The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-24
WAsHrNGroS,S BIRTHDAY.

A'rotHerhOou-lne Sun tluD,
 ! Washington's birthday was flttingly celebrated in this city on Saturday. The third annual celebration, under the auspices of the Veterans and Patriotic societies was held at the Hyperion at 2 D. m. The opening address was deliv- cred by President General Samuel D. Merwin, and prayer was offered by Rev. D. M. James of Fair Haven.
 Miss Edith Anne Porter followed with n vocal solo, "The Red, White and Blue" and an original poem entitled, 'Beloved Washington" by Philip E. Browning of this city, was read. Miss Warner recited "The Old Canteen," and Frank D. Edgar sang "The Sword of Bunker Hill"
 Judge Hubbard Of Walhngford gave an eloquent address on Patriotism" and the Mendelssohn quartet sang, "Onward" "The Star Spangled Ban ner' was sung by Miss Porter, and Rev. D. F. Griffin pronounced the bene- diction.
 pr. Douglas address was scholarly and eloquent, and among other things he said:
 There is no fear that the celebrations of Washington's birthday will become tiresome. There was thorough vitality in the Revolutionary times and vitality is always interesting, always practiced. do not believe that if we would con- fine ourselves to the suggestions that spring from the life of George Washing tion that we would find it tiresome. For what we are after is liberty, the privilege of the boon of thorough Amer ican citizenship.
 q do not propose on this occasion to speak particularly on the American Revolutions; it was a revolution CT blood and firearms, dangerous and open to all eyes. There are symptoms to-day of another of a counter revolution, bloodless and not so noisy, but for this reason subtler and more dangerous-a great social revolution What is to come of it? What forfeit shall we pay for it? Believe me, if there be any sufficient reason for our assemblage in this place year after year, the reason is this, that it furnishes us occasions to ask such questions as these. What then, is the American idea? For before we
 
 ing revolutionized we must ascertain what the idea itself is. The American idea is the dignity of the individual man and the dignity of the national govern fnent as the free association of indiyid- uaI men.
 Tt was the strong individuality that was desired. It is the individual enter prise and energy that strikes the for eigner on arriving in New York. He find even the humble workman, if he be American, evidently happy and eff cient.
 ''It was the original genius of our democracy not to obliterate ind1viduali- ties, but rather to impress them by free and vital competition. It is possibly this sense of the value of the citizen, which was so strikingly embodied in the strenuous personality of Dr. Park hurst. This indomitable patriot, this intrepid citizen of great ring-ridden city, said recently: MT. Platt has said that am a boss; Mr. Platt claims that he<is boss; now want to state that my position is that every citizen of in- telligence is bound to be a boss
 Tt is asserted that the most ardent defenders of the American idea are the money kingsr.it is the capitalists that cry hands off when we apeal to the government to take absolute control The populists suppose that when they threaten to confiscate taxes and the control of all industries by the state that they cause Wall street to tremble This is delusion. Great wealth is the least concerned in such matters; it car < always defend itself. The men that are really saddened by the efforts of oul short-sighted agitators are not those that have lands and money, but those who prize what money cannot buy personal freedom.
 .'The American idea is a religious idea. We have it straight from Jesu: Christ. The American idea was breath ed in every line of Washington's fare well address And Jesus Christ was th first true democrat.
 Socialism is not democratic but ; subtle reversion to the temper of tn tyrannies of the old wirld."
 WASHINGTON UNION BROTHER
 HOOD.
 The thirty eighth annual banquet G the Washington Union Brotherhoo was held at the Brunswick hotel r. Fl
 
 these officers were elected. President F. H. Harris; secretary J. H. Bromley treasurer, IT. H. Johnson. Others Wh were present were: J. B. Hoyt, F. w J. Sizer, A. J. Clerkin. w. II, McDonald E. A. Doolittle, A. F. Hotchkiss Olive Goldsmith, F. O. Mansfield, George w Bromley, Moses Mann, Jacob Mann John C. Miles, $. I. Gilbert, Edwar Wines, Frank c. Murphy, c. w. Prindle H. A. Baldwin, William B. Allen, Vii liam Merwin,A A. J. Kennedy Louis Oster weis, all of New Haven: H. S. Goodale K S. Plumb and F. B. Byington c Bristol; D. A. Kimberly and William 4 Russell of West Haven, and Georg Ashdown of Birmingham.
 Speeches were made by Messr: Wines. Hotchkiss, Clerl1in, Harris an Sizer.