Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24
TRIBUTE TO THE PRESIDENT.
Judge Emory Speer's Eloquent Re-
marks Mt the Dewey Banquet.

At the banquet in honor of Admiral and
Mrs. Dewey in Savannah last Wednesday
night Judge Emory Speer, well known in
Washington. responded eloquently to the
toast THE President of the United States"
The speech has created universal admra-
ton This was Judge Speers brilliant trib-
ute to President Mckinley:
.Of the man himself 1t Is freely conceded
by those who were his foemen in war and
who are his opponents in peace that his is
the highest type of the American citizen. In
his personal characteristics he is of Wash
ineton, the roble and serene; of Madison,
the persuasive and interchangeable; of Jack
son, the fiery and fearless; of Lincoln, the
mighty-souled and humane; of Grant, the
stern and silent soldier in battle and the
gentIest to the vanquished in victory; of
Arthur, the exquisite charm of whose
graceful and gentle manners will linger
ever in the memory of those who knew him
of these illustriouS Presidents this UMPIRE
tentlouS American gentleman by all, save
| an occasional crafty and ungenerous parti-
san, is deemed the worthy and meritoriouS
successor. From his cOuntrymen he does
not stand alOof. He is not wrapped in the
| solitude of an original and unaccommodat-
| ing authority. He appreciates what all do
not perceive, that ours are not the institu-
| lions nor these the times which require in
| the executive that startling and predomi-
nant superiority above his fellow-men
| which compes undertaking pursuit of what
are termed policies.
He Is, indeed, happy that the intelli-
gent. Informed American mind will aid him
| in the duties and share with him the re-
sponSiblitieS of the executive station. This
| is a modern privilege and power of the
| President. The universal spread of educa-
| ton and the omnipotent modern press,
which marshals the same information and
the same thoughts before millions of minds
| at the same moment, impart a value and
| spontaneity to public opinion which makes
| it day by day practical referendum for
| the guidance of the government.
while the administration of the PreSi-
dent more than any other save that of
| Lincoln will afford to the historical material
| at once to attract, to instruct and to thrill
| the students and readers of the future, it
| is nevertheless true that his Americanism,
| while prompt and purposeful in conviction
| and decisive in action, has been cautious
| and conciliatory at home and abroad. . "
| But if the President has awaited himself of
the opportunities of modern craftsmanship
to share the responsibilities of government
| with the enlightened masses of his country
| men in exterior affairs, at home he has
been our guide, philosopher and friend.
| But the task of al! others to which the
President has consecrated the influence OF
| his station, the felicity and tactfulness OF
his marvellous diction, the best efforts OF
his intense and patriotic nature is the
| actual and enduring reconciliation of the
once discordant sections of our country
This he had begun with the weil-knowr
| declarations of his inaugural address But
| the old American spirit aroused by the
| war with Spain afforded him the oppor
| tunity, which he eagerly seized, to make
ours indeed a union of hearts and unior
| of hands that we might consecrate our lives
| to the flag of our Union forever At Ma
con, Augusta, Mil,edgeville. Richmond
| where he spoke to vast multtudes of hi.
| countrymen, he gave ungrudging testimony
| of the heroism Of the southern volunteers
THE administration of William McKin
| ley and its great achievements will receive
! proud recompense. He will live in history
as the first President who directed the en-
| ergies Of this nation in a great and sue.
| cessful war beyond the seas. Greater civic
| renown may yet be his, but to my mind the
browning glory of his life will be found III
those simple words of proffered kindly ma
tfonal recognition of the honor due the
sacred ashes of his once Incompatible foes
Wise as kindly, judicious as gentle, the,
have touched the hearts of millions of oul
people. Inc veterans Of Lee, the foot cav
airy of jackson. the rifiemen of johnson
the troopers of Stuart and Forrest. the ar
| tillery of Pelham and Wharton, the Texan,
of Hood-they will live in the sons AMI
grandsons of their gallant blood side b,
side with the noble youth of the north AMI
unfolding their strong arms and thei
bright bayonets the glory-crowned ensigl
OF our country, they will be invincible t
any force its enemies can send against Us.