Evening star., 1904-03-14
ACCEPTS PRESIDENCY
SECRETARY TAFT 1REs1DEs OVER
UNIvERarr CLUB.
Proposition for aecusdng Permanent
Home submitsed>sThe Barton
Hotel III View.

An enthusiastic meeting of the mem
bers of the new University Club of this
city was held at Raugcher's Saturday night.
The meeting was designed to bring those
who have worked for the new organization
into closer touch with those who have been
admitted as members. There were fully
five hundred university men in the large
assembly room when the meeting was called
to order by Prof. C. D. Walcott of the geo.
logical survey, the clubs second vice presi-
dent. The business of the meeting was to
inform all the members at first hand of the
work that has been done by the committees
selected from the group charged with the
organization Of the club.
Secretary Ralph Barnard described all
that had been done and then spoke of the
necessity that had arisen to increase the
dues OF membership. There will be a thou
sand members of the club when it is finally
settled In home, he said. and of this
number at least seven hundred win be resi-
dent members. Applications nave been re-
ceived from every section of the city and
country and from the graduates of every
college and university in the land.
Mr.. Isaac r. Hit, jr., assistant secretary
of the club, also spoke of the organization
and the plans for it's success.
Mr.. G. Oakley Totten and DR.. Larkin w.
Glazebrook, members of the committee ap-
pointed to secure a suitable club house,
mittee had been somewhat embarrassed by
the number of places that had been present.
ed for consideration, and that after much
deliberation it had decided to submit the
matter to the club There were four or five
places to choose from. Each possessed
different advantage, but each was entirely
suitable to the needs of the club. One place
was presented which was regarded as emil
nently suitable, the only difficulty that was
in the way being the matter of financing
the proposition, and the committee did not
care to take the responsibility of making
decision for this reason.
The matter of securing the money was
one which should be settled by the club
members in meeting. and 1t was therefore
requested that the matter should be at
tended to forthwith. The property referred
to is the Barton Hotel. This building, 1t was
said. is an ideal one for a club. and the ar
rangement of the rooms is such that 1t
could be fitted up for the club purposes in
the finest kind of style. All of the mem
bers appear to favor the proposition to take
the property and each is willing to do his
share of the work of financing it, but it
was decided to leave the matter to the dis
cretion of the executive council.
Death Of a Member Announced.
Mr.. Totten at this iuncture. announced
the death OF Prof. Edwin H. Fowler of the
coast and geodetic survey, and presented
resolutions of coincidence. which were unan-
imously adopted. Prof. Fowler was MEM
Der of the council of the club.
With the disposal of the question of 10
cation the business of the meeting was
ended and a buffet supper was served. The
speecEmaking was not over. however. Sec
retary Taft. the president of the club. was
late in arriving, having: previous dinner
engagement. but he came into the hall
while the members were.at supper and was
greeted vociferously The members were
presented to Mr. Taft. who shook each by
the hand. his cIassmate at Yale, Mr.. Wal
lace w. Hite. making the presentations.
At the conclusion of the reception Mr..
Taft called the meeting; to order and in
short speech accepted the presidency of
the club. He said he believed there Is a
great need for a university club in Wash
ington. The college man is a power in this
country. he said. and all should take close
interest in public affairs. He declared that
it is at the club. where men meet men and
rub elbows with their fellows from every
walk of life. that fuller and freery- discus
sons of the affairs of the nation can be
had. and 1t Is here that men exchange
views frankly on subjects of moment to all
of them.
Other Speakers.
President Charles F. Needham of Column
bian University was then introduced and
made a short humorous speech. Addresses
were also made by Judge Edward Lander
and Mr.. Ellis H. Roberts. the Oldest grad
yates present of Harvard and Yale re-
spectively. and by ex-Presdent Merrill E.
Gates of Amherst. Mr. Clifford Pinchot, the
librarian of the club. gravely told the MEM
bers that his selection was the only mis-
take the members of the nominating COM
mittee had made. Mr. Pinchot said he
thought the committee which would have
charge of the furnishing of the club house
should be instructed to provide for a gen.
eral dining table where all the members of
the club may meet and where fellowship
may be promoted by informal gatherings.
Mr.. Charles e. Munroe treasurer of the
club. made short address the financial
end of the clubs business and after the
loyal sons of the several universities pres
ent had INDUCED themselves once more in
the yell of their particular institution
President Taft announced the adjournment
of the meeting.