Evening star., 1905-11-10
HONOR CAPTAIN KIRK
Spanish War Veterans Enter
tain V.cs Commander
LAWTON CAMPS GUEST
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS PRAISED
BY NATIONAL OFFICERS.
Excellent Program of Music and
Speeches-Committee Headquar-
ters to Be Opened at Once.

The members of Henry w Lawton Camp
| United Spanish War Veterans. headed by
! Capt ]. Ligon King. their commander. and
Capt. Sheridan Ferree master of cereuio-
| MES, inaugurated the festive season of 1896
| 1856 In brilliant manner last night at the
| Spanish War Veterans clubhouse, Tl9 9th
street northwest. The occasion was a typical
| campfire and reception In honor of dis
| tinguished gues: of Lawton Camp. unior
| Vice Commander Chief Earnest F. Kirk
| of San Francisco. The reception hall was
! tastefuly decorated with flags bunting and
| autumn leaves, and music was furnished by
| an orchestra, a giant concert graphopilone
| and the piano. The hall was crowded TO the
| limit, and Capt. King and Capt. Ferree
! We're congratulated on the success of their
| efforts.
! Capt. j. Ligon King, after calling the as
! sembage to order in a few well-chosen
| remarks. in which he bade the many guests
| of Lawton welcome and requested them 10
| make themselves ''at home in good old
southern fashion, turned the gavel over to
Capt. Sheridan Ferree. who fully sustained
| his reputation as a master of ceremonies
and entertainer.
Vice Commander Kirk Received.
After all had been seated the sharp COM
| called the comrades to their feet. the band
struck up a lively march, and Junior Vice
/ Commander Kirk was escorted to the plat
| form. closely followed by Commander John
| Lewis Smith of the Department of the
District of Columbia. and his staff. Capt
j. Walter Mitchell. who had personally es
| corted the guest of honor into the hall. was
| also selected to introduce him. In doing so
Capt. Mitchell said, concisely:
LAS the custodian of the history of the
| order, II devolves upon me to know the
| records and personalities of national
| officers, and in this instance l am not in
| Producing one whose claim on your COM
! radeship is founded not merely upon his
| election to the important Office he holds,
but upon the fact that he is qualifed by
energy enterprise and a wide and deep in
| terest in the welfare of the association
Capt Kirk greeted with applause
when the introduction was finished. He
bowed his thanks and said, in part:
The Importance and magnitude that this
comparatively new. organization has at
| tanned Is amply evidenced by the massing
of all these comrades here tonight. am IN,
| formed that this meeting was eXtemporlZed
on two days notice, and with these results
in sight, l begin to realize the power of the
| Spanish War Veterans in Washington
Cant Mitchell, who has hOnored me by IN
| Producing me to you and by heaping this
harvest of fiattering adjectives upon me. Is
deserving of more than rebound. He be
longs to the class of energetic, never weary
would soon dissolve. Yes, / know you ap-
preciate him. To him and to those who
provided this reception tender the thanks
of a comrade-stranger who has been greet
ed and treated in the true spirit or COM
radeship That our order has grown to Its
now splendid proportions in such short
perfod is due to such men. May their num-
berS increase.
"Comrade" the Highest Title.
Personally, must ask that the title of
'captain.' as bestowed upon me, be drop
ped The highest rank in the organization
is the heart-connectlng title of 'comrada,
and is the only one l am adapted to. In The
volunteer service l managed with great
difficulty to uphold the rank of private, and
q promotion at TINS late uay IS ialilei ttAl-
baI'ra ssine.
Eve are right to keep awake to the large
ness of the task we have. our motives can
not be questioned. To take up anc carry
on the grand work of the G, A. r. is part
of our sacred duty. To care for them ana
their dependent relatives will be our first
aim To see that the purposes Tor which
Memorial day is consecrated are fully main
tanned that the new generations are taught
the debt owing to the old soldiers. and that
the principles of patriotism are inculcated
in the pupils Of the public schools, is all IN
cluded in our work.
Beneficial Legislation.
For the first time the order has na-
tional legislation committee. 1t is com
mittee which intends secure beneficial
legislation for the soldiers, sailors and ma
rines who served in the Spanish war. AT
a meeting held today by the two Washing
ton members-John Lewis Smith, command
ing this department, and Capt. j. Walter
Mitchell who is the secretary of the com
mittee-and myself 1t was decided that
headquarters would be opened al once Al
Commander Smiths office. and 1t was also
h1f "a q
aDpropriation for the home for volunteer
soldiers to be located in Washington, was
the immediate duty.
"Congra tulations are in order from all
the departments on the enterprise and EN-
ergy that the delegation from Washington
displayed in securing the next national con-
vention here. From all viewpoints 1t is the
only place Clear out in California they are
forming clubs with Washington, 1885,
their motto. Full delegations can be con-
fioently counted upon from there. We are
supposed to know enough TO grasp real
opportunity when it is offered. and when
the double advantage is held out of a ma
tional delegate to the premier convention
yet held. and the added privilege of meeting
the chief executive of the nation, active
and honored comrade. Theodore Roosevelt.
all for the one trip, you may be sure
will seize it.
Officers Congratulated.
Mr. e. A. Burkhardt OF Rochester y. Y,
addressed the meeting and congratulated
Can't King, Capt. Ferree and the other
members of Lawton Camp on the splendid
entertainment they had given. He also
congratulated Department Commander John
Lewis Smith on the progressiveness and en-
terpr:se of the District department. and pre-
dicted a big rally of Spanish War Veterans
in Washington al the next annual encamp-
Inent In October, 1905. Coz. NJ. Emmet Ireil
related touching "reminiscences of the Cuban
campaign in 1883, and others present told