New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-07
GENESEE SOCIETY Dimes.
PRAISE FOR ". c. WHITNEY
General Corbin Lays Nesc Navy to
White Squadron.

William c. Whitney. services to the country
when Secretary of the Navy was paid by
Major General Corbin speaking at the sixth an
nual dinner OF the Society OF the Genessee which
took place in the Aston Gallery at the Wal
6orf-Astoria last night.
No less hattering was his reference to Elihu
Root. ex-secretary Of War. whose greatness, he
said. would not be recognized until the country
had war. and who would yet be called to a
higher place in the nation
A no less striking feature of the addresses was
a terse but vivid four-minute talk by District
Attorney Jerome who declared that until Civic
Duties'-the subject OF his talk-were elevated
from the minor to the major moralities, u.til
man resented even the suggestion of dereliction
OF civic duty much he would an imputa-
ton on his honor veracity. no statute ever
written could help the body polite one iota.
Mr.. Jerome also electrified his hearers including
a batch OF Appellate Division justices. by the
question to whether many OF the diners knew
enough about civic affairs even to furnish the
correct number OF aldermen at the City Hall.
Ex-Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smiths vehement assertion that liberty meant
the equal right TO organize not to organize
TO strike or not TO strike" met with loud ap-
plause.
Churchmen and statesmen, soldiers and sail
ors. judicial and civil digniaries alike. We'd with
of the Genesee at the dinner. Among those who
paid it tribute were DIR. Samuel NJ. Brickner.
the president of the society, who acted as toast
master: District Attorney Jerome. Martin w.
Iittleton. Borough President of Brooklyn; Fran
els Lynde Stetson, James II. Beck, Charles
Emory Smith. ex-Postmaster General: DIR.
Cortland Myers Major General Corbin Homer
Folks. Rossiter johnson. Job E Hedges and
Rear Admiral Franklin Hanford.
Nearly four hundred guests attended the din
ner. The boxes were thronged with women in
tasteful evening gowns. which served as a
brilliant foil to the more sober black and white
OF the diners. Notable as was the gathering. It
is no disparagement TO the diners TO say that
the absentees were more noteworthy.
Among those who sent letters OF regret were
President Roosevelt. ex-President Cleveland.
Mayor Mcclellan. Governor Odell, ex-senator
Hill, Mayor Cutler OF Rochester. George b.
Cortelyou. Secretary OF the Department of Com
merce and Labor: Ex-Governor Black. Circuit
Attorney Joseph W. Folk OF St. Louis, Booker
7. Washington President Woodrow Wilson OF
Princeton University ex-Lieutenant Governor
Woodruff. President Hadley OF Yale University.
Bishop Potter. David J. HILL Minister to Switzer-
land; Chentung LANG Cheng. the Chinese Min
lister; ex-Postmaster General James, Charles ].
Bissell. OF Rochester; Controller Grout and
Chief Judge Parker OF the Court Of Appeals.
No sooner had District Attorney Jerome risen
from his seat on the left II the president to
address the Genesees than the Genesee Quartet
rose likewise and Unexpectedly serenaded the
/ District Attorney with Down Where the Wurz-
burger Flows"
The District Attorney, who was listened 10
with close interest and at several junctures in
terrupted by applause began by saying that his
father came from Rochester. and that he had
I been taught the most famous personages In the
/ Genesee Valley were Joe Smith. the Fox Sis
tiers and the Cardiff Giant. lie continued in
/ part.
4 To-day it is questionable whether an honest man
20 into public life any more than d poor
nation was built By sacrifices You and / must
make public NE 50 pure v 9hd pS 80 onsaeT bsthsr
ne cannot afrord II. This looking at II as
nation l regret the suspicion OF degradation In
have been away in the wilds Of New-MeKico for
thirty Gays and for the first time after my return
making the blum OF giving home rule and Offering
. home rule which they know the other side VIII
take anything and stamp i home rule and II VIII
n We t IrF STATE on the same level with his duty
his God and his self-respect and resents the I'M
rese NOT ult then viii the situation be improved
Then statute may help the body polite, Unul
the civic duty f. reeested from the field OF minor
20 the greater morales II s useless 10 talk OF the
benefits OF statute enactment. Give us men who
will be right and be right ourselves ana the
/ will take care Of itself Printed words Will not
give US better things. 1t never has and II never
/ can
His last word was:
Civic duty must be real TO us as our duty
70 be loyai honest and truthful. The ideal OF
/ civic duty must sink so deep in a mans heart
/ that he will resent the suggestion that he has
been derelict in his civic duties every whit as
! much as he would an imputaton on his personal
honor"
General Corbin said that West Point used 10
be looked on as turning out a fully educated
| officer but to-day the graduate was merely from
a fitting school The various service schools
like Forts Totten and Riley. were really the
! postgraduate schools
i III General Grant and General Sherman were
| calIed to life today" he said, they would Dc
| ignorant and useless in handling the new arms
and equipment OF the army"
sneakinr of Mr.. whitney. General Coroin
said:
Mr. whitney had enlarged the intelligent zee >, ;
Of a navy and he had the courage ana LS 5i ,e
M, tteee ideas into operation thereby pToVLdns "a
.yith sbins Of kind and in numbers that -
na. iife in our navy that arrested me %,
! a. ,vorld All IN all. the 'Whlto SQ9au
tne loSs - ,os,ndafion, speak. on Hhlch OuI
, =, SPLENDID navy has been bulk
rr. .neechmaking was opened by President
Brickner.
GENERAL JOHN C. BLACK BETTER.
,,,a.h,rr,on Feb. 6-The condition OF General