Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-07
Annual Gathering at Carroll
Institute Hall.
ELOQUENT ADDRESSES
WARM GREETING TO COMMAND
ER-IN-CHIEF OF G.. A. r.
Welcoming Address by Henry B. f
Mcfarland, President of Dis
trict Commissioners.

annual encampment Of the Sons or Veter-
ans, which was formally opened IN Carroll
Institute Hall at 10 o'clock this morning,
was the official visit to the session OF the
order made by Gen. Ell Torrance, COM
mander- in-chief Of the G. A. R.
The visit, which Is regarded by the Sons
Of Veterans as of the greatest interest and
Importance to their order, occurred at II
O'Clock noon, during the recess Of the en-
campment.
General Torrance was accompanied to the
hall by Commissioner H. B. F. Mcfarland.
Mr.. B. H Warner, chairman of the citizens
executive committee, and Mr.. Barry Bulk
ley, secretary of the executive committee.
All the gentlemen named delivered ad-
dresses, which were responded to by the
following members Of the encampment:
Past Commander-in-Chief James B. Nc
Cabe Of Massachusetts,. Chaplain-1n-Ch
H. w. Ennis of Brooklyn, N. Y; Past Com
mander-inChief c. F. Griffin OF Indiana
The enthusiasm manifested by the dele
gates when the distinguished visitors ap-
and pronounced kind. The Sons Of Veterans
cheered and shouted and clapped their
hands IN perfect storm Of applause, and
there could be no mistaking the heartiness
Of their greeting to their guests. The pat
riotic words of all the speakers met with de-
cided marks Of appreciation and it was
easily apparent that the sons Of veterans Of
the civil war were in full sympathy with
the sediments of loyalty exemplitied by their
fathers forty years ago.
The speakers talked eloquently and with
stirring effect, and it is likely the exercises,
which lasted scarcely more than an hour,
will be long remembered by those who
witnessed them.
The encampment was in secret ses-
sion when the guests were announced. A
recess was Immediately taken, and COM
mttee escorted the speakers to the plat
form. AS soon as the vociferous demon
tration incident to the delegates greeting
had subsidized Comma E. r.
Campbell of the Sons of Veterans intro
duced Commissioner Macfarland, who well
coined the encampment to Washington on
behalf of the District government.
Mr.. Macfarland's Address.
Mr.. Macfarand spoke in part as follows:
"sons of the veterans Of the great war:
Yours is a proud title. We have none
prouder. except that Of your fathers. Yours
is goodly heritage; that good name which
is better than riches that inspiring example
which is better than honors
The government Of the District OF Co
lumbia is very proud to welcome you to the
national capital at the beginning of this
week, which is to be so notably honored
by guests, who represent the great
strife Of forty years ago. AS the veterans,
the surviving victors of that struggle,
SdlneT mere perhaps the last time To
receive, in the capital which their yalor and
virtue saved. the renewed expressions Of
our gratitude, it is appropriate that you,
the sons Of that great army Of the republic,
should come. too, to witness their triumph
and to see once more, as they march by,
bearing the sacred, pathetic battle-beaten
flags, what manner of men you ought to
be. Fot the obligation that rests upon all
Of US Of the generation since the civil war
to emulate the virtues Of the men who kept
country from being rent In twain lies
with especial force upon your shoulders be-
cause of your inheritance. Noblesse oblige
The nobility which you inherit requires
you to be noble. States cannot be saved
once for all.
They must be saved preserved from day
! to day, in peace as we'll as in war, by the
| virtue and the valor Of the citizen as well
| as of the soldier. And wars come sell
| dom land may they grow less and less fire.
| quenD, most men have their only oppor-
| tunities to save their country by serving
| her in time Of peace. And as leaders and
| officers must be few, In peace as in war,
! The nobility most of us must work out the
| country's salvation by working out our
| own as simple citizens.
Useful Lives.
"The fame and glory which is the prize
| Of war, and the material reward which is
| the prize of peace, can only be had by a
| few, but, thank God, every man, in peace
| as in war, can have the best success by
| living a true. brave, useful life. Most men
| have found it harder to live for their coun-
| try than to die for it. To live through
months and years of steady and perhaps
exacting labors in obscurity. without eX-
element and without conspicuous success,
| honestly, cheerfully and courageously, Is
| far more difficult, and therefore is far m ore
| valuable discipline than to plunge forward
| in the eXhilaration Of battle under admir-
| ing eyes to a glorious death. If war was
| n hr-in he h1ac-t In
hood and to maintain the vigor of our spir-
| itual life, most Of US would suffer for lack
| of it's infrequent opportunities But the
discipline of everyday life. with It's stern
| trials, it's exacting demands and its domes-
| tic joys, Is, fortunately, all that Is neces-
! sary to make us the men ought to be,
| and therefore keep alive the spirit of our
country, which resides in it's citizenship.
1T is needful only that every one of US
shall resolve that whatever others may do
| will live. as he can If he will. one loyal life
devoted to God, and therefore to country.
This is our best way to follow the example
of those who died that the United States
might live, blest with freedom and splendid
with opportunity. Every time has Its dan
gers and difficulties; they are great n
peace as in war. They must be met they
must be overcome, in peace as in war in
spirit of patriotism and self-sacrifice which
does not count the cost or shrink from loss.
We fear no foreign foe and 1t is inconceiv-
able that we should ever have another
civil war. Our Union, never so perfect in
comparably rich, incomparaby powerful
stretching its hands in blessing across the
seas and in influence on the other side Of
the world, has no dread of armed men or
battle ships.
Its menace lies in that materialism which
Is strengthened by it's prosperity. That foe
Is of our own household and the more in
sidious and dangerous because Of It's at
tractive face and seductive manner. 1t can
not be fought with physical weapons, but it
must be fought with spiritual weapons. 1t
must be met, to be vanquished, by simple
and noble living, by the highest qualities
OF character. Veterans, and sons of veter-
ans, and those who have no connection with
war, must stand together in a common
warfare against this common enemy of our
national life. 1t is in the faith that you
have this new patriotism, that you will not
be laggard or recreant In this war of peace,
that we welcome you to the national CAPT.
tai, the home Of the national spirit, the CEN
ter Of Its highest aspirations"
Gen. Torrance introduced.
In responding to the Commissioners well
come Post Commander-in-Chief McCabe
expressed the gratitude of the members of
the order for the earnest greeting. He
said the Sons of Veterans were glad to
come to Washington and hold their annual
convention In the Mecca of American pa
triotism. He spoke Of the aim of the order