The times., 1898-08-30

AN~NP PNAth ~ " A.lt 4C4StA-NN
troops upon the occasion of their return
from the war. at its initial meeing as
body, he'd in the parlors of the Eb5itt
House last evening, manifested enthusi-
asm enough to augur the most complete
success for the undertaking.
The gathering was a large and repre-
Sentative one, being made UP of the
leading citizens Of Washington, many of
whom have IN various capacities been
identified with all the great inaugural
events of the past quarter of century.
A Committee Well Chosen
The committee was a we'll selected one,
and every man chosen who found 1t
possible encouraged the undertaking by
his presence at the first executive meet
ing. II was 10 these men that Commits
sioner John w. Ross who issued the
call for the mass meeting. intrusted the
important matter OF mapping out the
plan of reception 10 be given the gallant
soldiers from the District, knowing that
in their tndeavor TO make the forthsom-
ing event eclipse all previous demon
strations, they will be guided by the
experience Of the great occasions OF
former years.
Among the men who participated in the
preliminary discussion and assisted in
forming the general plan of reception as
agreed upon last evening were District
Commissioner John w. Ross, James
Henry Small, Col. Charles Haywood, the
comnandant of the Washington Marine
Barracks, Col. Allison Nailor, Gen. a. II.
Hendricks, department commander Of the
Grand Army of the Republic, Louis D.
Wine, William II. Moses, Theodore w.
Noyes, Walter 5. Hutchins, Harry l.
West. Gen John NJ. Wilson, chief Of
ordnance of the army, John Joy Edison,
Edward J. Stellwagen, Emil G. Schafer,
Edwin c Jones. ]. n. McGill, William
Dickson, George w. Evans, and E. j.
Roache-
Called TO Order.
Commissioner Ross called the meeting
20 order and introduced the new chief
of police. Major Richard Sylvester, as
chairman of the general committee of ar
ransements and as the presiding ofhcer
of the evening. Major Sylvester imme-
d:ately appointed T. Frederick Alvey to
act as secretary of the meeting and then
addressed the meeting as follows:
.,Gentlcnen: 1 thank you very much
for this honor, and will do my very best
TO make the undertaking success To
begin with. it is a plain business PROPOSE
tiou that we have TO deal with, and in
order to save time and expedite matters,
viii not make a speech, but will read
to you an outline Of the method of pro-
cedure which it seems TO me would be a
fit way of welcoming the boys. will
read it TO you as it is, just in the skele-
ton form:
Major syIvester's Plans.
In response 10 a call issued by
Hon. John W Ross, president of the
Board of Commissioners of the Dis
trict Of Columbia, a mass meet
ing of citizens was held at the New Ma
tional Theater, in this city, on Wednes-
day evening. August 81, to give impetus
to q movement which is expected TO grow
and magnify into a magnificent reception
and ever-to-be-remembered ovation TO the
courageous and patriotic men composing
the First Regiment of District of Column
bia Volunteers upon their return from the
hardships and horrors Of war to fireside,
family. and friends.
LAS must follow such initial efforts, il
became the privilege of the distinguished
chairman of that meeting TO nominate a
chairman for a committee which would
have in charge the arrangement of a pro-
gram appropriate to such an occasion.
The honor fell to my lot, and in the first
discharge of the duties incident to the
position, 1 have called upon you to asso-
ciate and cooperate with me in carrying
to a successful completion such plan of
reception and entertainment as may
hereafter be determined upon.
Il thank you all for the ready response
given 20 this call. a response in keeping
with that general feeling which today
prevails in this city.
A Matter of Finance.
"It occurs to me that it is proper at
this time that we should urge upon the
chairman of the primary committee, that
on finance, the necessity for an early es-
innate of the amount OF funds that will
be available for our purposes, for the
whole matter resolves itself at once into
a plain business proposition. With the
requisite funds at our disposal, we need
not feel that we are handicapped in pro-
viding all that could reasonably be eX-
pected.
ITO carry out the sense of the mass
meeting we must give to the returning
heroes such reception as will be in
keeping with the sacrifices they have
made. purely for love of country. 1t is
not to be expected that we will indulge
in eXtravagances on the day OF their wei
come home when they come back TO US
after suffering various priyations through
hunger and sickness, but that we shall
accord them that display which the cir
cumstances justify. One thing should not
be lost sight of-tlnat is that there are
those among them who gave UP their all,
who left families in moderate circum-
stances. who parted with position, who
disposed of their scanty accumulations,
and who will now return to be mustered
out Of the service, broken in health and
compelled 10 begin life anew.
Helping the Needy.
IF the enthusiasm which has been
aroused and the sentiments expressed are
indicative of the aid we may expect in
this movement, there should be at our
disposal an excess of means, which could
be dispensed for the proper care and re-
lief of those who need it. and for those
who are dependent upon them. This need
not be considered in the light of public
charity, but as a slight token of our ap-
probation of the heroic services rendered.
During the absence of these men in
the field it has come TO my personal
knowledge that many of the loved ones
they left behind were unable to care for
themselves, and having no means of COM
munication with those at the front, were
therefore dependent upon an ever-solicit-
olls community for protectiOn against the