Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-19
MUSIC AND SPEECHES
Sacred Concert Given at
Chase's Opera House.
PATRIOTIC ADDRESSES
SENATORS CLAPP AND DEPEW ON
THE ARMY AND NAVY.
-
Invocation by Chaplain Couden Of
House Of Representatives,
cal Numbers and Recitations.

A sacred coEcert, which had also much
the character of patriotic meeting, &C.
Cured at Chases Theater last evening. 1t
was conducted by the local regiment OF
the Union Veterans Union. and was very
largely attended by members OF that or
ganization and their friends. The program
included addresses on the army and navy
by Senators Clapp and Depew, and sew
eraI appropriate recitati tons, quartets and
instrumental selections. the last named be-
ing performed by Haley's band.
Gen. John F. Meacham, chairman OF the
committee on arrangements, interpolated
in advance of the invocation by Rev II. N.
Couden, the blind chaplain of the House
of Representatives, brief statement that
the fund raised at the concert will be de-
voted to the entertainment of visitors dur
ing the encampment of the q. A H. IN
Washington next October.
Burnside Post Glee Club, under direction
of Comrade Beebe, then opened the con-
cert with where Are the Boys of the Old
Brigade Tonight" a number familiar to
every one in the audience. and generally
applauded. A recitation, Little Pilgrims,
by Miss Corinne Hay. and a contralto solo,
"a Dream of Paradise by Miss Rosa
mond B. Meacham, accompanied by Prof
Frank GebeSt, followed.
Senator Clapp Discusses "Our Army"
Senator Moses T.. Cldpp OI Hliiiheooeo
was then introduced for an address on "Our
Army" The speaker began by referring to
the sacrifices made on the battlefields of
earlier ages, saying that as armies had
been in the past important factors in the
history of nations, so they would be for a
long time to come. 1t was customary to
refer to various battles as turning points
in the worlds history. but events were to-
day so interviewer that what was the eff
feet of today became the cause of tomor-
row, and it was difficult to determine upon
either the turning events or the controlling
forces of this age. Next to the coming of
the founder. however. the speaker regarded
the American revolution, when this repub-
lie was born, as the greatest and most con-
Sequential event.
A distinct contrast was then drawn be-
tween monarchies and republics to the eff
feet that the army most clearly manifested
the difference in purpose between monarch
ical governments and government for the
people In that sense the American soldier
differed from the soldiers of all other
lands. He was ctizen-soldier who voun-
teered when his services were needed and
went back to citizenship when strife was
over 1t was bright picture in the COS
marked contrast with present conditions
IN Europe-to see the rush of patriots to
crush out treason, and the return rush,
when the war had ended, back to the call
ingS of peace
In conclusion he said the achievements
of the army reflected the character of the
people from which the army was recruited.
This was more true of the American forces
than OF the men who fought under any
been and was composed of the most
courageous. the most patriotic, the finest
citizens the world has ever known"
Senator Depew's Humorous Address.
Senator Depew's address, which followed
that of his colleague, had a running accom-
paniment of laughter and handclapping
from its beginning to it's close. He could
not tell why he had been chosen to speak
of the navy, he said. He thought he could
command an army. run railroad, manage
a newspaper or preside at a meeting of
civil war veterans, but If he were put
aboard the Oregon, the Brooklyn or the
New York to navigate the vessel across the
ocean it would be through no fault of his
II any of the crew reached shore.
1t was to be noted on behalf of the navy.
however, that while in Great Britain it WIS
the older branch of the service here in
America the army was the Older, as this
country had no navy until eight yeaCs after
its independence was established. Jefferson
was the founder of Americas regular sea
forces. An appropriation of $50, 600, which
he had obtained for the first ships nearly
cost him his reelection. Today It cost
$1,000 to fire one of the big guns of the
Oregon. But ten discharges from the Ore
gon would destroy the whole American
navy of Jefferson's day
Several references to John Paul Jones
privateer, to the tribute paid the TripoIitan
pirates and to the Decatur campaign in
the Mediterranean led the speaker to con-
slider the American merchant marine. AT
one time, he said, we had no navy and
large merchant marine. Now we had a
navy and no merchant marine, and every
time any one spoke of aiding a merchant
marine to establish itself some one else
rose to say that such projects were not in
accordance with the Constitution. He had
a great deal Of respect for that old instru-
ment. but he believed if it existed for any
purpose 1t was to help fly the American flag
over every American vessel whether mer-
chairman man-o' warsman.
The Bugle Call.
BugIer Lem Wiley, who is the national
trumpeter of the U. v. u, followed Sena-
tor Depew with a number of bugle calls
and a little talk on the significance of each
one. Mr.. Nat. Ward Fitzgerald read
memorial poem which was read last Me-
mortal day to his comrades in West Vir-
ginia. Several musical numbers by Haley's
Band and the Burnside GIee Club brought