The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-14
CH0ATE PRAISES ROOSEVELT.
GLORTES IN THE PRESIDENTS
Work FOR PEACE.
Welcomed Home by tho Union League He
Tells the Old Guard OF the Club How
Glad He Il to He Here and How Proud
He IL or ROOseyelts Dlpl ON aCy.

Glad He Is to He Here and How Proud
He Is or ROOsevelts Diplomacy.
Union League Club MEMBERSHIP OF
them with guests-dined the Hon. Joseph
H. Choate last night in celebration OF his
return from Great Britain. The banquet
was held In the main dining room OF the
club, with an overflow in the alcove room.
Long streamers of oak leaves and the inter-
twined flags of the United States and Great
Britain formed the decorations. There was
knot of flags back Of the speakers. The
tables glowed with banks Of red American
Beauty roses and peonies.
Cornelius n. Bliss president Of the club,
was ca stmaster. With him and Mr.. Choate
at the speakers able were the guests OF
honor-Sir Percy Sanderson. Chauncey M.
Depew, Louis Stern and Allen w. Evarts.
Other guests included Senator W. Murray
Crane, ex-Secretary OF the Navy B. F.
Tracy, ex-senator Warner Miller, frank
Hiscock and Henry c. Frick.
In introducing Mr.. Choate Mr.. Bliss well
coined him back to take his place as the
first citizen of the Greater New York. and
that started all kinds OF cheering.
The band played THE Star Span ged
Banner" and the applause had lasted fully
two minutes when Mr. Choate rose to speak.
The keynote OF his speech was tribute to
President Roosevelt, hung on the success
OF his peace proposals.. 1t brought APP
pause all along the line. He said:
This club Is full Of the most delightful
associations to me. joined 1t forty years
ago and l became its president one-third
OF a century ago. and many Of my happiest
days and nights have been spent In 1t.
10 va
1.-The first thing did when l got back
to the United States was to look at the
clubs catalogue for the year 1905, In the
first place l wanted TO see what mad become
of the comrades l left here when l went
away in 1899. Alas found that many OF
them had gone to their last account; But
my grief was somewhat assuaged when
found that so many OF the old guard re-
NAMED From Mr.. Smith, who confesses
proud to claim as my actual contempora ries,
remember these men in the days of my
presidency. 1t is delightful to see them
and to find that they are filled with the old
spirit-not intoXicated-but animated.
1T is delightful to see so many, of them
at these tables and note the fact that they
have reached the happiest period OF the
| will acknowledge it.
1T is the best period Of lie. We acknoul-
| edge the privilege which is accorded TO
no other person Of the human life. We
are living at the expense Of our heirs. l
am sure that Mr.. Mills will bear me out in
that. What we spend they cannot have
We are relived Of all the cares and respon-
sibilities Of life We are no longer amoas-
remain Senators after they get, to this
applause. Perhaps Mr.. Depew will ex-
plain that when he gets up to speak
well then, we can do az we please, we
can say what we please, about ANYBODY
and anything. when we get out of public
office. Laughter I don't suppose
Senators can lI.anghter / know that that
Ambassadors cannot and the greatest
! thing that have enjoyed In the last week
is being at liberty for the first time In six
years to say anything about anybody or
anything that l please.
1T seems to me that just now, the first
thing for any patriotic company IKE TINS
to do, especially II they are anything like
men, especially If they are Republicans,
graduate one another and their country
and the world upon the last splendid achieve
ment of our youthful President at Wash
ington. lApplause
History hardly has parallel OF such a
! work accomplished in so quiet and graceful
and delightful manner. We never gave
him the credit before for being his own
diplomatist. And see what he has done,
While all the other nations were holding
their breath and biting their nails and
wondering Why nothing could he done he
steps forward with one graceful bound and
tenders the olive branch to both OF these
terrible combatants and puts an immediate
stop TO this frightful scene of carnage and
slaughter that for the last year has been
the disgrace of our common humanity
And you seq what they have done.
They have laid down their arms and have
accepted his invitation to enter upon the
discussion of their terms of peace, and after
such bloody war no two nations ever
reached that point without the assurance
being carried home to themselves ana the
Now. nobody who has not been out
side of his own country for some time can
appreciate how thoroughly our President,
OF whom we are so proud, is appreciated
by the people Of other countries. There is
more curiosity about him. there Is more
interest in him. there is more admiration
of him than of any other American. dead or
alive, in the whole OF our history. l donot
think it is too much to say, therefore. that
this one man by the force Of his strong
personality. OF his inherent virtue, has
actually elevated his country In the eyes
of the world.
And at home has he not done something
too beside raising our reputation abroad?
Has he not done something to raise our
inherent character at home? l think he
own person. to the young men OF the country
especially, that the best thing they can do
with their powers, their brains, their hearts
and their lives ia to devote them to the
service of their country.
Il find that have returned to the same
CITY and yet to a different city, to the same
country and yet to a different country than
that which l left six years ago-a much
greater city and much grander country. =.
when Ileft, in 1899. we had just acquired
the Philippines and there was an idle dis
pute still going on and great many in
teligent people were on the fence on the
question whether we had not made mis-
take. But do not hear anybody talk that
way now. 1t gave us n new footing on the
face OF the globe. 1t opens the door to the
eat East to us and gives us the right to
keep it open, and am sure we shall doit
sThe open door in the East and the pres
ervation OF the integrity Of China are
policies in which other nations were glad
and proud to accept Secretary Hays leader
ship. ! am perfectly delighted to know
that he is likely to land here tomorrow
we'll man.
THAT great policy is his and there is no
man on tho footstool who can complete
and carry it out so we'll as he. Only, l
think, that this Is certain, that having
committed the other countries to that
policy OF his, we have all got to stand to-
gether and cooperate to make it good.
Applause .,.. ,u oo,n.u,, : ,.,u,,
different country from that which left
,,l 10 l., in, ion hofpra "a Grid