Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-12
LETTER FROM ROOSEVELT.
International Y. M. c. A. Convention
at Buffalo-New officers.
oh from RuffaIo. N. Y. saws:

A dispatch from Buffalo, n. Y, says:
Two sessions were held yesterday of the
international convention of the Y. M. Z. A
of North America at which the delegates
were welcomed to the city, and permanent
organization of the convention was effected
under the presidency of Henry B. F. Mac
farland of the District of Columbia Last
evening the delegates attended banquet
in Convention Hall, at which 1850 persons
were present. The following letter of re-
greet from President Roosevelt was read:
WHITE HOUSE,
WASHINGTON, D. c., May o, 1904
My Dear Sir: 1t is matter of sincere re-
gcet to me that | am unable TO be present
at the international meeting of the Young
Mems Christian Association. / believe with
all my heart in your work, for you have
rot confined yourselves merely to talking
about what could be accomplished, but have
striven in practical fashion to realize in
some degree on this earth the ideals of
Christianity. / feel that every Young Mems
Christian Association throughout this land
is valuable adjunct to good citizenship
With my best wishes, believe me sincerely
yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The President of the Y NJ. c. A. Interna-
tional Convention.
The convention will be in session until
May -.
The report of the international committee
presented at the afternoon session reviewed
the work of the association, and shows that
the Increase in the strength and efficiency
of the state and provincial organiZatio tons
has been steady. The associations have
found their chief field among the young
men of the cities, but now their work is
growing in two drections-first, among
boys, and, second, among young men in
country districts. In the boys department
are 20,OOO members
The growth of the railroad associations
| has been remarkable, and the total men,
| bership has increased 2S,206. Another prom
7 tCtn Rnl1 ,-
/ dustrial classes Special attention has been
| given to the study of single manufacturing
! establishments, and progress has been
| made in some of the largest works of the
| country. Work among the Pennsylvania
| coal miners is also promising. Reports from
| all other sections are very encourag ing,
] says the report.
mcfarland Elected President.
The following officers of the convention
! were unanimously chosen President Henry
| B. F. mcfarland of the District of Column
| bia; vice presidents, C. T. Williams of Mon
| treal, A. E Haynes of Minnesota, Frank E.
| Sickles OF Buffalo, Frank Strange of Kan
| sas William Z. SWEET of Colorado, James
| Ramsay. jr.. of the Wabash railroad; sec
rotary, w. II. Stone, Portland, Ore; as
| sistant secretaries +. II. Burt of Illinois
and G. f. Williams of Quebec.
| At the banquet last night Frank E.
| Sickles. vice president of the local associa-
| ton. gave historical sketch of the first in
! ternational convention, which was held in
| Buffalo in June, 1854. On that occasion
| there were thirty-seven delegates in at
| tendance, representing nineteen associa-
| tons. The total membership of the associa-
| ton was then less than 10000. The asso-
| cia ton had at that time no property and
! had no paid officers. At the present time
| there are LOO associations. $4,000 mem
4, bers and the property value of the various
| associations is about $4,000, coo. There are
| 1,T00 paid officers.
| Five charter members of the Buffalo
| Young Mems Christian Association who
| were in attendance at the banquet were In
troduced by Mr.. Sickles. These are the
| only survivors of the forty members of the
| associa ton which organized in Buffalo In
| June, 1852. One of the five was William j.
| Rhea of Washington.
Other addresses were made by John F.
Moore. International railroad secretary; J.
S. Tichenor, army and navy secretary; f.
| NJ. Robinson, boys secretary, and f. r.
Cotton. students secretary.