St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-31
AT The COMMERCIAL CLUB
Continued From First Page.


Siberia. we must agree that what the
press don't know is not worth know
ing. and il L knew what the press don't
know. which l really do, but mOdesty
forbids my admitting it, should hardly
feel like OBTAINING you from your Sab
bath day devotion day after tomorrow
to tell.
CHANGES.
Things That Have Cllanged-Things
That Ought to Change" Was responded
to by Gen. NJ. ID. Flower. After very
witty introduction he added the follow
ing sentiments:
In fixing a subject for me the commit
tee has been very generous in giving
the widest possible latitude. A "thiug"
is almost anything. l will not hesitate
to call most everything something.
do not conceive that l am limited or
embarrassed, except as | may refer to
our fair companions who grace this oc-
casion with their genial presence. lam
glad they are with US, and IT snail SO
far forget myself as to apply the term
thing to them, hope the members of
the club will promptly expel me. do
not recall but one expression where
the term can be applied to Our fair
friends with any degree of appro-
riatenesS, and l do not hesitate to men-
ton if, as l am in full accord with the
sentiment: IA thing OF beauty is joy
forever" LII l iiau created this senti-
meutal expression, l would have said:
"A beauty IS joy tor ever" and l
would have dedicated it to the respect
f,ff
progressive, therefore, with every adj
vaf1cement of civilization she is to be
found In the front ranks of reform with
the courage of her convictions. The
representative woman has changed, and
always fer the better; she will continue
to Change SO long as civilization shall
need her sympathy and cooperation,
but her kindly nature, usually cheerful
disposition. and Christian virtues are as
Interchangeable as the fixed stars. God
bless our mothers, wives and sisters.
Plato defined man as "a twe-legged
animal without feathers" and Diogenes
diScredIted the definition by plucklng
rooster, and carrying the unhappy bird
to Plato, who then added to his defini-
ton, Having broad fiat nails" This
quotation always reminds me of Polly
Carps' definition OF Harlan P. Hall. the
bright presiding genious of this ban
quet. She said he had always been
likened unto steam engine i'll breeches,
but the comparison was tame. he was
yeritable electric battery. This was
not bad description of the man. |
don't mean to call him fast; 1t refers to
his indomitable energy, his activity
and mental and physical yigor.
Did you ever observe him on the
streets of the city? Did you
ever see him standing still?
| venture not. he's always going, not
leisurely, not languidly, but vigorously,
l might say furiously. His ordinary
gait is a cross between dog trot and
the stride Of giraffe. He's always
hustler. He eats quickly. sleeps quick
ly. thinks quickly, and is mighty handy
with his pen; he's man of nerve. with
assurance and sand to back it up-to
use slang term, HE always has his
moXie with him."
You can't discomit him, you can't
shock him, you can't down him. Like
BaHquo's ghost, he won't be downed. l
have heard Hall called Brassey, but
that is mistake; his native modesty
restraints him from asking impossible
things.
Mr.. Hall IS the founder of two of our
great daily newspapers, the GLOBE and
Dispatch. His theory was that two of a
kind beat the Pioneer Press.
10 use his own language. his objective
point was "to raise hades and sell news
papers," and he has been doing the
former ever since.
L have known him for thirty years.
see evidences of discredit. l admit that
his youthful bearing justifies suspicion,
but respect for the truth compels me to
state facts; confidentialIy, l don't mind
telling you. he's like slnged cat
worse than he looks.
Twenty years ago he was black Re-
publican, shining light in his party
and leader in the old Ramsey ring.
ewaS a candidate for postmaster of
st. Paul, but Joe Wheelock beat him
and he changed-don't misunderstood
me, he simply changed his politics, he
is still candidate for postmaster. There
are some things. however, in which he
is unchanged, he's the same genial, un-
fiinching friend as OF old, the same man
of courage, of ability. of energy, of
nerve. The same old "Battery In
0reeches," and in all of these we would
not change him if we could. Long life
and prosperity to Harlan P. Hall.
flatter myself that | am not old,
may not belle my personal appearance
by an undue assumption of youth, like
my friend Hall, but l shall resent any
imputation that | have passed the prime
of life; shall be actually affronted at
the suggestion that | am old. The fact
is am not old, and do not associate
with old people; as all evidence of this
L am one of you, and, surely, you are in
the hey-day of life. l mention the fact
that [ am not old, not because of my
vanity, but because [ wish to use The
circumstance to illustrate few of the
changes, in city and state, that have
come within the scope of my own OBJ
servation. | have seen the Indians
camped on the bluff of your city, where,
at the present time, stand the paiatial
homes OF Summit avenue.
l have seen the cabin of the pioneer
give place to your magnificent blocks of
iron and stone. have seen the hills
leveled and the valleys filed to smooth
the ground upon which now stands the
greater part of the business Center of
your city. Many of you little realize
the changes in the topography of this
town since the work of upbuildlug be-
gan. In many places, where the pres
ent level surfaces greet the eye. were
yawning raVine thirty to forty feet in
depth, with corresponding hills fifty tn
sixty feet in height.
He gave brief resume of the state,
with which he was personally familiar
from a time antedating the state or
ganlZaton. and added:
l don't blame old maids for maintain
ing single blesSedness; they can't help
it; they don't even have the chance to
propose. If they get-a little kittenish
and smile upon a favored son they are
ridiculed mercileSsly.
am III favor of taxing old bachelors;
they are the drones of the human hive.
had thought to make a list of them
for VOir t.difipatiDn Int I hava datar