Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-08

armed and drilled in the art of war, would
be formidable foe. But they come on
peaceful mission. They have besieged our
hearts, not our gates.
The Handsome Decorations.
The city looks fair enough at any time
when the trees are in leaf, the flowers are
IN bloom, and the grass is bright and green.
1t is ideal city for q convention and
especially for one like this, attended by
thousands who appreciate such things to
the full. But. not content with the adorn-
ments of nature, the citizens have We'd with
each other in decorating their homes and
business houses, until the eye cannot escape
the sight of flags and bunting in any direc-
ton. The main thoroughfares are ablaze
with color. The national banner and the
convention flag float side by side, making
harmonious blending of sentiment as v ell
as of hues. The tall fronts OF avenue build
ings are almost hidden behind streamers
and flags, and the vista from the Peace
monument to the treasury is one of color
piled on Color until the great highway
seems to be lined by hanging gardens. rival
ing those of Babylon of old. On F street the
merchants have arisen to the OCCASION and
have flung hundreds of banners to the
breeze. The same is true of 7th street
and there seems not to be block in the
whole city where the decorating spirit has
not entered at least one house and caused
the display of at least few convention
hags. Citizens who have no direct interest
in the occasion have cheerfuliy accented
the committees invitation to decorate. and.
as result, the city is in full bloom TO-DAY
little bedraggled by the rain but in hearty
accord with the spirit Of the convention.
Business-Ltke Arrangements.
The busness-like arrangements of the
committees in charge of the local part Of
the great affair were we'll manifested last
light and today in the smoothness with
which the incoming thousands were re-
ce:Ved at the stations and sent to their
temporary quarters. The organization Of
he work was such to insure perfect ex-
eCution- AT each station q committee was
IL waiting at all hours. The schedule of
arrivals was known to certainty, and on
the incoming Of each train the delegates
were met and escorted at once to their
state headquarters in the various churches
where the detailed work Of assigning them
to rooms in hotels and private houses was
done with business-like smoothhess and
celerity. Everything was accomplished
with an entire absence of confusion and
ction, for each detail OF the work had
been thought out in advance by the com
petent and hard-working members Of the
local committees, who have been planning
and striving for over a year to make the
convention of 1896 a complete success
The greatest activity today was a. the
different churches that have been designat l.
ed as headquarters for the state delega-
tions. Here arrangements had been made
for the reception of the guests and for
their continued comfort throughout the
convention. The meeting rooms at these
churches are now all handsomely decorat-
ed, and TO effort has been spared by the
local pastors to make the delegates feel
quite at home in Washington.
The speakers and others scheduled t.
participate in the great meetings are ar
irving with their delegations. Some o.
| them came ahead Of the main body o.
visitors to look over the ground and t.
| rest after their journeys. They are al
| delighted with the arrangements, and fore
| cast a great success for the Christian En-
| deavorers and a wonderful spiritual awak
| ening in Washington. The officers of tn,
| United Society are already on the grounC
and are content with each detail of tn,
! preparations. They congratulate the loca
| committees at every turn, and pronounc,
| their work a complete success in ever.
| particular.
| This result has been difficult of accom-
| plishment. The committees were bound t,
secure fund OF large proportions to guar
| antee the expenses of the convention. an,
| they succeeded after a thorough canvas
( of the city in obtaining a sufficient sum
| 1t takes a small fortune to organize an,
| conduct a convention attended by forty O
| fifty thousand people. and the presen
| prospect Is that In every respect this con
| vention will not haYe a parallel, in poln
of completeness, In the history Of the or
| ganiZation.
The Formal Program.
| The formal program opens with a serie