The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-20
CRONJE TALKS TO OUR DUTCH
AND THEY DON'T rNDERST AND
THE MOTHER TONGrE.

sympathy IN DEL thl, UuA btN NuT'l
They weren't in Africa when the War
Was On At n Brilliant Holland Dinner,
The Dutchmen Of the Holland Society.
with their danes seated in great profusion
in the boxes, had their annual feast at the
Waldorf-Astoria last night Amid II 'ich
cheering they toasted the little land ol .he
I dikes and bitches across the sea, and praised
her for sending over their ancestors TO be-
/ come the worthy burghers of New Amster-
dam.
As usual, there was plenty in the attach
meuts at the dinner TO remind the modern
| burghers of Manhattan of their ancestors.
| The menu was printed in Dutch, and there
wac even little more in the appearance Of
old Gen. PET Cronje, who, in response TO
u burst of cheers, thought he ought to
talk to the assembled company Of Dutch
men. and did so in good old Dutch, which
our Dutchmen didn't understand. They
looked at him with blank faces which would
have scandalized their forefathers. Fortu-
nately, the Generals secretary was present
to translate the speech. 40 it all came out
right and the Generals effort was re-
ceived with loud cheers.
The dinner was an unusually big one,
there being nearly 600 persons at the tables.
The turnout of danes was large enough to
crowd everv one of the three tiers OF boxes
DR.. Albert Wander yeer, president of the
society, was toastmaster. Seated with MN
under the orange colors were DR.. Andrew
IS. Draper, State Commissioner of Edu-
cation; President Schurman of Cornell,
ex-senator j. Sloat Fassett, the Rev. Dr.
+. A. Whitaker of Albany, and most of the
heads OF kindred New York societies
r4tt
lating the society on it's year's record,
called for the reading Of letter from one
Of the members who couldn't attend the
same being President Roos evelt. This was
the letter
WHITE HorsE, W.sHINuIoN, Jan. q, 1907.
MY DEAR DIR. NANpER VEEB: Pray let
me, through You, present my heartiest
thanks to the Holland Society for their in
citation to dinner and let me also express
NV great regret that | am unable 20 be
present. A perhaps the members Of the
society realize. this year il happened that
not only the successful candidate for Presi-
dent, but the manager of that successful
campaign, we're both q. them of the old
Holland stock II would be a peculiar
pleasure to me we're | able to be- present,
and ! sincerely regret my inability TO do
SO.
the occasion, / am, sincerely yours,
(Signedl THEODORE Roos yrtt.
And now. said Col John w. \ CONAN,
after reading IT, let us give thte. old
fashioned Dutch cheers for our homo. "a
fellow member with big heart. big brains
and big purposes, who stands out to-day
the central figure OF the civilized world
Every Dutchman present got on his feet
at this clarion call and there was Il great
decentralization They did the same when
a letter was read from Gov. Higgins and one
from Mayor Mcclellan.
('rfp ia " bn
came in as the last cheer was dying away.
He was escorted to The head table ard his
name quickly ran about the room, SO that
when he stood up there was a deaien,ng
cheer The old Boer fighter With his hand
stuck In his frock coat, seemed to be glad
he had come.
A he rolled out his Dutch words Of thanks
the Dutchmen had to shake their heads.
but when President Vanderveer started
TO explain to him after Cronje had finished
didn't understand Dutch. there we're cries
OF No MOI amid lot OF laughter The
General looked puzzled IA translated by
hls secretary he had said:
Il wish to thank you for this welcome.
] am glad 10 see 30 many descendants OF
Holland in this country, and am sorry they
were not in Africa during the war. ! wish
to thank you for the great sympathy you
have shown toward our nation IN our de-
feat | wish to thank you for Your sym
patty 10 me. | am sorry there was no Monroe
doctrine in South Africa. ' wish TO drink
your health.
The diners when they responded TO Gen
Cronie'S invitation stood up and cheered
him while the orchestra played the Trans
wal Dattle hymn.
DR. Draper. IN responding 10 the toast
Hollands Contribution to Education,
said;
IL the democratic advance and the
common enlightenment first introduced
into America the germs Of the great free
elementary school system OF the country
and gave New York the honor Of the first
free school of the land her Dutch ante
cedents give New York state her prmacy
IN being the first to appropriate state
moneys 20 encourage primary education
the first 10 establish State supervision Of
schools aud the first 10 relate all the schools
N system which should be universal
The Dutch were a little People. but they
were greater than the largest for more
than any other their thinking their religion
and their valor broke out the roads over
which democracy was TO advance to new
civilization All Americans are under
special and enduring obligations to them,
for surely they were the first to declare the
fundamental principles of the republic.
President Schurman said in part
Looking ahead, we can anticipate cele-
brations of the terCentenafles OF the DIS
coveries and settlements Of these shores.
And with one OF these. now near al hand,
the Holland Society il deeply concerned.
On Sept. g. leG9 little ship sent ont by
the Dutch East India Company. at the
instance of the Amsterdam directors
dropped anchor bet ween Sandy Hook and
Staten Island Her name was the Half
Moon her captain. Henry Hudson.
Though Hudsons stay was short for
he left in a month after sailing up the
North River az far "a the site OF the pres
ent city Of Troy though his object was the
discovery Of "A passage 10 the Orient which
he had already vanly sought and was again
fatally to seek in more northerly waters.
though he had no authority from the gov
eminent OF Holland or from the East India
Company to sail in this latitude, IL II Hudson.
nevertheless. who brought the Dutch TO Man
haitian Island and up the noble river which
properly bears his name, where first of
white men, he met and skirmshed and !
traded with the Indians. Gentlemen Of I
the Holland Society, | propose that in 1909
there be held here IN Manhattan a worthy
tercentennial celebration of the voyage OF (
Hudson and the beginnings Of New Neither /
land
President Schurman htched some Of the /
early history Of New Amsterdam TO his /
speech and in closing said
The English came 70 America. not in |
single files but IN battalions. Or TO speak |
more literally. they came to America a.
churches or communities and brought with
them their preeNiSting organization And
here. as always, numbers and organization
under proper leadership. carry the day