Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-15
BOARD OF GOVERNORS FEAST
Ak-Sar.Ben Given an Auspicious Start fol
the Year by the Commercial Club,
SOME or DlscoURAetMsNTs ENCOUNTERED
II. J. PcnfoId Favors Holding Festival
This Year During Period of
Three Weeks on Line of
street Fair.

series the Commercial club Tuesday even
ing had for its guests the members OF the
Board of Governors OF the Knights OF Ak
Sar-B Ben, the purpose being, doubtless, 10
give an impetus to the annual reorganization
of King Ak-Sar Bens knight errantry and
the rehabilitation of his royal realm, which
will be inaugurated at the meeting OF No
vember 20. About a hundred covers were
laid. The tables we're adorned with clusters
OF chrysanthemums and music OF the auto
matte variety filled the orchestral bill. On
the wall at the head of the table hung a
portrait of the late Hon. Alvin Saunders
with sombre draperies.
At $50 the chairs we're filled and when
the tasteful menu had been discussed and
cigars lighted President C. S. Hayward in
troduced w. " Morse, who won his spurs
as felicitous toastmaster. Having first in
quired whether or not the grand mutt and
royal spieler were present and having re-
ceived a negative response w. F. Gurley
announced that he was safe in responding
to the sentiment, THE knights OF Ak-Sar-
Ben" The response was classical apos.
trophe to the knighthood. He told in
knightly parlance of the coming Of the
chivalric forces to Omaha in 1896, with their
spears. lances and shields, how they had
ridden down fear and timidity and had led
the community to a broader light. They
had planted the banner OF progress on the
walls and had made of country town a
thriving metropolis of commerce and in
dustry. The Commercial club room was
named as the birthplace OF the order and
was entitled to much Of the credit for it's
work and the splendid mission it is destined
to fulfill.
PenfOld's Response.
H. j. Penfold responded on behalf of the
guests. He said that during the past five
years the pageants produced have not been
excelled in any country, they were results
of Omaha thought and labor and the money
they cost had been paid out to Omaha mer-
chants and laborers. Much of their merit
was due to the fortunate selection of G.. A.
RENEE as superintendent. Omaha may well
be proud that 1t Is the only city in this
country that has placed before the public
a series of art pictures that were lighted by
electricity. Others had tried, but without
complete success The business men do not
appreciate the fact that no western city can
equal Omaha in giving street parades. Here
after II any entertainments are given there
should be afternoon parades, as well as in
the evening, as an attraction to town
visitors. The idea of giving the evening
entertainments had been to help the hotels,
but the hotel men had not testified to their
appreciation, for the complete subscription
Of the hotel people to the parade fund this
year was s215. One prominent hotel had
contributed s25, but 1t had been given UP as
uncollectible. The subscriptions have never
been sufficient to pay for the parades and
but for the initiation fees the funds would be
insufficient. The business men should have
sufficient patriotism and loyalty to provide
funds to carry on the work in beitting
1t has taken vast amount of work on the
part of the Board of Governors to keep the
organization alive. The members should not
be expected to leave their own business to
solicit funds to keep the organization going.
1t had been necessary during the past season
to make a house to house canvass We
should preach Omaha first last and all the
time, and try to build up its business insti-
tutions rather than pull them down. His idea
was that next fall Omaha should have two
or three weeks of fall festivities along the
line Of street fairs, which have proved so
in other cities. The board expects
a large meeting next Monday.
Grand Mufti Speaks.
John Steel called for the grand mufti and
W. r. Bennett responded, also on behalf OF
the guests. He declared the knights of Ak
Sar-Ben the grandest organization in the
history of Omaha. Omaha is cold, chilly
city as city. For five years
the Board of Governors had been plodding
along trying to build up the city, leaving
their business to go out and sometimes al
most beg for means with which to do 1t.
The annual mail subscriptions for the pur-
pose ought to bring in $4,000, but somehow
those benefited seem to study how little
they may have to give. The hall should
have been full at the banquet. This was the
first tribute to the knights in FIVE years.
Think of 1t! One banquet in five years,
when 1t should have been five banquets in
one year. 1t costs a member of the Board
of Governors from 500 to $500 year cash,
and all he gets is glory and ride at the
head of the parade. It's great as long as II
lasts, but 1t doesn't last long Six members
of the board have absolutely resigned. There
should be large membership in the order,
lot SO much for the sake of the $40 initiation
zee, but for the encouragement derived from
The presence of the business men at the
The speakers remarks were
witty, forcible and at times poetic and dra-
matte.
Toastmaster Morse declared that the
Board of Governors has done more than
any other agency to afford the last three
years of the greatest prosperity the city
,as ever had and the people love It,
Warren Switzler spoke Of "The Passing
Cloud" giving a series of carefully prepared
statistics to show the marvellous increase in
he export of agricultural products during
he past two years, the great gain in home
consumption, the unprecedented gain in the
balance of trade. the decrease of the mort
gage indebtedness OF the state at the rate of
100000 year, the marvellous corn crops
If Kansas and Nebraska reaching $50, ,OOO.-
700 bush els each, and the stalwart growth of
he packing industry at South Omaha, which
promise to make 1t within two years the
second packing center in the world and
within few years the first.
Ideas of New Conner.
Omaha as Seen by a New Conner" was
discussed enthusiastically by Rev. Edward
p Trefz of Kountze Memorial church He
said that he did not consider Omaha chilly
,ity and advised anyone wanting to see such
city to go to st. Joseph. He was present as
! minister, as he believed 1t the duty of a
minister to go among business men. The
exposition OF 1898 had crowned the energy
n tho Omaha cifIzan hut fhio yaar,. avno.i