Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-23
y. NJ. c. A. CONVENTION
Mr.. Sleman Tells of Some OF
It's Features.
VETERANS ATTENDED
THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Commissioner Macfarland's Success as
Presiding Officer and the
Honors Paid Him.
VETERANS ATTENDED

scented nj the thirty-fifth International con-
vention of the Young Mems Christian asso-
Citations of North America, recently held at
Buffalo, by delegation Of eleven members
of the association, Messrs S. w. woodward,
Henry t. F. Mcfarland, Theodore A. Hard
ing William 7. Rhees. Lyman l.. PIERCE
George Otis Smith, John B. Sleman, IT.;
Gamer On Beck, H. g. Doud, George r. I'D
bits ani A. A. Protzman.
In speaking of the convention, one OF the
delegates, Mr.. Sleman. who has just re-
turned. said that in many respects the con-
vention was the greatest ever held by the
association had many features or great IN
terest to the Washington delegation.
in the first place." he said, from an his
torical POINT of view. Washington had
peculiar interest in the convention. just
fifty years ago The first convention OF the
North american Young Mems Christian as
sociatons was held in Buffalo, the can 1or
the convention having been signed py Us
car Cobb of Buffalo and William Chaunc9
I.angdoa one of the founders. and the then
president Of the Washington association
The de-. of holding a convention OF oeie-
gates from the twenty or more assoclatlohs
then existing in North America originated
with Mr. Langdon of Washington VINO was
made president of the first convention.
Mr.. Macfarland Presides.
at seemed very appropriate. therefore,
that a Washington man should presloe over
the Jubilee convention, and just the man ioi
the place was found in Commissioner henry
s. F. Macfarlan,i. vice president OF the iocal
association, who was enc OF the oeiesa'es
from this city. He was elected by aceia iiaaa
ton at the opening session ana preSioeu
with marked ability throughout all lIe Jus.
ness sessions of the convention his UNI UNI
form courtesy and fairness, together Win
1xox, m
his remarkably apt ana happy mp n,;th
speeches. made him a prime favorite WIN
all the delegates from the very Desihlins
of the convention. The convention was IIioIo
than usually difficult from the presiding Of
fcer's ,oint of view, because OF the fact
that imrortant questions of policy were to
be discussed and decided, and there W.
two ve-y strong opposing views on certaiii
matters .ha
o,,estion of whether the railroad work, anu
other general branches, should De Gun
trolled directly by the state committees
and local associations, or should De gene.
ally supervised by the international COM
mittee. with headquarters at New YORK.
Through the debate upon TINS question:
which occupied nearly all of two DAYS, MI.
Macfarland performed great service 10 Ine
convention by his mastery handling or the
situation and through his leadership tne
debate was carried on upon a very nisn
plane and the decision was reached aIter
careful consideration, and was acqulesceo
ton of the delegates was expressed 10 MT.
Macfarland at the closing session On sat
urday morning. when the committee on
resolutions brought forward speclal reso-
luton thanking him for his great service
to the convention and the cause. This reso-
luton was greeted with enthusiastic ana
prolonged applause, and when Mr.. Mac
farland rose to respond to 1t he received
an ovation the like of which has never
been given to any man at an international
Y. M. c. A. convention. He responded
feelingly In a brief speech, In which he said
that he felt that the expression that ne
had lust received was the greatest honor of
his life. A little later in the session he
was presented with a magnificent loving
cup, as further evidence OF the appre-
citation and regard of the members of the
convention. At the close of the Saturday
morning session he held quite reception
on the platform, and at the Hotel 1roquofs
in the afternoon he was the guest of the
Washington delegation at a complimentary
dinner, at which were present also the
chairman and general secretary Of the in
ternational committee, and several of the
other secretaries Of the committee.
Veterans Present.
"A feature of great interest to the con-
vention and the Washington delegation was
the presence of William J. Rhees Of the
Smithsonian Institution of this city, who was
one of the founders of the Washington as
ISOLATION, and was also a delegate to the
Buffalo convention fifty years ago. Two
other delegates to that convention, Oscar
Cobb Of Buffalo and Judge Eldridge of To-
peka, Kan, formerly Of Boston, Mass, were
present, and these three veterans in asso-
citation work were presented to the
convention at the evening session of We'd
Eesday, and received a tremendous oya-
ton. On Thursday these men, together
with other veterans in association work,
held brief service in the room in which
the convention was held fifty years ago.
At the Saturday morning session invita-
lions for the convention of 1907 were pre-
scented by Portland, Greg; Denver. Col;
Memphis, Tenn. and Washington, D. c.
Washingtons invitation was presented by
the president Of the association, Mr.. 8. W.
Woodward and seconded by Mr.. Macfar-
land. From the enthusiasm with which the
invitation of the capital city was received.
it seems more than likely that the inter-
rational committee-with whom rests the
decision in the matter-will make Washing
ton its choice.
1.-The convention was prominent for many
things. Special departments of work, such
as railroad work, the work in the army
and navy, the boys work. the industrial
department, the student work, and the
work In foreign lands all received great
attention.
1.-The presence of blue jackets from the
United States men of war at the Brooklyn
navy yard. and battalion of soldiers, with
their officers from Fort Porter lent a spe-
cial interest to the army and navy session.
Rear Admiral F. J. Higginson, well-known
in this city, was one of the speakers at this
meeting and as he was introduced navy
bugler sounded a salute, which was re-
csived with great enthusiasm.
Among the speakers Of the convention
were several college presidents and other
college men Of note. and leading secretaries
of missionary boards. and among the speak
ers at devotional sessions were Rev. G.
Campbell Morgan of London and Robert e.
Speer of New York
Business Men Present.
There was an unusually large number of
business and professional men present
among others: Mr.. Cyrus H. Mccormick Of
Chicago, president of the International Har-
yester Company; DIR. John p. Mum of New
York, F. B. Schenck, president of the Mer-
camille National Bank of New York; James
G. Cannon, vice president of the Fourth
National Bank Of New York; Judge Selden
p Spencer OF st. Louis Frank w. Hills
controller of the United States Steel Corpo-
ration E. L. Shuey Of the National Cash
Register Company, Dayton. Ohio: T. s. Nc
Pheeters, president of the National Ware
housemen's Association; Premier Ross OF
Ontario, DR.. L. c. Warner. president Of the
United States Life Insurance Company;
Joseph Ramsey. tr.. president Wabash rail-
road; Col. John J. McCook William Sloane
cEkx a