The San Francisco call., 1906-04-15

w NACI1ANdION, April 14-Ine laying Oh
the cornerstone of the office building of
the House of Representatives with sol
emn Masonic ceremonies this afternoon
was made notable by the presence of the
President of the United States and many
or his Cabinet by the Supreme Court, by
the representatives of foreign govern
ments, by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives and by a large proportion OF
Washington's population. The day. was
ideal for such an important ceremony
and without so much as even trffling
delay the immense stone, which occupied
the northeast corner of the building, was
placed In position with the ancient cere-
monials of the Masonic faith.
Great attention had been paid to the
care and. comfort of the thousands who
were accorded an opportunity to witness
the exercises and to listen to one of the
most notable addresses ever delivered by
the President during his public career.
Flags and bunting were everywhere
Stand after stand was provided. and high
above all other vantage places was the
Presidents box. overlooking the Capitol
Plaza and fronting the great white Cap
itol building on the west and the Library
of Congress on the east. Palms ana
growing plants were there, and the faint
touch of the new green of the trees, shad-
ing off into the richer green OF the plaza
made an inspiring picture.
THRONG GREETS PRESIDENT.
President Roosevelt accompanied by
members of his Cabinet and escorted by
the office building commission, Speaker
Joseph G. Cannon, Representative W. +.
Hepburn of Iowa and ex-Representative
James d. Richardson of Tennessee, ar
rived comparatively early. When the
President came into view Of the immense
audience a roar of kindly welcome greet
ed him. Immediately after the arrivai
of the President the Senate OF the Uniteu
States, with Vice President Falrpanks at
the head, entered the stand reserved FOR
n followed by n large membership
of the House of Representatives. Mr.
,irbanks took a seat to the left OF the
President and his presence, TOO, was
loudly indicated by the assemblage.
A large number of ladies were on the
Pr esident's stand, among them oeins Mrs'
Roosevelt, Mrs. Nicholas Longwortn, mrs'
Cowles, sister of the President, ana Mrs. l
Fairbanks.
TTnon the arrival Of the Grand Lodge of
Masons of the District of Columbia, with
Walter A. Brown, grand master. at It's
head the ceremony of laying the corner
stone began.
A Theoretically sealed copper box con-
tanning an inside copper box with glass
top was then placed in position SO tnal
the stone would completely enVelop II.
The box contained numerous artlcies-
books, pictures, autographs, ETC. AS tne
stone was lowered on its foundation the
marine band played the intermezzo from
"Cayalleria Rusticana.' The corn. wine
and oil were then in turn poured upon
the stone by the grand master, accordlng
to ancient custom, while an octet or male
voices chanted
SPEECH OF GRAND MASTER.
Grand Master Brown said in part:
This gaveI, known as the Washing
ton gavel was made out of the marple
used in the construction of the Unlteo
States Capitol and for the specific pur-
pose of and used for the first time in
laying the cornerstone of that edihce.
September IS, 1898 This ceremony was
performed with full Masonic rites by
General George Washington, acting
grand master, and upon the completion
of the ceremony this gavel was pre-
sented by President Washington TO
Valentine Reintzell, then master of Po-
tomac Lodge of this city, which lodge
has ever since possessed and guarded
with jealous care this historic relic
Five other Presidents, James K. Polk,
Millard Fillmore, James Buchanan, Will
liam Mckinley and Theodore Roosevelt,
have also used this gavel on notable oc-
casions. 1t is by the courtesy of Poto-
mac Lodge that ] am permitted to use
it at this time.
within these walls the nation is to
be beneficiary through the laws that
shall here have their beginning. we
can only hope that this structure. which
has had the best thought of many minds
in its planning, will house faith. honor
and duty and that selfishness and pas
sion will be noticeable by their absence
In yonder capitol will be pronounced
the judgments on legislation shat VIII
here take form and so we lay this cor
nerstone with the hope that from this
building will emanate those laws that
will but strengthen us as a nation ana
accentuate that for which the FOUNDERS
of the republic SO unselfishly labored.
Here we fondly hope will assemble
the nations representatives. imbued
with high ideals to frame the laws nee
essary to a free and enlightened peo-
pie.
Here we hope the constitution will
be defended and illuminated by knight
ly courage to do the right. Here before
this august assemblage. here before the
President of the United States. here in
the presence of the Supreme Court OF
the United States and the Senate, here
in the sight of representatives OF Tor.
eign countries, here before the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives and it's membership and mere De-
fore this great concourse OF people we
lay the cornerstone and dedicate the
structure to rise thereon to the larger
glory, the greater wisdom of the nation,
this land the radiant center OF the
Anglo-Saxo power.
An instrumental selection followed: ana
then the President and the Speaker OF the
House of Representatives entered the
Presidents box Their appearance was
greeted with round after round OF ap-
plause. Without so much as waiting TOT
the applause to cease. the Speaker, wav-
ing his hand to silence the audience, SAID:
Citizens: 1t is my privilege at this
time to introduce to you one who needs
no introduction, Theodore Roosevelt,
President of the United States
MIR. ROOSEvELTS ADDRESS.
The President was in splendid voice.
and throughout the address hearty and
long-continued applause greeted his words.
He spoke as follows:
I'm Pilgrims Progress the man with
the muck rake is set forth as the ex-
ample of him whose vision is fixed