The Washington times., 1902-02-02
THE VETERANS BANQUET.

Several distinguished public men took
part with the Masonic Veteran Associa-
tion at the recent twenty y-fourth annual
dinner of the organization. Simon Wolf.
vice president of the Masonic Veteran
Association. acted as toastmastor. He
first proposed a toast. TO Our Dead"
which was drunk in silence Mr.. Wolf
then referred to the fact that at the din
ner of the organization one year ago the
first regular toast of the evening was to
the President of the United States, Will
lam Mckinley. but an assassin's bullet
cut short a life of wonderful usefulness 4"
Mf. Wolf paid a tribute to Brother Nc
KinleyS character, and told Of how he
WIS generally beloved by his countrymen.
Inc people. however, must be cOgnizant
OF the present and look to the future. In
Theodore Roosevelt the nation had a
worthy successor to Mr.. Mckinley. and
50 he proposed toast to The President
of the United States" The company
drank this toast standing.
The toast Our Country was respond
ed to by Senator Jacob H. Gallinger. He
said: America presents a wonderful
field for study. The growth of the coun-
try has been stupendous. There was
nothing ever like it in the world before
tics that represented in striking and in
disputable fashion the incompatible rec
ord of American progress. America
spends on education nearly 50 per cent
of the amount expended for that purpose
in the entire world. AS long as these
conditions continue. especially the ex-
pcnditurc of such large sums on the edu-
cation of the people, no one need fear for
the future of the country. The pessimist
is always abroad in the land, and forever
more predicting evil. 1t has been pre-
dicted that the United States could not
possess colonies nor govern them But
we have got the colonies, and we are
going to keep them. We are going to
give the people of our insular possessions
a government that will lift them from
their past state and make them an en-
iightencd race
The past history of our country is but
a forecast of what some who are here
tonight Will live to see it. 1t will be not
alone the greatest republic in the world.
but the greatest military and naval power
as well. We are going to build UP our
army and navy. We are going to lay
Pacific cable. We are going to build an
isthmian canal, 1 care not whether it
ShaII be Nicaragua or Panama canal.
Inc temper of the people demands that
thlS waterway TO connect the Atlantic
and Pacific shall be built, and 1t will be
built By American capital. by American
labor, and be truly American in every
way This capital city. beautiful as it is
today. will be made the most beautiful
capital Of the world. The American peo-
pie are rich and patriotic. They are in
terested in their c. ital city. and will he
glad to contribute their share toward
beautifying it,
The toast The G.d Lodge of the
District was res / to by Hon.
George H. Walker, 'y grand master.
Harry Standiford. grand high priest re-
Sponded to the toast THE Grand RovaI
Arch Chapter" Representative Jacob
H. Bromwell. OF Ohio: Senator Clarence
d. Clark. of Wyoming; Senator George L.
Wellington, of Maryland George C. Ran
kin of Illinois; Samuel Parker. of Hawaii.
and George Gibson. grand commander of
knights Templars. spoke during the even
ing.
1t was announced that a letter of re-
gret had been received from Admiral
Schley, and the company listened closely
to its reading by Grand Commander
George Gibson, one of the stewards of
the association. Prolonged cheers greeted
this communication.