The Portland daily press., 1900-03-12
THE BANQUET
At which the city Fathers said Things
Wise and witty.

At Whteh the city Fathers Saio ihthss
Wise and witty.
After the cauouses came the bauqust
which was one OF the most enjoyable
affairs OF the kind the city fathers have
had for years. The tables were spread In
the aldermeu's chan Der and were deco
rated In . very elaborate and handsome
manner with cut flowers and potted
plants. The cater was Il erbert Carney
who always handles an affair OF this Kind
well. About eight O'Clock the aldermen
Of the past year and thoss who have just
been chosen az aldermen fled In and took
their seats at the head table, where his
Ii onor Mayor Robinson was seated. The
oounciimen Of the past year and council
m sn-elsot were seated ss this ghesu upu-
boring tables while many Of the other
city officials were present and seated at
ths other tables There were In all about
two hundred and tlfty present. After
the good cigars were lighted the mayor
called the assenbiage to order and said:
MAYOR ROBINsON'S REMARKS.
1t Is said that an Englishman is never
happy, unless he is miserable; that a
ectCf men ia never at home, unless he
lie abroad and that an Irishman IL never
at peace unless he is lighting. My obssr-
vation prompts me to add that the mem
bers OF our city council are never really
happy, never quite at home, never per-
feotly at peace, unless thsy are eating. /
observe. too, that tonight our parliament
arians have ceased TO wrangle ana their
tvles no longer tram ne lu the progress
of business. Nobody has tried to look
proceedings by q motion to postpone con-
piderBtion The M otion to lay upon the
table, q great favorite with the upper
board, seems DO have fallen in TO disuse,
hA1, 49, A1 30 ka. faAu
the table. The table looks as II no uniin-
ished business remained. This is the only
|. ioint convention OF the two boards, over
| which have presided, that has been n sae-
GEES in social way or In any other way
| A strong desire TO dissolve and get away
from each other has always been u
marked feature. 1he motion to dissolve
does not make itself audible this evening,
but judging from the jaw activity about
! nae, I should say that everybody was busy
about something of the kind. l bave been
| expecting u message from the lower board
Informing the Tpper board how so do
| business, hut for once, perhaps, the lower
board is convinced that the upper beard
needs no Instructions. Indeed, we seem
| to be In an atmosphere Of the most state
ly courtesy, rs unusual as 1t is agreeable
| Ii reminds me or q punater's remark that
the city council is accustomed to pole
| II ght society. Surely. our surroundings
are for the time free from ampsres. volts
watts, kilowatts, and those other elec-
| trieal irritante.
We are pleased to meet with the mem
| bers-sleot of the city council. Their brief
ex perience as public officials has already
| left its deep impressions, and upon their
faces we can easily trace the gathering
shadows of perpls kitty and bewildermsnt
4, Some OF the advice that Poionius offered
| to his son may te OF value to them. 10
Ia quite safe, and Is as follows:
"Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unpropOrrtiOnsd Thought his act:
Give every man thiae ear. but few thy
| Take each mans eenaure, but reserve thy
Judgment"
If this sage counsel Ia conformed to, it
may prevent embarrassment, and may al
SO avoid he unedifylng spectacle OF "a
| moIass Of muddy thought and weedy
words.
In parting from the outgoing city ooun-
| oil, to whom we now bid an official fare
| welt, 1 desire TO express my thanks for
the many kind things said and done to
ass let me ia my duties.
| The mayor concluded amidst applause
| and said that he knew those present
| wished to hear others speak besides him.
| self nd he would begin by touching the
| keys of the piano. "The lrst one shall
| call upon Will be one whom understand
| d as come INTO the olusninR honOlS oil
president of the board Of aldermen, ex-
Mayor Augustus i. Moulton "
MR.. MoULTON'S RESPONSE.
Mr.. Moulton arose amidst applause
which continued for some time. He then
began by saying that ''some Of us have
come out of tbs caucus like the man who
monkeyed with the mules tail, wiser
| II no as happy" he said that there wEs
no need OF instruoting or cateohizing the
| new mem bers of the lower board. They
needs no instruction judging from their
| psrformR Rnces In the caucus. 81 believe
| the members of the lower board will te as
competent to instruct the memb bsrs OF she
upper board during the coming year as
were the members of the common council
last year. lLaughtsr.l l have sailed
| through the past year, my first in the
| city government, very pleasantly, and
have become thoroughly electrified. We
don't know much about electricity per-
| hAps but we do know that it requires a
great many poles and a great many wires
to give the city all the electricity 1t
needs.
Mr.. Moulton then went on in a hu NOR
| ous manner TO review the events of the
past year but finally became ferious and
referred to some OF the things which the
citv government had accomplished. "We
have bad the advantage of steady hand
at the helm" (Applause.) Mr. Moulton