Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21

leave this place today determined to get
these things done they will be done. You
want an auditorium as large as the. Col
iseum at Rome We-the old fog1es-
can't do the hard work, but you young
sters put your shoulders to the wheel and
the old fellows will help.
Mr.. Macfarland Faces Audience.\
Commissioner mcfarland was next introA
duced Having no platform he climbed up
on a chair SO he could "look everybody
face to face" His toast was THE Board
of Trade, the handmade of the Commits
sioners."
Il thought the toast would be-" said the
Commissioner, 1.-The Board of Trade; the
best board on which to plank shad.' How
ever, / can truthfully say that the Board
of Trade. whether handmade or machine
made. is the best board for the Commits
sioners to lean upon for support. l can
testify for the past five years to the wise,
loyal and effective support which the board
has given during the most important period
of the present District governments his
tory through all our great building opera
tions. like the railway terminal improve
ment, the filtration, the sewage-disposal
system, the District government building,
to which 1 have specially devoted by ef-
forts.
washington is now the most beautiful
city in the world. This is not simply our
opinion. Visitors from all over the world,
notably the delegates to the international
railway congress, even those from farls,
confirm 1t. We want, of course, to make 1t
more beautiful, more attractive. We are
working day and night to advance its in
terests. No man has done more in this cause
than those / see around me. The celebra-
ton of our centennial five years ago sprang
from the Board of Trade and was carried
on largely by its members, its present presi-
dent, Mr.. Cox, being the efficient secretary
of the committee. Nothing ever did more
for the District than that centennial cele-
hrat uvbi rh ha q n
country and gained its enduring good will,
evident in all the action of Congress since.
Moreover, we owe the park commissions
plans and all other incidental projects to
that celebration. Everything that we are
now doing or proposing to do for the good
of the District flowed from 1t naturally.
Senator Chandler does well to spur us
on, and we are thankful for his interest, but
We have not been unmindful of our duties.
We have anticipated the suggestions made
to us. We have already brought the CAPT
tai to a high plane Incidentally that is
why higher values are found in the triennial
reassessment of real estate, and, barring
mistakes which can easily be corrected,
we ought to rejoice in increased assess
ments, which record the increase of wealth.
More Than Their Share.
1.-THE people of the District have done
more than their share in capital-making.
For seventy-eight years they maintained
the capital with practically no help from
Congress. And now they raise more taxes
than Uncle Sam in his present financial
condition can meet, dollar for dollar, in
the expenditures of the District. Yet Con-
gress leaders generally want to do their
duty to Washington. Our own people work
for Washington not solely for their selfish
interests. Like all Americans, they love
their country and their capital, and would
die for them if need be. They are idealists
a. well materialists. They want to see
the capital beautiful and healthful and At
tractive, not only because this will pay,
but because it is right. They have shown
self-sacrifice in war and in peace, always
giving more than their quota of soldiers
taxes, giving alike the ground for the
tional capital and the men who first de-
Tended it in 1861.
I'VE will work together for the compile
ton of our great municipal improvements,
now all happily advanced, and for their
proper financing, and for whatever else
may advance the capital which is so dear
to u.s. We can say as one man, oh, beau
tiful, my country, what We're our lives
without thee, what all our lives to save
thee!
L. w. Busby, private secretary to Speaker
Cannon, responded to the toast, THE In
vited Guests" He declared that most of
the invited guests were not permanent resi-
dents of the city of Washington and con-
sequently might be termed pilgrims. He
added that as pilgrims they have to have a
Mecca, and that Mecca is Washington They
come here and go back to their people to
tell of the city and its beauties. Therefore,
the more beautiful it becomes the more ad-
vertising it will receive through the pill
grims.
Mr.. Vests Pet Scheme.
Commissioner West followed Mr. Busby
The Commissioner laughingly declared that
Mr.. Mcfarland had taken all the time al
lotted to the Commissioners, but since he
had been called on any way, he would get
hoo
things he had said about the taxation sys-
TEN, and incidentally boom a little pet
scheme of his own. Mr.. West admitted that
men are not infallible beings, but said that
the assessments were as equitable and just
as human as assessments can be. This
reached the ears of Assessor Darneille at
the other side of the rooom, and he immedi-
ately applauded all by himself.
The pet scheme that Mr.. West had to
boom was the auditorium project He told
the Board of Trade that they are the people
to push the scheme, and that while 1t may
be good thing to have the federal gov
eminent build all the buildings in Wash
ington, as Senator Chandler had suggested
he thought it about time Washington did
something all by herself. And this some
thing was the erection of the auditorium.
Il brought my speech along in my
pocket" said Mr.. West, drawing from his
pocket a little red book. This book con-
tains blanks for subscriptions to the stock
of the auditorium company, and / want
herein the autographs of every member OF
the Board of Trade. And there is no limit
to the amount you may place after your
names either These books will be dis
tributed broadcast next Monday, and by
June 10 l want $10o0,o00 subscribed"
The Closing Speech.
Col. Biddle, Engineer Commissioner, was
the last speaker. The colonel agreed with
Mr.. West that Mr.. Macfarland had taken
all the time of the Commissioners, and he
added that Mr.. West had taken as much
time as had Mr. Macfarland all of which
must limit to the minimum the time for
the Engineer Commissioner. Col. Biddle
spoke in behalf of his hobbies-the extern
sion of 10th street and the adjustment OF
the dividing line between Washington and
GEORGETOWN.
President Cox then thanked everybody
and everybody thanked Mr.. Cox for the
good time. To conclude the exercises Mr..
Cox called on 1.-The only living survivor of
the revolutionary war, Sergeant Cross, who
will sing for us that famous song, The
Sword of Bunker Hill " Sergeant Cross
came to the front, and without even de-
nying his active participation in the revo-