The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-20
GUESTOF Y.M.C.A.
President Roosevelt Attends a
Banquet Commemorative
Of the Fiftieth Anniversary of
the Washington Branch.

Washington Jan 20-President
Roosevelt was the guest of honor last
night at the banquet commemorative
of the hftieth anniversary of the Wash
ington Young Mems Christian Assoei-
alton and the International Committee
of North America
over 300 guests were invited. Among
those present were Justices Harlan and
Brewer, Secretary Root Senators De
pew and Perkins George Foster Pea
body, Secretary Shaw, Admiral Dewey,
Generals Corbin and Young, Secretary
CortelyOu, Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Darling, General O. o. Howard,
Bishop Satterlee and Representative
Cannon.
Helen Gould and Mrs. MeAlpin. pres
1dent of the Woman's Auxiliary OF the
y. NJ. c. A., We're conspicuous among
those in the balcony.
President Roosevelt was greeted with
loud applause as he rose to address
those at the banquet. He said.
MIR. Chairman and gentlemen. 1T is
no accident that we should meet here
to celebrate a record of fifty years.
That period covers the half century
which has seen the gigantic industrial
change OF the world. a revolution,
socially and industrially, such as was
hardly seen within any preceding five
centuries. Life during that half cen
fury has been carried on at higher
pressure than ever before. That means,
of course that all the forces have been
raised to a higher degree Of power, the
forces Of evil, and also the forces of
good. If it had not been for the work
of such organization as this the mater
ial progress of the world during the
past half century would have told for
Ll TO the nations. not for good
And we can say with truth that we
are better off and not worse off than
we were. We see all around US people
who say Oh well, things viii come out
all right So they viii, but they viii
come out all right not because there
are those who are content to saw they
VIII come out all right but there are
a sufficient number of earnest men
with the root of righteousness in them
who are bound to see that they come
out all right. A hundred years ago
there was no such need for the Young
Mems Christian Association and moves
of this kind. Life was simpler The
temptation would come surely to every
man. but it would not come so fire.
quently and in so intense a form. AS
the forces of evil manifested themselves
in stronger and stronger form they had
TO be met, if they were to be success
fully grappled with, by organization
and successful effort to combat the
forces of evil had to take Just such
shape as has been given to the growth
of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton.
1T had to take the shape of combin-
ing deeency and efficiency. There have
been philanthronic movements led and
supported by most excellent people
which nevertheless have produced re-
suits altogether incummensurable with
the efforts spent, because they failed to
combine, as this movement has combin-
ed recognition Of the need of human
nature at the same time that the reso-
lutte effort was made to make that hui
man nature better 7 have been ac-
quainted especially with three types Of
your work. the work in the army and
navy among railroad and among college
students Now these three classes are
not going to be eneetively reached as
classes by any effort which fails to take
account Of the fact that they demand
nanliness as well as virtue and YOU can
make them straight on condition that