The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-23
CHOATE AT OPEN AIR MEETING.
SALVATION ARMY GATHERING
IN UNION SQUARE. An

Brings 81 ,2OO-Hundred Policemen
There whose Only Work Is 10 Give.
More than 5000 persons turned out yes
terday afternoon at the Salvation Army's
open air mass meeting in behalf Of the San
Francisco sufferers in Union Square. Joseph
n. Choate presided, and addresses were
delivered by Bishop Greer, the Rev. DIR. X.
s. Macarthur, rastor of Calvary BAPTIST
Church, and Commander Evangeline Booth.
II was a mixed crowd that had drifted
together from all parts Of the city. Along
the outer fringe Of the crowd facing the
little platform on the plaza side Of the park
was a string Of automobiles and victorias.
The occupants Of these, in passing, had
caught the words "San Francisco" sea
lamity" or earthquake" and had stopped.
It was a most orderly meeting, Irfspec-
tor Schmittberger was out with 100 police
men, but they weren't needed. That was
evident from the first. So, instead of form
ing lines and doing what they usually do
AT big meetings Of that kind the policemen
removed their helmets and joined in the
exercises. And every one Of those 100
POLICEMEN, when the time came for the
collection. contributed his share. 1t was
g crowd pervaded with sympathy and good
fellowship. The feeling was in the air.
Here, " called a woman from one OF the
automobile cabs to several poorly clad
mothers on the outer edge of the crowd
climb up here on this machine; then you
can see"
And they did climb up, not only to the
driver : seat but to the polished roof Of the
r,h. Scarcely a word was spoken by the
crowd from the time the meeting was opened
uutil The uniformed men began to pass the
BASKETS for contributions. and then the
crowd opened passa ge a for the basket
bearers rs they would for some great man.
1t was 3 o'clock when the meeting was
ouened with the singing of Rock of Ages
Col. William Evans OF Boston delivered
n PRAYER. MIR. Choate when he arose was
greeted with applause by the crowd, but
even that seemed to those on the platform
to reflect the spirit Of the occasion. for it
was slbdued. Mr.. Choate said.
1T will not be necessary for me or any
Of her of the speakers to dwell on the ter
rible event that has reduced the ninth city
in the United States, the pride OF the Pacific
Coast and the boast of the whole country,
10 n heap of dust and ashes. No such
calamity has occurred in the Urited States
IN my recollection. There has beea no
t~allmi.y as great in the world since Lisbon
was destroyed. The feelings of the Ameri-
can people have never been touched so
deeply as they are to-day.
The question now is what shall be done
and how shall it he done for the relief Of
the sufferers? Happily the Government
OF the United States has taken the lead in
the matter. Trains loaded with provisions
are speeding toward the West. 4 fund
of 81 500, OGO has also been thrown into the
relief treasury.
But all that will be only a drop in the
bucket to what will be required in time to
come for the resurrection Of the city and
the relief of it's stricken people. The ca
tastrophe has levelled all alike-the rich
and the poor, the old and the young. All
find themselves reduced to restitution. /
don't think it is possible to calculate the
amount Of relief they will require. They
stand there to-day with only the clothes
they wear. .. mo-
1T is delightful to see how the rich men
of the country are doing their part. But
$lOn,CGO from the men whose income Is
measured by millions don't larry the feel
ing with it that the dime or the dollar does
coming from those who have to deprive
themselves and endure some suffering on
account of the Offering. There is no fear
that the rich of our country will not do their
part, and do it nobly. But this is a cause
to which every man woman and child in,
the country who has a dollar not only ought
To contribute but ought to he compelled
to contribute.
Nj. (hoate spoke of the fitness of the
Salvation Army to gather up these small
contributions.
-Wha. | hope" said he, "is that they
Uhr Salvationistsl will in their W fashion
give cry man, woman and child through
on. his land a ohanc e TO contribute their
little all they can and, like the widows
mic, il will go further than any 500 .000.'
Bishop Greer said that when the intelll-
gence was flashed across the country last
week that San Francisco had been hit by
tn ear, hQuake, many feared that the dis
iurbanc, would be ollowed as often hap
pens in such cases, by a great tidal wave.
so il has been" said DR.. Greer, "but by
X different kind of a tidal wave than was
exrected. 1t has been followed by a re-
e~isrless tidal wave of sympathy, boa ring
on its bosom from the Alta ntic to the Pacific
eyorv kind of interest, from all conditions
Of litc. from the legislative halls, from the
churches, from the theatres and from the
corporations.
~Nor has it been simply Il sympathetic
tidal wave. 1t has been an active force,
expressing itself in generous contributions.
Suffering humanity is calling and with a
quick reply huma nity is responding.
Il read in the paper Of a girl, one OF the
san Francisco refugees, who, who n she
was asked where she had slept at night,
said; On a grave San Francisco is
on her grave to-day, but not dea d; no,not
even asleep. Already she is awak and
with cha racteristic American ener gy is
facing her desolation. From her grave
that CITY of the Colder Gate shall rise again
with newer and stronger life"
MIR. Choate said that it had been de-
cided-wiseIy, in his opinion-not to ask for
any aid in this calamity from outside our
own country, for that was in keeping with
the American principle hat America is
strong enough to take care of her wounded.
Mr.. Choate called attention to the fact that
it is pretty generally recognized now that
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