Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-06

At II O'Clock President Robinson called the
convention to order and introduced the Rev.
DR.. J. G. Butler, chaplain Of the Senate, who
invoked the Divine blessing upon the conven-
ton and its work.
President Robinson then presented Mr..
John W. Douglass. president Of the board Of
District Commissioners, who briefly welcomed
the delegates and their friends as follows:
Gentlemen of the Railway Mail Service
Mutual Benefit Association and ladies': The
people of this city are always glad to meet their
fellow citizens, individually or in association,
and as their municipal representative extend
a cordial greeting to you all. One of your
year 1878. Since then the record shows that
many of your associates Of that date have met
their fate at the front. The man who travels at
forty or fifty miles an hour next to a locomo-
tive year in and year out is a duty as hazard
Gus as is that of the soldier in ordinary war
fare and may well be said to be at the
front. Plunging through open drawbridges,
tumbling down mountain sides, crashing into
other cars, meeting malicious and murderous
distractions, all these and other perils demand
indeed some insurance for life and limb, and
your association seems to have nobly met and
is meeting all such emergencies in your lives.
l notice that since 1874 the year Of your
original organization, you have paid out to
members or their families over $500, 200 and
that your membership in the same time has
risen from about 200 to 1900. During the last
year there was paid out Of your treasury aid to
the amount of $780, 900. Since your meeting
here in 1878 your capital city has been making
great strides forward in almost every possible
department OF metropolitan life We have
added over ESQ, 600, 900 of buildings and paved
forget just how many hundred miles OF
streets. Over 10000 fine shade trees adorn our
streets and avenues, giving health to the resi-
dents well as beauty to the eye of the visitor
and q protecting shade to all.
1t would have been pleasanter both for you
and for us il the great drought Of the past six
weeks had not left the city looking SO dusty and
grim. But last nights little shower, fer which
this convention il undoubtedly entitled to .
large share Of the credit, for Wa had no rain
until you came, will prove q harbinger, let's
hope, for more and soon. The various parks
which you see about the city are very attrac-
tive, can assure you, under ordinary condi-
tons Of weather.
As look over this audience wonder any
Of the ladies present knew the postmistress, who
. few years since being criticised for delay In
her monthly report, accounted for the lag by
informing the department that on the last day
Of the month an unusual number Of postal
cards had passed through her Office. She hadn't
forgotten that. diligcnt reading was the basis
for general intelligence. The country took an
interest in that woman at once. There was Just
. little touch Of that nature that makes ~ all
akin in the incident.
but must remember that you are here for
business and that this body believes in the rapid
transmission Of thought, whether from OF the
tongue or the inside Of IN envelope or wrapper.
that your stay shall be pleasant in every way,