Evening star., 1902-04-30

of the revolution to show you. but we have
many things far more beautiful and impor-
tant to an American than any battlefield
can be, and these beautiful things are the
results of the great and self-sacrificing ef-
forts of our patriotic ancestors upon his
toric battlefields.
Pride in the Congress.
I've are proud Of our national congress,
and our great aim is to so conduct the
affairs of our society to insure the
friendship and good wishes of all the COM
may be connected.
I'VE might be pardoned for saying lit
tie in relation to the unique and extraordi-
nary mode of government of our city. For
many years our city and District was gov
erned like ali other cities-that is by the
people exercising the right of franchise.
This, however, has been changed and the
government of the United States, through
the Congress, has assumed the duty of
legislation for our people and the city and
District affairs are now directly managed
by board of Commissioners, appointed by
the President. Under these circumstances
we have considered 1t proper on this occa-
sion to present to you as the most appro-
PIRATE one to extend to the members of our
national congress a welcome to our city
the president of the board of Commission
ers of the District of Columbia, Mr.
H. B. F. Macfarland, who will now address
you"
The Commissioner advanced to the front
of the platform.
Mr.. Macfarland's Address.
Mr.. Macfarland said:
"On behalf of the executive government
of the District of Columbia 1 offer greet
ings and congratulations. You are to be
congratulated on the largest attendance of
any national congress. You are to be con-
graduated upon the weather. This is our
inauguration weather. Not the kind Of
past tnaugurations, stormy and dangerous,
but the kind we shall have in the future If
congress submits to the people the pending
constitutional amendment changing inaugu-
ration day to the last Thursday in April.
The national committee on the change Of
Inauguration day, composed of the govern
ors OF forty-fve states and territories and
fifteen residents of the District of Columbia
invokes your aid when the matter comes
before your respective legislatures. We
hope that when you return to Washington
for the inauguration of Compatriot Roose-
welt in 1905 it will be on the last Thursday
in April.
This is the one hundred and thirteenth
anniversary of the inauguration of the
father of the American revolution as the
first President of the United States. 1t is
most fitting that the Sons of the American
Revolution should assemble In national
congress on this day in the national capt.
tai. in the city planned by George
Washington, and which bears his name;
for there would have been no national
capital If George Washington had not
carried through to success the Ameri-
can revolution and the adoption of
the Constitution of the United States. Be-
cause of that mighty spirit and the other
revolutionary patriots, men and women
small and great, established independence
and wrought perfect Union, We are here
today, and the American flag is floating in
blessing the world around
Here Is the home of that flag for the
rational capital has never owed allegiance
to any other. Here is the home of the ma
tlonal genius, distinguished by the Capitol
and the White House. the unparalleled
monument to Washington. looking down to
his home and tomb at Mount Vernon, and
all the beauty Towering from Washington's S
plan for the federal city at its best time
of the year. Here is the home of the ma
tlonal government, with all it's glorious his
tory and all it's glorious PROMISE and the
memories of its great men, its heroes
saints and martyrs, which make Washing
ton greater than Westminster Abbey. Here
is the official residence of the President of
the United States, now a Son of the Amer
ican Revolution, exhibiting the noble quail
tiles and the patriotic principles of our rev.
olut1onary ancestors. Here is the official
residence Of Congress, the greatest legisla-
tive body on earth now, as always char
acterized by high intelligence and integrity.
Here is the official residence of the chief
Justice of the United States and his asso-
ciates of the Supreme Court of the United
States, the most august and powerful tri-
bunal the world has ever known.
Significance Of the Surroundings.
The latest immigrant coming to Wash
ington fresh from the steerage must feel
on such day as this the thrill of the sig
nificance of his surroundings. How much
more must they stir the hearts of men
with your proud heritage Of American pa
triotism and American glory. You who
have the blood Of the men and women who
founded the republic. and who poured out
their lives that it might live, must feel an
interest in the national capital, a desire for
Its Improvement and advancement, far
greater than that which even the average
American feels. If visit to it exalts the
just pride of every American it must raise
your spirits to the point of tears 1t must
move you to eXclalm, as you think of all it
"Oh, beautiful my country!
What were our lives without thee?
What all our lives to save thee?
"In the name of the government of the
District of Columbia ] bid you welcome to
the national capital, to your capital, the
capital of all the sons and daughters of the
American revolution and of all those who
have found on this continent that freedom
of which their ancestors had vainly
dreamed, and that opportunity which only
such freedom could give
Commissioner MacfarIand was frequently
interrupted during the course of his re-
marks by enthusiastic applause, especially
in his reference to the President and the
change in the date of Inauguration.
Gen. Logan's Response.
The response to the addresses Of welcome
was made by General Logan on behalf Of
the congress. He said:
Il thank you, gentlemen, on behalf Of the
delegates for the cordial welcome and re-
ception that have been extended to US. We
are proud to hold our congress here as the
guests of the District of Columbia society,
one of the brightest jewels in our crown
We are proud and happy to meet in this
beautiful city, which our great patriotic
father chose as his own. We are proud to
meet here on the banks of the Potomac,
where our peerless leader lived and died"
He spoke of the part the Sons Of the
American Revolution had taken in the af-
fairs of government and mentioned the fact
that the present occupant of the White