The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-26
DINE IN EMERSON'S MEMORY.
AUTHORS HEAR FROM
co.,. " PATTERSON on THE IDEAL.
There Are No Ideal statesmen. lie says
Nearest to One Was Ttidcn-Why
Brook Farm Failcd-Prcsident Sends q
Message and Markham Reads Poem.

Message and Markham Reads Poem.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's birth and LIE
were COMMUNICATED in a centennial ceie-
bration by the Society of American Authors
in the Aston Gallery of theWaldorf- As' oria
Last evening More than 200 men and
women dined. In connection with the
dinner there was loan exhibition Of Emer-
soniana various editions OF his books,
port rats, blsts, correspondence and photo
graphs
Rastus s. Ransom presided, With him
a, the dinner table were Moncure ID. Con
way, Col Henry Watterson, Presiden
Jacob G. Schurman of Cornell, Chancellor
Mac( racien Of New York University
pr. William T. Harris. United States Com
missioner OF Education. Charles n Has,
WE'LL the Hon S. j. Barrows,. Henry, NJ
Leipziger, Edwin Markham William Nelson
and Mark Harvey l.iddell. -,
A letter Of regret from Mrs. Julia ward
Howe was read in which Mrs. Howe. spoke
OF the joy of Emerson's presence. his
silvery voice, and the stern lines OF his
countenance in which inflexibe Justice
wrote and kept her record 4 cable mes
sage came from Sir Edwin Arnold. paying
his tribute Of love and gratitude TO FINER
SON." and the following despatch. dated
~
President Roosevelt
1t il with real regret that | mud m,yself
unable to be with you at your dinner in honor
Of the memory Of the man to whom American
literature. American philosophy ana Anirri-
can citizenship owe so inlC!l.
A message Of greeting was also read
from the Pilgrims Of the United States,
dining az hosts Of Sir Michael Herbert, the
British Ambassador at Washington
Mr.. Conway, who was down on the toast
card as Rev. Moncure D. Conway, said
that justice had hardly been done to the
playfulness of Emerson. his scinl liant wit
and his charming family life. His was
great heart, great life.
Mr.. Haswell who was int reduced AS the
oldest living American author, at ~. spoke
few words OF appreciat ion Of the greeting
he received, but said that weak heart
forbade him to speak as he would like to do
Col. Watterson. whose toast Was The
Ideal in Public Life had these things
among others to say
There is no such thing as the ideal in public
life. constituting public life to refer TO political
and hs idssi may ryrx exist in s
imagine that it exists In very young women
But here we must draw the line. AS society is
standing room. in the arena OF civics. u
We would make place for II. We must begin
by realizing this.
The ideal statesman can only exist in an
ideal State, The politician. like the poor,
We have always with rs. As long as men
delegate to other men The FUNCTION OF acting
for them. II not oil thinking for them, we
shall continue to have HIM. He is, OF course.
ii variable quantity. la the crowded centres
Of population. his distinguishing marks are
short hair and cunning. upon the confines.
sentiment and the six-shooter! In New
York. he becomes Boss; IN Kentucky and
Of being a politician.
The nearest approach to the ideal states .t,',
man this country has evolved lived and died %
AN ideal life, he did. From youth to age he
dwelt amid his fancies. He WAS truly, man
of the world among men OF letters and a man
of letters among men OF the world. A philoso.
pher pure and simple-a lover OF books, OF
pictures. OF all things beautiful and elevating
doctrinaire and having a pa sson for affairs
he was apie to crafty the aspiration to ein nj
nence and the ysa5hla aim TO- De OF service to the
Without any of the articles usual to the
practical politician he gradually rose to be a
power IN his party thence to become ne
boeth to millions OF his countrymen. who
enthusiastically supported, him. and who
s @ De ss Mss
was so: though represented whilst he lived
FL 9 nmd the OF IN ses
he hid himself. For this man was personally
known to but few in the city where he had
Msa rarely Hs n
leader to whom the hustings were mainly
n stranger. thinker. and yet a dreamer.
might uncorruptins and incorrnptible: least
of all his political companions moved by the
loss of the Presidency which had seemed in
his grasp. And finally. he died though a
master OF legal lore to have his last will and
testament successfully assailed
Brook tf haor wan rs. s candle
upon the affairs of humanity and left not
pnme,aninS tradition behind IL That lovely
idyl lives today IN the hearts q sne men es
the millions their genius for acculnuiation
drew from i in such sums and for such Pur-
and not an empty saying. that there is more
pleasure in giving than in receiving. One.
at least. Of these men has rendered, ed, ;s =, q
the Sermon on the Mount in the declaTaton
that he would be ashamed TO take his millions
with him into the throne-rooIn of Grace: and
cipp and acting upon II Carnegie is but the
first of II line of kings whose dynasty is safer
than that of Hapsburg. or OF HohenAoliern
whose right divine il registered where alone
divine rights belong, OF a line OF kings who
shall ,ordain new polity. establish a new ~
GOSPEL from whose G ;e shall ah be
iiches and might, who will demand. and
in this world TOO, strict accounting a.,
tions: !. at least, will look no gift horse in the
mouth: the rather see In them the dawn OF a
day when money shall he SO cheap and
plenty even as II used to be in the Con-
federacy that it shall he said Of him who
hath it, the more he hath. the poorer he is.
President Schurman in the course OF an
address said: Emerson exercises more
influence to-day. venture TO say than any
other prophet, sacred or profane. does at
the present time
Others who spoke We're Chancellor
MacCracken, DR.. Harris and Mr.. Barrows
Edwin Markham read a poem written for
the occasion. One stanza of IL follows:
New Adam waS hc with 10 Past behind.
No dead hand reaching from the grave 10 bind
No terror come from old tradition none
Had power upon that spirit sweet with sun.
He dared TO follow an Nnlravellcd way,
4 nd fout the Eme rson OF yesterday.
tn east AWAY the mouldy charts and