his remarks Secretary ElkIns
said that he was not permitted to dwell on
the story of the life of the distinguished
guest nor to speak of the unhindered sue
cessiOn of triumphs which had marked his
career in every thing he mad undertaken.
He was allowed, however, on behalf
of Sths administration of which he
was an humble member. and for which Mr..
Reid had done so much TO make popular
and respected at home and abroad, to per-
form the most pleasing duty. He was sure
that it would fail To him while in office of
saying 10 Mr.. Reid in his presence that the
chief executive and those associated with
HIM IN administering the affairs of this
great republic sent him words of cordial
greeting and a warm W elcome on his return
home.
"You went abroad said Mr.. Elkins.
taking with you the esteem and affection
of many of the leading men of your coun.
try. You bad already risen to distinction.
and your name. your ability and your va
ried accomplishments were widely known
and appreciated. You return decorated
with the confidence and appreciation of the
two leading republics of the world by
reason of your great services to both.n An