The record-union., 1899-02-23
The Michigan Club Celebrates the
Event at Detroit.
Secretary Of War AIgsr POSTMASTER at the
Annual Banquet.
Addresses Delivered by Governor
Pingree, Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson, Frank Lowder of
Chicago and Others Before Five
Hundred Republicans Gathered
at the Banquet Table.

a. CAc odA4 ucC III DIG
DETROIT, Feb PIT has been a
difficult year. We are landed on new
field. The Stars and Stripes are
planted tonight in a place where they
never have been before on Washing
tons Birthday. They have never been
taken from where they had been plant
ed but once before, and they never
will be again"
Such was the characteristic utter
ance Of General Russell A. Alger, Sec
rotary of War, on assuming the func-
lions of POSTMASTER tonight at The
fourteenth annual banquet of the Mich
igan Club.
The Secretary was introduced by
Brigadier General NJ. Duffield, Presi-
dent Of the club, who said: Among
the Secretaries who have held up the
hands of the President, none has done
more difficult, more arduous work, and
none has been bearing more heavily
the brunt of the fight throughout than
has our own beloved fellow citizen,
General Alger.'
When the POSTMASTER arose he was
greeted with enthusiastic cheers from
upward of 500 Republicans of Michigan
who sat at the banquet tables ana
from the crowd in the galleries.
The Secretary said nothing special in
his behalf Introductory to his remarks
about the War Department affairs. He
congratulated the citizens of the Unit
ed States upon their patriotism, intelli-
gence and loyalty shown during the
past year, and the fact that the finan-
cial tide had so turned that the ma
ton that it was a borrower now on
ton of a financial sense. Said he: I'VE
have some hard propositions to solve,
but we have a solver in Washington.
The scene of the banquet was the
new Light Guards Armory, the interior
of which was gay with emblems OF
patriotism. Portraits of Washington.
Lincoln, Mckinley and Alger were dis
PLAYED. A score of well-known Repub-
Hcans sat at the speakers table, and
the attendance was larger than any IN
recent years.
General Duffield. in his opening adj
dress. characterized President McKin-
ley as the peer of Washington and
Lincoln.
In introducing Governor Pingree to
deliver his address of welcome, Cen
eral Alger raised a laugh by saying:
1.-The Governor has just been telling me
that he always dreaded to speak.
told him l thought l could get up
liberal contribution if he never would
speak"
Governor Pingree said in part.
1T is high time that claims to re-
spectability in this Republic rested Up
on something more substantial than
&c cai.1
The tree is known by its fruit Is
it not equally true that a man is known
by his deeds?
1.-The Republican party came INTO
power as the party of the common peo-
pie The welfare of an enslaved race
was the chief cause of its organlza-
ton The principal of equal rights FOR
all found its fullest expression in the
greatest of all Observation-Disclosures
Lincoln. The Republican party was
formed to make men free and equai.
It's votes came from the farmer and
his sons; from the villages and the
country districts of the various States.
They did not come from the over
crowded portions of our great Cities
where the voters were controlled py
bosses. Republican majo1tles caihe
from the States that afterward 1ur-
nished patriotic soldiers. 80 long DIS
the great questions growing out OF me
civil War remained unsettled, the Re
publican party was controlled by iheu
chosen to represent the people
But in time these questions disap-
,,eared and other questions demanded
attention. Problems OF trade anu
enanoa and questions of administra-
tf,f7e2
creased and capital and labor drifted
into conflict. Gradually the men VI
wealth dropped into the Republican
party. Corporations found their me-
ests we'll cared for by the men VINO
were chosen to the legislative poules
as Republicans.
Now that has been going on so loiS
snd so steadily that it has become no.
torious. Old Republicans have been
held In line because they could do moth
ing else. Some of the leaders Oh the
democratic party hare made it almost
impossible by their acts for prudent and
thoughtful business men to join it. All
the men who had schemes and the COR
porations who wanted privileges have
Joined the Republican party, expect
ing that party to bear their burdens
and. serve them. This has been going
on for years, but it cannot last forever,
gentlemen. 1t is good and timely adj
vice to- our party to suggest that it send
10 the rear the leaders who insist that
government shall be conducted with
an eve solely to commercial interests.
Those interests are important and
should be considered. but the Republic
can party will not hold it's following
if it is much longer dominated by the
narrowness and selfishness which al
ways go hand in hand with money get
ting.
1.-THE rank and file will not stay with
the Republican party unless we choose
our leaders hereafter without consult
ing those who control the corporations.
trusts and combines of the country,
their attorneys. agents and servants.
Our leaders must be men who are proof
against all corrupting influences and
the temptation which come into politi-
cal ambition
Il plead for a return to the early
motives and principles of the Republi-
can party. l urge you to give the sub
ject earnest thought. If you do, and
u your deliberations result in action,