The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-27
WASFEAST FOR ALL NATIONS.
SOUTHERN SOCIETY HAD MERRY
CROWD OF GUESTS

San Francisco SuTeFers-FranciS H.
LOomis DeplOres Falling on In Party
Spirit chlda Says Nice Things OF Us.
The Southern Society had a sort OF inno-
walton in the dinner line last night at the
Hotel Aston. They called 1t IAN inter-
national dinner There were tables repre-
senting England, Scotland, Japan, Ireland,
China and Germany, decorated with the
flags Of each, and at which sat guests OF the
society who we're natives Of those countries.
Consul General Uchida sat at one with
several Japanese friends. Consul-General
Shah OF China, with some Chinese friends,
sat at the table surmounted by the Chinese
dragon. William Temple Emmett was at
the Irish table, and Commissioner Won
Skaal at the German table.
Surrounding the tables OF the nations
were the tables representing the Southern
States. There were the Georgians at one,
the Texans at another, the L~ouisianlans
at q third and so on down the list and one
table Weed with another In making noise
First 1t came the turn of the Southerners to
entertain their guests. They did 1t with
jubilee singers and real old SoutheTn
melodies. Then out came four Japanese
musicians with some queer Instruments
that played what they called music but
which sounded strange to Southern ears.
There were pipers to furnish the scotch
favor and German songs for the Germans
The entertainment went on while the diners
ate. President Marion G.. Verderey de-
soribed the gathering as a pocket edition
Of the Peace Conference at the Hague,
and the State buildings at an exposition.
THE separation by States here he said
sb probably as much separation as
we will ever know. We are dis
tinct like the pillows yet one like the
sea- AS we sail over this limpid lake OF
pleasure let us stop for a moment to thlnk
OF serious things"
Mr.. Verdeey then spoke Of the San
Francisco calamity. and a hush fell on the
merrymaking.
"A great calamity has befallen part OF our
country" said Mr.. Verderey. "A proud
and prosperous city sitting at the Gate and
looking at herself in the mirror OF the sea
has in the ~twinkling OF an eye been turned
into ruin and ashes, the labor or bali a
century shrivelled in the hand Of fate. Our
treasury Is in a good condition, but even
If it were not l would have no fear OF de-
pleting it In such a Christlike cause
Mr.. Verderey then proposed hat the
gathering turn itself for a moment into q
business meeting. This was greeted with
yells Of approval from the Southe-uers'
Now, then, . said the president, i recon-
mend that we vote to subscribe $500 TO the
relief fund for San Francisco
Make it a thousand" yelled one man.
There were shouts Of approval for this, but
President verderey said that he thought
$500 would be more within the means of the
society as a whole, and declared the motion
carried. Just as he did this a big man
sprang up at a table in a corner OF the ban
quet room.
I'm a Georgian he announced. There
were cheers from the Georgians. I'm an
adopted son OF South Carolina, " he went
on.
L want to ask where are the Georgipns
and where are the South Carolina ns''
We are right here, shouted the Georglans
and in a few minutes 1t was, announced
that they had 500 to add 10 the $500 sub
scribed by the society. One man proposed
that a public subscription be taken up,
but the president disapproved OF this, but
added that he would be at his Office this
morning to receive any additions to the
fund. From the activity displayed at
many Of the tables he will probably receive
several.
President Verderey then called upon
the Japanese taDlS 10 SLY bOlletLlLB, anu
Consul-G General Uchida got up to thank
America for what she had done for the
Japanese famine sufferers.
Our Government and people he said,
did the best they could TO relieve the dis
tress caused by the famine and at the same
time there was spontaneous aid from many
countries, and Of those countries the United
States sent the largest amount of money,
with no solicitation on our part. Now that
our trouble is nearly at an end our hearts
are wrung with the terrible news from
your own country. We sympathi2e be-
cause we have had more Of such calamities
than you nave had and because we had
American sympathy in our most trying
hour. War, famine and earthquake are
great calamities, but the mutual expression
Of sympathies after them are inestimable
in value in cementing the cordial relations
now existing between the United States
and Japan
The Southerners and those at the tables
Of the nations got up and gave Mr.. Uchida
some good American cheers for HE speech.
Francis b. Loomis, former Assistant
Secretary of State, spoke for the United
States next. In the course of his speech
he touched upon new developments in
our political conditions and said that one
of the most re~grettable ones was a slacken-
ing. if not a breaking, Of party ties, a re-
action from overzealous partisanship. He
said:
Party ties should be elastic where municipal