Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-21
TAKoMA CLUB ENTERTAINED.
Addresses Made by DR.. J.. A. Gilfllar
and Major A. s. Perham.

The members Of the Takoma Club and
Library of Takoma Park, D. c., were en-
tertained last night at the club house on
Oak avenue by DR.. ]. A. Gilf1llan and Major
A. 8. Perham, in the former reading room
Of the club. Succeeding the exercises the
inequalities Of the club were extended to
those present.
In the absence OF the chairman Of the en-
tertainment committee, Mr.. Louis p. Shoe
maker, president Of the club, made brief
address, touching upon the historical life
Of each of the speakers and the duties per-
formed by them in the past. DR.. GiIfllan
spent more than twenty-five years of his
life among the Indians previous to the civil
war. He spoke Of his early life on the
frontier, as far back as 1857, in a small
town in Minnesota, and the exciting Incl
dents which he experienced while carrying
on the work Of his church. The Sioux
tribes, he said, were to be found in that
section until 1852, when they sold their
vast land properties to the white people for
2 cents an acre. which land. he said, can
not now be bought for 500 an acre. He
gave brief history of the origin Of the
Indian wars which took place on the from
tier.
DR.. Gilfillan spoke Of the territory which
had been allotted to him, which covered an
area Of 200 miles, which he was expected
to cover once or twice a month. Sometimes
the journey was made on foot, on horse
back. on snow shoes or In a canoe. He
often walked from twenty-five to forty
miles day, but among the Indians and
lumbermen 1t was an ordinary feat to
walk fifty or sixty miles day. He estab-
lished churches in every Indian town with
In his territory, and ordained Indians to oc-
cupy the pulpits in each church.
+. Major Perham made an address on the
subject Of New England town meetings,
going as far back as the revolutionary
times, when the town meetings were more
frequent. He took occasion to mention the
work Of the town people of Takoma Park,
and the deep impression which the Takoma
Club and Library had made upon the COM
munity He said the institution should be
appreciated by all who lived near it, and
that often 1t proved better than a town
meeting. In discussing the town meetings
In New England, he said the elections were
held once year and all turned out
on that occasion to express themselves IN
public, and, as once said by prominent
speaker think as they speak and speak
as they think" BY these meetings, he said,
It made every man feel as though the
towns business was, a part of his own bust
ness. 1t was, he said, the best political
training school in existence. Short, terse
speeches were the rule, and in carrying out
this rule, the business could often be COM
pleted In day. He outlined the duties of
the officers of a township, and said that II
man proved unsatisfactory he was drop
ped from Office. The people are taxed, con-
tinued the speaker, for roads and bridges
In proportion to the property a man owns.
Speaking Of the schools, he said they were
held twice a year, winter term and
summer term. The funds were expended
in proportion to the number of scholars in
each district. He concluded his remarks
by reading several communications from
several OF the earlier Presidents, and sug-
costing that the same policy as outlined in
New England towns be put into opera ton
In other states Of the Union.