The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-20
THE PRESS CLUB DINNER
ENJOYABLE AFFAIR RENDERED BY
PRESIDENT MAI. w. j. RICHARDS.
Charles Major, Author OF "When
knighthood Was in Flower and
Miss Krout Among the Guests.

Club, to the number of nearly sixty, We're
the guests of Maj. w. ]. Richards presi-
dent of the club, at a banquet served in the
Denison last evening. Most of the workers
III the editorial departments of the city
press were in attendance and all thoroughly
enjoyed the occasion. Among the guests of
honor were Charles Major Edwin Casko-
DEM, of sshelbyvilie, author of the literary
sensation of the year, when Knighthood
Was in Flower Miss Mary III. Krout,
well-knovn writer and author Miss Delight
Sweetser, of Marion. a writer of bright let
tiers on foreign travel; Miss Mary Dean,
Mrs Mary Mckenzie and Miss May Shipp.
editor of the Flower Mission Magazine for
1898. The other women present We're all
connected with the local press.
Major Richards. as host. made the affair
as informal possible by introducing all
the local writer's to the visitors and then
leading the way to the banquet hall, which
was tastefully decorated with the national
colors hung from all sides of the room.
Without any irksome preliminaries. the
guests were introduced to a well-arranged
menu. AS soon ais the table had been
cleared of the last of the viands, Major
Richards arose and by way of introducing
the speakers said he had often been asked
If 1T was fact that the Indianapolis Press
Club was dead, and that he had invariably
replied that it was mot dead, but sleeping"
He said he was ready to admit, however.
that since the 'tocsin of war; had been
sounded last spring much of the thought
which had previously been given to the So
cial side of the Press Club had been trans
ferred to the war and its issues. But now
that the war had been settled to the salts
faction Of all Americans, the old thoughts
filled the minds of the newspaper people.
Peace said he, has its victories as well
as war. and new star has taken it's place
in the armament of literature. A young
man who comes TO us full fiedged, though
unheralded, from his modest retreat at
Shelbyville. In this interchange of ideas
which will follow his remarks. let us talk
Of peace as well as war"
MIR. MAJORS RESPONSE.
In. few well-chosen words Major Rich
ards then introduced Charles Major. who
said he appreciated the kind things the
newspapers had said of hini and his work.
and that following out the suggestion of
Major Richards, he would say that in his
opinion, e. return of peace had brought
return of thought about the war, it's causes,
objects and results. He believed that the
people would now have an opportunity of
wishing they had done more thinking before
the war started than they had DONE
for said he, "some of the victories of the
war are going to give the American people
more trouble than all the Spaniards In the
world could do" Many old adages, said he,
have been proved by the light of experience
in modern times to be thoroughly erroneous.
THAT old saying of Ben Franklin's of
early TO bed and early to rise has ruined
thing else known, while one of the greatest
absurdities ever known is the adage, The
voice. of the people is the voice of God F." he
continued. TOO often is Satan behind the
voice of the people, and nearly always evil
flows from an intense popular clamor. We
have driven Spain from Cuba and have left
the best people of that island at the mercy
of set of bandits, and will rob them of
even the small show of protection given
them by the Spaniards. Although the gov
eminent is bound by its declaration not to
keep Cuba, it's people must nevertheless be
protected A promise given not TO take
Cuba means, in effect, to break faith with
God In spite of the declaration of the gov
eminent not to retain control of Cuba, the
government is bound to protect the inhabit-
ants
Continuing, he said that history has
shown that only those nations which eX-
panded from east and west have endured,
Wlllt6 IL is equally true IndL nations WHICH
have reached out for dominion north and
south have fallen, as in the case of Rome,
whose decline dates from the time that ma
ton annexed its provinces in Africa and
Germany The empire of Charlemag ne,
which was built on the latter plan, only
lasted through one generation, while the
present universal expansion of the British
empire is made possible only through a
form of local self government.
Changing the subject somewhat, he said:
There is one result of the war that deep
ly deplore although l cah offer no remedy
for 1T, and that is the growth of peculiar
type of journalism. Indianapolis is unlike
many other places in regard to sensational
newspapers, and have been unable to find
that class of work here. have to thank
the newspapers OF Indianapolis Tor tnelr
great kindneses to me in my. late trouble
and / value the good will of Indianapolis
papers and people more than that of all the
world beside" In conclusion Mr. Major
said he remembered the story of a German
who wanted to express a sentiment but was
at loss Tor words with which TO do 1t:
Said the German There is only one word
which will express what wish to say, and
l can't just remember what that word is.
MISS KROUT ON THE HOOSIER."
Following Mr.. Major Miss Mary III. Krout
was introduced and spoke on 1.-THE Hoos-
ier. She began by likening her feelings
for the people of her native State to that of
the lovers of the "impressionist' school of
art. At distance the work brings out the
ideas the painter seeks to convey, but a
closer examination makes the work appear
made up of homogeneous streaks of color
without regard to form or harmony. To the
Hoosier at home she said, the beauties of
Indiana seem under a close study to be of
the commonplace sort, but when far away
the beauties and peculiarities of the State
appeal TO Hoosier as nothing. else can.
such had been her experience during the
years she had been in Europe and during
the time she was engaged in newspaper
work in Chicago. She then related some
of her experiences as a. reporter in the lat
ceived at the hands of different people
there, During trying times her Hoosier
training had been her support and from
her experience she felt that a Hoosier need
but express a desire to acquire anything to
have the whole world
Jacob p. Dunn, of the Sentinel, was then
asked to address the gathering on War at
a Distance and said at the start that
when the war broke out he had been in
spired by the same patriotic motives that
had moved the Indiana soldiers to don the
uniform OF the army, but had been unsuc-
ceSSful in doing so from the fact that he
had rendered his services to the government
in the only capacity in which he was COM
He said his application had never been
acted on, to his knowledge, probably because
his father had never held any office higher
than that Of justice of the peace He,
look after the United States, as, in his
opinion. the country needed looking after.
Becoming serious, he said the real strength
of a nation was not in its armies or navieS.
but in the intelligence OF its people as
whole.
Morris Ross was the next speaker He
talked on 'Indiana's Part in the War, and
began by saying that had the part been
Indiana, said he, furnished the first COM
Dlete regiment to the government after the