The Democratic advocate., 1900-05-05
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
Postmaster-General Smith and Other Post
office Officials Visit Westminster, are
Shown the City and Banqueted.

exacting duties, and particularly so now while
Congress is in session and continual demands
are being made by committees of that body
for information upon all sorts of subjects.
They came, as was told in the ADVOCATE
last week, to attend banquet rendered them
by the citizens of Carroll and Westminster, IN
honor of the successful Inauguration of a rural
free delivery system in Carroll, providing daily
mail communication between the people, de-
livering and collecting mail at their very doors,
in sunshine and in showers, when the roads
are good. or deep with mud or banked with
snow. The banquet was given, also, in re-
cognition of the honor done Carroll in being
selected as the county TO try the new system.
Through the courtesy of Col. John M.
Hood, President of the Western Maryland
Railroad, special train was in waiting at
Union Station, Baltimore, to bring the dis
tinguished guests to this city, who arrived on
the Washington Limited. At the station, as
a committee of escort, was Mayor Fred. ID.
Miller, Postmaster Schaeffer, Charles z. Cor
such, Comptroller Herring and Chas. +. Fink.
The run was made to this city in hfty minutes.
At the station here, besides the committee OF
reception, were large number OF citizens.
The visitors were presented to their escorts
by the gentlemen who came on the train with
them, and they were taken to view the four
the postnffice, when thorough inspection was
made of each. Open carriages were then oc-
cupied and a drive through the city was given
the visitors. Along the route many houses
had flags thrown from their windows in honor
of the guests, and the Fire Department build
ing was open for inspection and their large
flag suspended across the street. To the re-
gret of all the atmosphere was so thick from
the smoke of forest fires that the beautiful
vista from Western Maryland College hill was
obscured to large extent. From there they
proceeded out College Avenue to Pennsyl-
vania Avenue, to Main. TO Belle Grove Square,
to Liberty street, to Main, to Centre, to
Willis, to Court, down Main to Church, where
the drive ended owing to repairs Of cuvert,
thence TO The Westminster, where Mr.. Harry
e. Crout, the manager, and his efficient clerk,
Mr.. Charles Eckenrode, assigned the visitors
to their respective rooms.
About 7.30 the committee and guests as
sembled in the large parlor. on the SECOND
floor of the hotel, which had been beautifully
decorated with cut flowers and potted plants
by the deft hand of Mrs. Crout. When all
we're formally presented to the Washington
guests summons to the banquet hall was tol-
lowed by visitor being assigned TO member
of the committee, and the line of march was
started for the hall to beautiful march rend-
cred by the Westminster Orchestra, and whose
sweet strains hoated through the hall during
the serving of the elaborate menu, which was
published last week in these columns. The
hall was tastefully decorated with bunting,
cut flowers and potted plants, while the elec-
tric globes and the lights from numerous can
delabra shed charming glow on the table,
set in the form of the letter U. A card at
each plate designated the occupant of the seat,
,,,;th q honJconal ,hncsad menu card and
a caranation boutonner on the plates. The
embossing on the card Was an exact represen-
tation of Wagon C in gold and blue.
Fully an hour and a-half was spent IN DIS
cussing the menu, when Mr.. L. Herbert
Shriver, of Union Mills, who presided, an
nounced the following toasts which were re-
sponded to:
TOAsTs AND RESPONSES.
sThe President of the United States," by
Postmaster General Smith.
Rural Free Delivery" by Hon. George
NJ. Allen.
"What We Think of Rural Free Delivery" "
by State Comptroller j. W. Herring. -.
"Comparisons ofthe Present with the Past, :"
by A. W. Machen, superintendent of the free
delivery system. =,
"What | Think of Carroll County," by
Special Agent Eugene Ii. Hathaway, who
had charge of the introduction of the new
system here, and by whose untiring industry,
affablity and tact many Of the objections to
rural free delivery were overcome and 1t efh-
cheney proven.
