Evening star., 1898-09-03
PECk's LA TOURAINE BANQUET.
Attended by Distinguished Persons
From Washington and Other Cities

Ferdinand W. Peck commissioner gen.
eral to the Paris exposition who, with sew
eral members of his staff. sails tomorrow
on the French liner La Touraine, was the
principal figure at a banquet held last
night in the main saloon of La Touraine
lying IN the North river. The hundred la
dies and gentlemen present were the per-
sOnai friends OF the commissioner general
from Chicago Washington and elsewhere
Among those who responded to the invi-
tatlons sent out were Assistant Commits
sioner General B. D. Woodward, French
Consul General Bruwaert, Willis L. Moore,
chief of the weather bureau; Major Fred
erIck Bracket, Eugene de Bocando Albert
j. Deveridge, Francis Z. Drake Casper s.
Crowntnshield, Col John W Gates. Capt
J. b Kerr, Lieut.. A. c. Baker. w Penn
Nixon, Alexander r. Howell, Willard A
Smith. Thomas w. Palmer and John r.
McGibbon. AT the conclusion of the dinner
Commissioner General Peck was called up
on for d speech. In response to the call Of
the host OF the evening, said:
We are confronted with three grave
difhcuIties-ample time, space and appro-
prldtlon. We believe that all OF these can
De IN a degree overcome, and we now in
duSurate the work of the great trust com
mitted 10 Us by an earnest endeavor to
make up IN energy for the delay III enact
AIS tI4G l4GtNSu ItSlSidliOn- w q shall
every diplomatic and legitimate means in
our power TO secure additions to the ex-
HIGlt area, which We must have in order to
reflect credit upon our nation and we be-
leNe the sentiment Of the American people
Will demand from Congress such further
appropriations as may enable us to DEM
ytstrate our unbounded resources and pro-
ducts.
There are two important features now
IN contemplation outside of the exhibits
o1 our manufactures and industries, and if
they are found possible will prove the two
crOWnlng elements of our undertaking. One
Is the erection by the school children of
America of a monument in Paris over the
bones OF that knight Of liberty, the immor-
taI Laiayette, TO be unveiled on United
States day, July 4, 1900. This will be
made most conspicuoUsly grand event 1t
Will rouse the patriotism of our people:
II Will elicit the cordial feeling OF France
ana VIII compel the admiration of the
world This monument viii: stand in per-
petuity TO unite two republics long after
the exposition Of 1890 shall have passed
into history.
"AnOther feature of far-reachinp conse-
cuence IS the construction Of a building On
the part OF our nation.
We realize that In our responsible mis-
son We 1-e executing a great national
trust. ana we will know no east. no west,
10 souihs1 By will endeavor to extend equal
consideration 10 all sections of our common
oIntFy IN their right to participation in
his worlds exposition.
My friends, / now ask you to rise and
Join in the sentiment of closer unity be-
,ween the twJ great republics of the world,
he United States and France. May the
.reat event which IS to commemorate the
'asslng and beginning of a century for
-Ver assure TO these sister nations the fra
.ernity inaugUrated by the immortal La
layeits more than 100 years ago a fra
-erntty again cemented by the friendly di-
llomacy OF the ambassador of France in
HrOmoting the blessings of peace that have
-onie after our recent struggle with a for
ign Zoe Lafayette and Cambon The
knight OF liberty Of the eighteenth century.
the wise diplomat Of the nineteenth CEN
Jury. The Americsn people Will never for
get them or their mother country-France."