Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-28
VIGOROUS ACTIVITY
Dewey Reception Committees Will
Have a Busy Week.
IMPORTANT MATTERS TO CONSIDER
The Necessity for the Raising Of a
Substantial Fund.
REVIEW OF THE CONDITIONS

The present week will undoubtedly see a
very vigorous and substantial activity
| toward the reception to that great sea cap
| tain, Admiral Dewey The work toward it
| in the past few weeks since the committee
of one hundred was formed by the District
Commissioners has been very comprehen-
| sive, but there has necessarily been a vague
| understanding of what the various COM
| mittees should do and the amount of money
] required to permit these bodies to do it
| well. There has been difference of opin-
| ion about the amount of money that should
| be raised to meet the expenses of the cele-
| bration, which will be distinctly the only
national reception to Admiral Dewey which
| can possibly be given. The presentation of
! the sword voted by the national legislature
| to the hero of Manila is, of course, the CEN
| trail point to which the American nation
! will pay it's most distinctive honor. The re-
ception at New York, magnificent as it will
| be. and as 1t could appropriately be. Is a
mere way station ovation to Admiral
| Dewey previous TO his real homecoming at
| the national capital. 1t will be here, in
| front of the Capitol building, that the
| President of the United States will present
| to Admiral Dewey the sword which Con-
gress has voted to him. That single Incl
| dent means more than all the ebuitions
Dewey, besides, while being a Vermonter
| by birth, regards Washington his home.
| 1t was here that he enjoyed that entire
| relief from official connection, where, with
| lew special cronieS, he delighted in eX-
changing "reminiscences at the Metropolitan
! Club, and sometimes, after social duties
| were over, he would go up to the Alibi
Club, of which he is favorite member,
and, changing his evening suit for cook 5
| habiliments, he would prepare viands like
| those he had eaten on the other side of the
| world.
He will come to Washington with that
| delightful feeling that he is coming home,
| and that after he reports to the naval
authorities In a perfunctory sense he will
| be able to mix up, so to speak, with those
| whom he loves and appreciates. The prep
| arations for his reception here win I'M
| dodbtedly be made with a due regard to
| his personal appreciation of these things.
Admiral Dewey is not poSeur lie is a
| very practical, sensible man. The ovations
| which he will receive at New York will be
! accepted by him as a necessary contribu-
| ton to the triumph he has achieved But
| no doubt can be felt that when he comes
20 Washington and sees his old and dear
friends. the boys he formerly messed with.
| sailed with, supped with, and has gone
| forward with, it will be to him the true
| American reception and welcome
Advance in Arrangements.
The present week will show a very sub
| stantial advance in the arrangements for
The members of the committee ali realize
that substantial provision must be made
| at cnce. There has been an idea. very en-
| pEatic on the part of of the finance
| committee, that the necessary funds for
| the expenses of the reception and the eee-
! bIation attendant thereto could be secured
| by spontaneous voluntary contributions.
| but men of experience in such affairs teSti-
| fly that such plan would be Inadequate
to the purpose in view. Washington can
nd fn h1, MIC rfilN
when such an important occasion is con-
| sidered The concensus of opinion is that
| 1t would be better to get very substantial
fund than it would be to cut the demands
| down and perhaps to have to call upon the
| citizens to make up deficiency. 1t is diff
cult for any committee, 1t is commended to
! definitely state at this time the precise
amount necessary to effectually carry out
| its purposes. There may be some unex-
pected expenses that will be necessarily
I met by the citizens of the District. 1t
would be very humiliating if a sufficient
fund should not be raised to meet all the
expenses attendant upon the national re-
| ception to Admiral Dewey. 1t would re-
fleet, 1t Is thought, very substantially upon
the public spirit of the District of Column
| bia.
| Systematic Plan of Subscriptions.
| The probability is that at the meeting of
| the finance committee tomorrow at the
| Ames Building, at O'Clock pm, that
| some systematic plan will be adopted to
| meet this exigency. The voluntary SUBJ
| Scriptions so far have been generous, but
| some. hing more is needed according to the
| most experienced men connected with the
| committee of 100. At the Atlanta exhibit
| ton, for instance, the finance committee
| there assigned to representative bankers,
| cotton factors, grocers, dry goods men,
! representatives of railroads, and represen-
| tatives of other special lines of business,
| the duty of carrying "a subscription paper
| around among the individuals and firms
and corporations engaged in their special
| lines. The result was that the exhibition
| was made a success. 1t is possible that
| the same system will be utilized in regard
| to the Dewey day fund.
Executive COmmittee's Meeting
| 1t is hoped that at the executive COM
mittee meeting Thursday afternoon all the
| committees will have a comprehensive idea
of what they are going to do and the
| amount of money they will be obliged to
| expend.
| The executive committee of the commit
| tee on parades meets this afternoon at the
| Ames building, 1410 street, at o'clock
This committee is one Of the most impor-
| tant engaged in the consideration of a ma
| tional reception to Admiral Dewey. Upon
| it devolves the very important question as
| to whether the great sea captain will view
| an outpouring commensurate with the
| honor the District of Columbia proposes to
| pay him. From Chairman w. H. Rapley
down every man this committee real
| ICES fully the responsibility placed upon
! him, and it is the earnest wish of Mr.. Rap
| ley that there shall be a full attendance at
| the meeting, and that there may be a thor
| ough exchange of views as to the features
| of the parade.
Admiral Dewey's Wishes
| Owing to the fact that Admiral Dewey
| has asked the New York committee to Sc
cure military band for the battalion of
| Olympia men, it is highly probable that
| the committee will provide for the same
| feature here. Outside of this band no mu-
| sic will be provided for the organizations
| in the parade. 1t can be authoritatively
stated taat the bodies participating in the
| parade will be depended upon to furnish
| the music to which they will march.
1t is intended, however, according to the
present purposes. to have bands of music
stationed along the line of the parade to
play previous to the marching of the pro-
cession. and then to move to other points
about the city, such Thomas Circle,
| Scott Circle, Dupont Circle, Smithsonian
| Institution and another point south of the
mall, as to entertain the homeward-go-
| ing crowd.
Finance Committee Meeting.
The meeting of the finance committee at