Evening star., 1898-12-17
Annual Function Under Auspices of
Baptist Social Union.
ADDRESSES ON CURRENT TOPICS
Subject OF National Expansion
Considered by the Speakers.
I H E 6 HE ESTS P.RESEN

"A series of tables formed the letter E
and beautifully decorated with greens was
surrounded by over 130 members of the
Baptist Social Union at Rauschers last
evening. The function was one that takes
place annually. The gathering of represen-
tative Baptists from this city and else
where was for the purpose of discussing
the interests of that denomination, and
promoting fraternity and unity among all
its churches here.
The urion elected its officers for the COM
ing year and listened to thoughtful ad-
dresses on pertinent subjects by distin-
guiShed men. w. S. Shallenberger, second
assistant postmaster general Rev. Kerr
Boyce Upper OF the First Baptist Church
at Philadelphia, and Assistant Secretary
David j. Hill of the Department OF State,
all spoke. The meeting was made especially
enjoyable because of the muSlcA features
which were a prominent part of the even
lng's exercises. Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes
sang two numbers al different times dur
ing the evening. Mattei's For the Sake
of the Past" was the first of the selections
rendered by her and was executed maSnli-
Gently. The purity of tone, clear enuncia-
ton and the ease with which she executed
the difficult number called forth prolonged
applause. Her second selection, "Asthore.'
Dy Trotere, was made fascinating by the
sweetness of voice, the ease and delicate in
depreciation of the singer. Mr.. Frank b.
Reesde also contributed a couple of bari
tone solos, and was enthusiastically ap-
plauded. His rendition of "A Wandering
knight" was artistic in every detail, and
he sang 'All Thro the Night with splen-
did effect.
At O'Clock promptly the banqueters at
least one-half of whom were ladies, sat
down to a choice menu, which occupied
their attention for an hour and a half the
invocation was pronounced by Kew Charles
A Stakely. After coffee had been served
n
union, introduced Mr.. Reeside, who sang
"A Wandering Knight after which Mr.
W. S. Shallenberger second assistant post
master general, spoke Willingly and enter
tainingly.
Changes in the Map.
Mr. Shallenberger referred to the wonder
full changes which have been made on the
map of the world during the last six
months. He said that when the Post Office
Department was asked if it could extend
it's usefulness to the new possessions, and
whether they could go to Manila, it was
found there was no Constitutional way of
doing that, but representatives of the de-
partment did go. and now it has its agents
in all the islands lately brought into the
American Union.
Every report which comes to us said
the speaker, expresses more and more
satisfaction and qualification over the sue
cess which has been achieved in these is
lands. and we came to the conclusion quite
early that in whatever our statesmen de
eide to do we can follow them, and we can
maintain establishment for handling the
mails on these islands without any trouble
whatever
He said as soon as the military occupa-
ton had been effected in Manila the Ameri-
can post office was represented there and
was prepared to do it's work. He said peo
pie of this country would want to intro
duce into these islands the system of car
ing for the mails which has proved so not
able in this country. Mr.. Shallenberger
then reverted to the history of the early
days of this country affecting the Post
Office Department, and said Gen Washing
tons Postmaster General, in 1879, had sew
enty-five post offices to manage, while now
the department has 73 800 of them; Wash
ington's administration had $3.50 miles of
postal route, while now there $40, 900.
He had expended during his administration
$3.50, while last year the Post Office De-
partment expended 800 100000. Mr. Shall
lenberger said that if the country had gone
through that expansion without trouble he
say no reason why it could not easily eX-
pand little more.
Question of Governing Philippines
And if we cannot govern the Philippines,
who can?" he asked. Shall we admit that
England can do it? We taught England
how to govern her colonies. We have no
trouble with our territories and you may
call them territories or colonies, as you pre-
fer. They will be safer under the protec-
ton of the American flag than they pos
sibly can be under any other that floats on
sea or land
Mr.. Shallenberger said these islands seem
TO have been thrown into the lap of the
United States in order that the people there
might he Christianized, educated and civil
IZed. 1t seemed like act of Providence.
The speaker said his department was pre-
pared to establish postal system in Cuba.
He said ii was not necessary for them to go
to Congress about it, because the executive
and that would answer every purpose
Quired of it.
Mrs. Noyes then sang For the sake of
the Past but only bowed to the prolonged
applause and demand for an encore.
Christian Optimisfs View.
Rev. Kerr Boyce Tupper, pastor of the
First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, an
organization that has been in existence for
nearly 300 years gave "A Christian OPP
timists View of Things" He said he shar-
ed the view that the world grows better
from century to century.
Il am an optimist." said Mr.. Tupper, be
cause | am Christian, not because | have
a good digestion or a genial disposition hut
because | believe in d God, always awake
and always at home, a God who is today
as Immediately and intimately and poten-
TALLY concerned with the destiny of human
society in America as he in Palestine
in the first century of our Christian era |
believe that truth is always stronger than
falsehood and God is always stronger than
the devil"
The speaker compared the moral view
which today dominates in religious and
political life with that which existed during
the past century. He referred to the sale
of lottery tickets by Harvard Club in 1894
and said that such a thing could not be
done today without universal protest He
exhibited a lotter ticket issued by order
of the general assembly of the Episcopal
Church of Rhode Island. in 179S Speaking
of political corruption, he said the occur
rences of the last four weeks when a gov
ernor, a United States senator and high
| state officers have been indicted by the
| grand jury for the misuse of their power
would not have been thought of a hundred
years ago. He referred to the bribery
! which existed in the time of George III
| which was practiced to an extent that
| would not be tolerated today. In our own
Treasury Department during Van Burens s
| administration, he said, the government
| lost S11.11 in every 81 900 that it received
| From administration to administrator this
| discrepancy had been reduced until under
! Cleveland the loss was put cents for
! every $1,000.
Advances Made.
Last year said Mr.. Tupper, "our Con-
| gress passed seven more bills in the interest
of moral reform than during the nine wears
/