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
Postmaster Smith, replying to the toast,
s'The President of the United States, said IN
part:
lam exceedingly glad to meet this most inter
esting company So far as this occasion is compii-
mentary to myself have not words to express my
qualification; but far as it is celebration OF the
establishment of rural free delivery IL is full of i'm
portance for the country at large.
Referring to the toast to which he was called to
respond-f'The President of the United States"-the
Postmaster General went on TO say 1T is charact-
erstic OF the American people that they reverence
dent, whoever he may be, and in the present in
stance, stand in the presence of those OF both
parties am sure to speak the sentiments OF every
gentleman here that they recognize IN the present
Incumbent of that high office true patriot and an
honest man. Here in the heart OF Westean Mary
land it is their patriotic purpose to honor him in
the first toast of the evening am also sure that
in this rural delivery recognize the success OF
an experiment which will in history be always as.
sociated with the name of this county. Your local
names are associated with great events. The name
of your town is associated with a great center OF
English liberty. 1t will be matter of triumph TO
Carroll that this county is the first in all America
to successfully establish rural free delivery This
marks the most important step in postal develop
ment that this country has seen for many years
at came here Just upon the eve of Christmas, and
venture to say that this county never received a
finer Christmas gift than that received last Decem-
ber IT has outstripped the highest hopes and ex-
pectations of its friends. 1t was criticised but NO
one can find fault with the exceptions that were
taken 1t was experiment, and deem it pecu-
liarly felicitous that Congressman Sperry is here
tonight for when he was postmaster of New Haven
he established free delivery there and was also
criticised but within year it was selfsustaining
and a success. Rural free delivery has already
made itself selfsustaining, and it has carried the
registry system farther than we anticipated.
q Y DprimeQt
country In Congress and in the new postofhce
building at Washington, and the results have been
almost surprising 1t marks the estab ishment of a
system which, in my opinion, is to play great par
in the development of our rural regions Itdestroys
that isolation OF farm LIE SO much dreaded, ana
It is an universal and incalcuable educator We
had an opportunity this afternoon OF looking a,
those travelling postofices which have usefulness
that is felt in every home, carrying to them the
advantages of the postofice.
II come to you with no set speech, but cannol
conclude without paying tribute to those who are
personally responsible for this great work the non
orable and courag geous attitude of your member OF
Se hsd it. and pRdh be adhered to his position with
fidelity and comprehension of what was involved
with fidelity that does him honor He isstrongeI
today than he ever was before"
81 must also recognize the support OF the news
papers without distinction of party. must ast
say that rural free delivery has had the vote o.
members of both parties in Congress, who recogniz
ed it as non-partisan but a great business move
that the Sf
be unjust if did not say that you owe particular
debt Of gratitude to the of rural free
delivery and of the agents employed in this partic
uar work. They have discharged their duty with
a fidelity that entities them TO your gratitude
fidelity which am glad to recognize in this public
aDuring the past twenty years our population hal
only doubled ut our postal service has almos
quadrupled. The postoffice appropriation bill
which has passed both houses Of Congress- carrie,
an appropriation of Sis. .00e The people now
feel that there is direct tie between the farmhous
and the Capitol at Washington. This occasion her
has significance reaching far beyond the border
of Carroll bound to be heard at Washington ane
bound to bring its response from all quarters of the
country" Prolonged applause.
COMPTROLLER J. W. Herring.
DIR. ]. W. Herring, who spoke to the toast
'sWhat We Think Of Rural Free Delivery.
said, in substance:
az am expected to respond to the toast of 'Wha
We Think Of Rural Free Delivery. If this question
| had been asked me several months ago, Woult
have been puzzled to know just how to answer 1t
There was great disturbance in the public mind
| about it. II was such departure from all tn.
methods to which our people had been accustomed
| that many looked upon II with distrust, AMI b.
some II was met by positive and yet honest opposi
| fion Ry the latter however the verdict was ren