The sun., 1895-03-31

LnTos CLUB HOUSE. 556-ooS FIFTH AVENUE.
place was souvenir consisting of quantity
rough album, containing an etching of the or
tgina club house, In Irving place. the cloud over
the building being formed OF the vaguely out
lined faces of two score OF the prominent men Of
all countries who have been tho guests OF the
club and who mentioned in the brief history
Of /. printed below. The dinner favors
consisted of bound copies OF NJ. Elderkins
history OF the club also mentioned below.
President Lawrence presided and made the frss
speech Of the evening. in which he said:
Tonight we celebrate ourselves. Tonight
Cor once we take note o: time. Tonight we
commemorate the survival for a quarter of a
century OF an association whose only tie seemed
smere careless coE,pauionship but which has
proved itself in reality tound together by bonds
ss strong as steel This club bears slight
resemblance to a celebrated church. having
neither politics nor religion II asked as to
its principles. truth would compel reply SINH
lar to that made to the same question by Arte-
mus Ward. 4 hn;a't got no principles. I'm in
the show business Yet, while little vague as
TO principles. the club has purposes which are
not unworthy. Our home is no mere place for
the indulgence OF creature comforts. no mere
place for eating and and drinking. When it
becomes such, this house will have los, its
charm. From the beginning 1t has been our
purpose to promote, by such means as lay with
in our power. the interests OF literature. the
drama, art, music, and jour al!sm.
I'VE have always aimed to be the first to
tend the hand of good fellowship to visiting
men o. letters, Of science, Of art. recognizing
genius in whatever form it has found express
SIGN. welcoming its possessor with hearty wei
come and speeding him on his way with such
measured ct homage and encouragement as was
in cr: power to give. Our devotion to the fine
arts is shown in the display of pictures which
now adorns these walls. 1t is most appropriate
tast the club should at this time appear IS the
patron OF tho art Of our own country. and
you will be pleased to know that the Lotos
Club fund for the encouragement Of American
art. which we have Just est a6lished. has for the
purchase OF pictures pa! nted in this country BY
'ake their places in our gallery. 1t is because OF
~ e &constancy to & ths purposes Of is 70 founders
quarter OF century it has stood the test OF
time and that IL is new strong and numerous
III Is natural that tonight our thoughts
shoul ID dwell upon the past: that we should re-
msmssr - the many happy h1grs with whch the
we should RECALL tho times when we have been
IGNORED !Ea BY the eonpanionship cs the talented.
and welcome once again about, the board the
:0:r. o oliver G aSs Wendell dnEsiz 4oaes @ ss the
mighty gho.t Of Gen n,G Grant and all the
whom, was, in turn. our comrade for night.
Ard cherished in our recollection ever after.
the sss fo Me5f sasss @ masS
more more sadly we review the gaps which time has
%SSp Bro4Eham, . and md" William Florenes. and
mos. spa asss p,Sd
aud true. ard at this time more almost than at
aay other We recall our departed fellow mem bers
with arectionate remembrance.
AT the celebration OF the twentieth ami.
,ytsssary OF the club your President expressed
I'VE Years ago is snow now = realized. Gsntiemsn. the
reached ass Of dser
ton. Perish the thought! Let Us go on IN
eating dinner. and singing songs: Guaffing
neations, of course, with the most abstemious
WITH mrh the "i dnowsy NO oar o pnsh
1,na olt fr,en'y;nts ven year. ngo was mere pro,
' tds2 T SS the sras.r sd
vt!l become wider. Msy the Lotto. club con:
nSs be Wis. .h sbd hs
yopd what ali Of is have % sound nd l. tan and know it
uammel!ed BY formality.'
After that there were many speeches in which
ana In which the trad ditional wit and fun OF
d.sss trosos dinners was not lacking: Mr.. A. Pan
,SS.a ter the ss, S!choIas. Nj stafford Tor for
me msm,sr New ~, fSnIk' ,n Gen Porter "a !.o,Es
u'4',.Vi' inc l mon League lnomRS w.
ood tor the Metropolitan Academy Of Design,
Joseph c. Hendricks for the Brooklyn, r. W.
fhfhor fhhor Tor the old Lotos members, William Henry
Mhlte Tor the young members William 7.
s.,ans, Chairman of the Art Committee. on
Art Anton Seidl on Music" +. c. James on
Law. Julius Chambers on THE Press" and
ls lnslee Pardec, Moses p. Handy. and Richard
i'aIhers because they we're asked to speak.
- he l-otos Club was fou nded twenty-five years
Ssp, ana, as Its original Incorporation paper
,eaIs the date Of April 70. 1870. its quarter
ftuty anniversary, celebrated last night, was
10y !. month away from the exact date. The
,'Eaheht organization Of the club was effected
va niarch y OF that year. II first moved into
- own club build ms, ? Irving place, on April
i, : 'he members nen. obliged for a while, says
oSLt.'urlsn; TO sit around on empty candle
rgtnT DtTH' Zap boxes, and such stray, stools and
oxns hn Gaatrs a. the steward provid cd To-day it
Is 'ts GU house at 55O a nd 5.S Fifth avenue.
,rIf inff C!uo had Its beginning in the desire OF a
mai tHl nember or young men-newspaper men
80. go W lAen 10 form club on somewhat diff
~ ~ ,tues from those on which any then exist
- .up Wks conducted. There was a meeting
,jsr nnesI men IN the office of the New York
sf,. IA February, and the promoters there
rews1,rnr Y..V, nGsan an active propaganda in
and bu.tn,si circles, and among actors; artis.s.
Insm os1neee conns men whoze tastes would make
ws.gia! eongehia! memne-s of the kind OF club il
dsoIiLrs3p Spoasd 70 form. Its primary object was
amorn ~ be to promote social intercourse
nsmhs. journalists, literary men, artists, and