Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-23
ABOUT BANQUET BOARD
THE MAYFLoWER DESCENDANTS
CELEBRATE COMPACT DAY.
Gen. Miles Tells of the Longest War
Recorded in History-Other
Addresses.

The Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrim
Fathers as represented by the members OF
the District of Columbia Society of the
Descendants of the Mayfiower, gathered
about the banquet tables at the New VIII
lard Hotel Saturday night to celebrate the
2S3d anniversary of the signing of the COM
pact by the men aboard the MayfoWer on
the day before the landing, according 10
the old calendar, November H. 1o2h When
the change was made the dates were ad-
vanced eleven days, this bringing the &C
tual date of the signing of the compact up
to November 81. The compact, it will be
remembered, bound the people on the May
flower to enact, constitute and frame such
just and equal laws Shall be thought
most meete Il convenient for We general
good of ye Colonie,' unto which they all
promised due submission and obedience.
In all parts of the United States Compact
day is celebrated by the descendants of the
hardy pioneers who came over on the May
flower The District Society, with his
tory of less than ten years, is one OF the
most fiourishing in the country. 1t has on
its rolls the names of distinguished men,
bers from large majority of the forty-five
states and the territories. Its dinners are
attended by all the members of the society
who can possible get there, and an excel
lent program is invariably presented one
of the features OF this dinner is the pres
ence of ladies among the banqueters, some
of them being among the most prominent
members of the society.
\ business meeting of the society was
held Immediately before the banquet Sat
urday night, during the course of which
Mr. Eugene +. Ware, commissioner or PEN
sions. was elected a member of the So
ciety. The meeting was then adjourned to
meet again at the call of the governor. as
the presiding officer Is termed, for the
election of officers for the ensuing year.
AT the conclusion of the business meeting
t1n hor nd dpd IN a
| red parlor, on the first floor of the hotel
where dinner was served. The tables ex-
tended the length of the room and were
handsomely decorated with chrysanthe-
Hopkins, the governor of the society. was
seated In the center of the long table. OPP
posite him was pla ced the, deputy governor,
Capt. w. W. Chase on 1.-THE right of the
on HIS left Mr.. r. Ross Perry. Representa-
tive J. Adam Bede of minnesota and Judge
John Goode Were seated near the governor
on his right.
Gov. Hopkins made short speech, in which
he spoke of the Significance of the day and
the reason for the assemblage. He then re-
quested all present 10 Join In singing the
Fl. Greene and DR.. W. II. Doane for the
congress of descendants of the Mayfiower
held in Massachusetts III 1900. Mr.. Oscar
F. Comstock played the accompaniment on
the piano. ..e ~,
Gen. Miles Address.
In introducing Gen. Miles as the first
speaker Gov. Hopkins took occasion to say
that the longest war and one of the most
devastating in which the United States was
ever engaged was with the Indians. This
war was started by Capt. Miles Standish Of
the Massachusetts, colony he said. and curl
ously enough was ended more than two
centuries later by Gen. Miles. also of the
Massachusetts, colony Gen Miles spoke Of
the preservation of the principles and in
situations established by the Pilgrim faith
ers. He said that the moral example of the
arguments for peace with foreign nations
He referred to the existence of seventeen re-
publics to the south of this country and
gave 1t as his opinion that 1t was the ex-
alive. He said all energies should be bent