The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-03
ON THE FRENCH LINER
FERD PECK GIVES A BANQUET BE-
FORE SAILING FOR PARIS.
Albert j. Beveridge Among the Dis
tinguished Guests of the Paris
Exposition Commissioners.

NEW YORK, Sept. 2-Ferdinand W.
Peck, commissioner general to the Paris ex-
position, who, with several members of his
stan, sails tomorrow on the French liner
La Touraine, was the principal figure at a
banquet held tonight in the main salon of
La Touraine, lying in the North river. The
hundred ladies and gentlemen present were
the personal friends of the commissioner
general from Chicago. Washington and else
where. Among those who responded to the
invitations sent out were Assistant Commits
sioner General B. D. Woodward, French
Consul General Bruwaert, Willis L. Moore,
assistant secretary of agriculture, Major
Frederick Bracket, Eugene de Bocando, AL
bert ]. Beveridge, Francis e. Drake. Cas-
per S. Crowninshield, Col. John w. Gates
Capt ]. B. Kerr, Lieut.. A. c.. Baker W.
Penn Nixon, Alexander II. Revell, Willard
A. Smith, Thomas w. Palmer and John r.
McGibbon. AT the conclusion of the dinner
Commissioner General Peck was called on
for speech In response to the call the
host of the evening said:
I'VE are confronted by three grave diff
culties-lack of ample time, space and ap-
preparation. We believe that all of these
can be in a degree overcome, and we now
inaugurate the work of the great trust COM
mitted to us by an earnest endeavor to
make up in energy for the delay in enacting
the needed legislation. We shall use every
diplomatic and legitimate means in our pow
er to secure additions to the exhibit area
which we must have in order to reflect
credit upon our Nation, and we believe the
sentiment of the American people Will de-
mand from Congress such further appro-
priatlons as may enable us to demonstrate
our unbounded resources and products.
There are two important features now
of our manufactures and industries, and
IL they are found possible, will prove the
two browning elements of our undertaking.
One Is the erection by the school children
of America of monument in Paris over the
bones of that knight of liberty, the immortal
Lafayette, to be unveiled on United States
day, July 4, 1850. This will be made a most
conspiculously grand event. 1t will rouse
the patriotism of our people; 1t will elicit
pei the admiration of the world This monu-
ment will stand in perpetuity to unite two
republics long after the exposition of 1900
shall have passed into history.
Another feature of far-reaching conse-
quence is the construction of a building IN
the part of our nation. We realize that in
a great national trust and we will know no
East. no West, no South, but will endeavor
lions OF our common country in their right
to participation in this worlds exposition.
The interest throughout our country in this
forthcoming great event, as evidenced BY
recent responses from manufacturers in
every State in the Union, is far beyond rea-
sonable expectation. and If we can secure
the needed facilities from our friends in
France We are assured that the Importance
of the United States of America will be
again impressed upon the nations of the
earth by her part in the peace festival of
1909. as ii has been by her recent achieve
meLts in war.
My friends l now ask you to rise and
join in the sentiment of closer unity be-
tween two great republics of the world, the
United States and France. May the great
event which is to commemorate the passing
and beginning of "a century forever assure
TO these sister nations the fraternity in
augurated by the immortal Lafayette more
than one hundred years ago, a fraternity
again cemented by the friendly diplomacy
OF the Ambassador of France in promoting
the blessings of peace that have come after
our recent struggle with foreign foe. La
fa5 cite and Cambon-the knight of liberty
OF the eighteenth ccl fury; the wise diplomat
people will never forget them or their
mother country-France."