The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-03-18
PRESIDENT GUEST
Of FRIENDLY SONS
Praises Fighting Quality of
the Irish.
ATTENDS NIECE'S WEDDING
Dimes With Sons of American Revolt
tion and Talks of Truth and
It's Lessons.

As the guest of the Friendly Sons of
st. Patrick and the Sons of the tAmeri-
can Revolution in New York, last night,
President Roosevelt received an enthu-
siastic welcome.
From the hour of his arrival in TIE
city early in the afternoon until be got
aboard his special a few minutes after
midnight the President was constantly
on the move. IN addition to two ban
quets, the President attended the wed
ding of his niece. Miss Eleanor Roose-
welt. paid call on his aunt, and attend
ed Hamily dinner.
'Caed Mile Failthe,'' Gaelic for "a
hundred thousand welcomes" was the
motto which greeted the President eye
as he entered the banquet hall blazoned
forth by electric lights, at DeIrnonico,s
where the Friendly Sons of St Patrick
Wefe waiting to receive him. These and
themselves came to the President in
mighty roar when he made his appear
ance.
1t Is the first time for more than
century that President of the United
States has attended a banquet of the
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and Pres
The Friendly Sons-six hundred and ten
of them-sfsnalized the occasion by
festival re remarkable for briiliancy and
enthusiasm.
fISiSe IOI iIiSH.
AS a last touch to his participation in
the celebration, he gave the big Stick"
verbal flourish which brought to the
temples of the audience the last drop
of lighting Irish blood" 1t was not in
Guided in the set speech which he had
prepared After speaking feelingly Of
the deaths of Rough Riders Capron and
'tBueky" O'Neill both Irishmen, in Gu
ba. the President said:
. q 9 I Faf IN
declare again and again elsewhere, tina
we must net forget that nothing can
avail natioa which loses it's elemental
virtues. II the average man cannot
work and fight the race is in a poor
way 1t will not have, or deserve, the
respect of anyone
Let Us avoid brawIing or speaking in
a way that will offend others Let us
make events walt on peace, not because
We are weak. but because we think we
are right; not because we want to
fectly competent to hold our own
There never was time that it has
been proven that an Irishman did not
come up to the standard and did not
tight when there was need of it,
Guests of S. Ar.
Leaving Delmonico's shortly after 10
o'clock. the President went direct to the
Hotel Astcr. In the midst of a speech
being delivered by the Rev. DR.. Willard
American Revolution at the Hotel Astor
the long roll sounded by a drum corps in
the hal! announced that the President
had at last arrived.
The six hundred men and women rose
to their feet while those farthest from
the speakers table jumped on their
chairs and, selling flags and napki4s
cheered wildly as Mr. Roosevelt pre-
ceded by Walter S. Logan president of
the organiza.I 1n, strobe through lane
formed in the middle of the hall to take
MS seat on the platform. AS the strains
OF Hail to the Chief died away three
cneers were given and their repetition
with the added tigers took five min
utes before M. Logan was able TO begin
his words OF introduction
Truth His Theme.
When the President began to talk his
hoarseness was noticeable TrutI, was
his theme He spoke xtenporaneously
and while adheriug always to his cen
trail thought included a wide variety of
SUBJECTS he took occasion to point ON
mat history OF the past made it clear
y apparent that it's lessons were 10 be
ieafneq not only from its truths. but
Its falsehoods, from its VISIONS and
from its follies. and that those who re
fused TO see the defects as well as the
&c the duties which were laid upon
them.
.Don.t nit unless you have to- he
said, but when you do hit hard or
don hit at all It's better not to hit
at al than to hit softly" and this
sentiment seemed to be the KEYNOTE Of
his entire speech.