The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-26
ANNIVERSARY OF THE
BIRTH OF BURNS

appreciated numbers OF the evening
Her sweet voice and the sweet song
shared honor in the deafening applause
which followed its rendition
Clansman Thomas Russell responded
to the toast America the Land Of our
Adoption He said:
LAND OF ADAPHIN.
Two years ago, in this banquet hall,
had the honor of responding to Scot
land, the land of our BIRTH" and had
little difficulty then in convincing you
that Scotland was the finest country on
the face of the globe. Tonight the pleas
task is assigned me of convincing you,
that next to Scotland, America is the
finest country on the face of the globe.
Now l have no desire tonight to un-
duly magnify the greatness of this
country, but this | Will say, with all
heartiness. that native born citizens, as
well as adopted citizens, have very
great reason to be proud of America.
Among the Spanish there is tradi-
tiOn that when their patron SAINT,
James of Compostella, died and entered
the kingdom of heaven, the Almighty,
wishing to express his appreciation of
the apostles righteous conduct on
earth, offered to grant any petition that
he might then make. Being thorough
patriot, st. James began by invoking
the Divine blessing upon his beloved
country, ana llltl tlllGultu tlltll ''ptii
might always be known as possessing
the braVest men, the fairest women
the healthiest climate, the most fertlie
soil and lastly, the most perfect gov
ernment. stop" exclaimed the Al
mighty, "all your wishes shall be grant
ed with the exception of the last; TOT
were | to afford you that one also. an
my angels would leave heaven ana take
up their abode in Spain
do not say that America can lay
claim to all these virtues that this SAINT
requested for Spain, but it comes as
near possessing them all as any country
YOU can name. The brave men nave
been and are here; the fair women are
here: the healthy climate is mere; tne
fertile soil is here, as witnessed by the
fact that we are today supplying
large part of the world with the means
of subsistence. And if we cannot
claim to have the most perfect govern
ment, there are hopeful indications that
mattersyin that respect are steadily I'M
proving.
ONE OF GREAT INTEREST.
The history of this country is one OF
exceeding great interest, and the WORD
"emigrant' is never absent from one
mind as we study it, and While II must
be admitted that the emigrant owes an
immense debt to America, 1t ought al
ways to be borne i'm mind that America
owes as much, if not a great deal more
to the emigrant. In fact, from the eali
lest stages in its history until now, II
is the emigrant from other countries
that has been the making of this cOun'
try. And | might add, without eXag'
gerated egotism, that the Scotch eml
grant has had. and has today, no meal
part in the building up of TINS masnll
icent country. From many standpolnt'
am proud of being an American cltl
zen. | am proud that only few days
4 l,i trN in "a
manner. grasped the hand OF Gfea
Britain and signed a treaty Whlcl
means eternal friendship between th'
two greatest countries of the world.
To conclude let me say this, one of th
most gratifying things in my life was
when | came to this country sever
years ago, to hear of the manner II
which Americans regarded Scotchmel
and Scotland. To be Scotchman wa
in nearly every instance the talisma,
of admission to their hearts. Ana Sucl
kindness, on the part of Americans
shnuld have only one result-St chmel
should endeavor more and more to shoN
themselves worthy citizens of worth
country, and be such an example Il
conduct and industry Whlch VIII
profitable for every one to follow.
THEY RECIPROCATE.
And so here we meet-Scotland Low
ing America, and America loving Scol
land; Scotland grateful to America 10
the cordiality of it's welcome TO ne
shores America thanktul lot III
chance of having in her midst sue
sturdy. law abiding, honest citizen
as Scotchmen all the world over are
Scotland that fought for liberty petoi
America was born-Amerlca eh1ogln
the fruits of Scotland's noble fight tc
liberty centuries ago. More thah eve
we are one people, striving together lC
the advancement of the world, an
showing by our action in signing TN
arbitration treaty, that Robert Burn
was no mean prophet when he sang:
"Its coming yet for a that,
That man to man, the world o er,
Shall brithers be for a that.
NJ. j. Coyne was given an encore ft
his sweet whistling of THE Mockin
Girl" and responded with an ocarlll
solo, which was also warmly applauc
ed
Attorney ]. Elliot Ross was then II
troduced to respond to the toast Leg
Iare." His happy sallies and keen W
kept the listeners laughing and applaut
ing by turns almost continually h
lecture to the party being especial
provocative of applause. He SAID
part:
ROSS ON LEGAL LORE.
The word legal has for its root II
Latin lex" which means law, az
''lore." from the Saxon lar the root
.'laeran," to learn, and means 'thlhl
learned" or "learning;" so that my su
iect may be said to mean, thereto
what may be learned in the study al
practice of the law. Law itself Is
universal application, for as there
no death, but what seems so, is trans
ton" so there is no chance but Wh
seems so, is unfathomed law. There
great deal in that Scripture declar
ton And ye shall know the truth, al
the truth shall make thee free
[ apprehend that all the miseries
life are attributable to ignorance; al
so we are constantly eNclaimlng, ~
if had only known!" No matter Whi
way we turn or to what we give atte
ton, it is law, law, law, all is law; a
he who would master law in its me
general and comprehensive sense, thel
fore, must be more than human for
extent transcends the limits of the fin
mind.
1t is common to hear men of my pl
sense medicine is a jealous IN
tress:" but to me this is the veriest Sc
of glittering generality. In the sal
same sense medicine is jealous IN
tress-so is theology; so is mus
so is painting; so is mercha
disng; so, in fact, is ever
thing in which men would excel.
other words, no well rounded man C
be a genius in any line of life; and
the other hand no genius ever was
ever will be we'll rouded out on all sid
Genius is simply the name we give
the result of aptitude assiduously q
piled in a single direction.
In the domain of municipal lava