Evening star., 1898-07-08

President Greenwood.
to a greater degree than any gathering
under single roof the trained and proper
ly directed common sense of the country.
1t was, too, as thoroughly an American
throng as could be gotten together, and its
response to every sentiment that even bor-
dered on patriotism, whether it was spoken
frcm the platform or was waited in stir
ring notes over the multitude by the Marine
Band, was at once spontaneous and hearty.
When the great crowd assembling the
band played a medley of airs, beginning
with Dixie and every hand clapped an
accompaniment that grew louder when the
tune changed to Yankee Doodle. Ihe
ccncourSe rose masSe when America
poured forth and every handkerchief in the
hall was waved when the Star Spangled
Banner" was given. And so 1t was when
the eloquent speakers alluded to the new
epoch which has suddenly opened in the
history of the young republic. 1t was I'M
pressive to realize that all these hundreds
were the guardians of thousands of young
and susceptible intellects all over the
Union, and within their keeping was the
molding of these Uniformed natures into the
sd me spiritual shapes, and 1t was gratlfy-
ing to the American citizen who fully rea-
lized the great destiny before his country
that such responsibility was in such ear
nest and capable hands.
The arrangements for the evening were
very complete, the only drawback being
the miserable ventilation of the hall, which
forced many to leave before the exercises
were over. The speakers addressed the
audience from a platform decora ted with
the national colors and foliage plants sit
uated on the west side of the hall. 1t also
contained the seats for the members of the
various local committees, the officers of the
n. Z. A. and the national council and dis
tinguished guests, who included the Dis
trict Commissioners and the board of school
trustees.
An Eloquent Prayer.
Few seats were vacant when Chairman
Henry F. Blount opened the session and
introduced Rev. Frank Bristoe of the Met
ropolitan NJ E. Church, who offered an ell
oquent and impressive prayer, pleading for
Gods blessing upon the educators of the
country there gathered and the President
and his advisers and the legislators, and
praying Him to defend and protect the
noble men who had gone forth from Amer
lean homes and schools to lay down their
lives If need be the altar of a wider
freedom. The hearty amen which followed
DR.. Bristoe's words showed the religious
fervor of the assemblage. The Marine
Band played the Stars and Stripes and
Chairman Blount welcomed the N. E. A
in few brief words and read letter from
President Mckinley, in which the nations
chief magistrate regretted that official du-
ercses.
1T would have been pleasure to me-"
he wrote. ito have been able to have met
the wishes of the association in this respect
and TO have welcomed its members to
Washington.
I'm the important educational work which
the association has done SO much to en-
courage l have the deepest interest and
believe that the best results must come
from such meetings, with their inspiration
10 even greater achievements than have
characterized its work in the past"
Welcomed by Commissioners Ross.
Chairman Blount then introduced Dis
trict Commissioner Ross, who welcomed
the assemblage to the national capital, pre-
facing his cordial tribute with an interest
Ing review of the local public schools and
their salient features. The convention
would be, he said, of incalculabie value in
bringing about an interchange of expert
ences and observations between the coun-
tTy's educators
You assemble" said Mr. Ross in the
course OF his remarks, "at the only period
In our history when the bows of our homes
and of our hearts have carried the flag
under whose protection they were trained
IN our schools, into distant foreign lands
within a few short weeks their valor and
their heroism have changed the current of
human events and have given to the
young republic of the west a new place
among the nations of the world They
the Justice of the cause for which they
fought; not alone by reason of the fact
that they come of a stock not accustomed
to defeat; but also because they have been
trained and disciplined as American free
men in American schools. And IT, as now
seems inevitable 1t is a manifest destiny
that our flag shall not be hauled down in
me foreign lands where it has been plant
ed, our people will require new lessons in
statecraft and new instruction as to the
dutles which will devolye upon them in
their changed relations with the worlds
saIn sieat powers heretofore. we have taken
lessons only in the art of governing our-
selves Another kind of knowledge will
row be required in dealing with the people
who dwell in the islands of the sea-"
An Eloquent Address.
President Whitman of thu Columbian Uni
versity was the next speaker, and he was
given an ovation
He depicted the national character of this
city In graphic terms, and, proceeding to
the subject Of the present war, he declared
In eloquent terms that the real purpose of
1t was to crush the powers of ignorance
cruelty and defiance to human rights and
exalt liberty for the body and soul and
| den man.
THE spectacle of unselfsh effort for
others, lie said, rs SO new to political
vision that the world does not understand
| !. yer. we scarcely understand it ourselves
Where 1t will end we cannot yet see clearly.
But the hands and minds and hearts which
guide our destinies are the hands and
minds and hearts of men brave and wise
and true. Congress has shown itself worthy
or the confidence of the country. gentle-
man, soldier, a statesman Christian
| represents the nation in the White House
| today NO north, no SOUTH no east, no
| west, one country, one flag, beneath which
| the citizen may be proud to stand In the