Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23
BISHOP LAWRENCE TALKS
He Responds to the Toast for Gore
fathers Day"
DOCTRINE OF STATES RIGHTS
President Alderman Of University Of
Virginia Discusses Time-Honored
subject-Necessary to Union.

NEW YORK. December 22.-with three
governors, two college presidents, an ad-
mral of the United States navy. a bishop
and distinguished explorer as its principal
guests the New England Society Of New
York tonight celebrated its one hundred
and first anniversary with a banquet al
the Waldorf-Astoria. The big ball room
of the hotel was decorated with flags and
bunting. and Immediately behind the chair
of President Austin B. Fletcher was q
large framed picture Of the seal Of the
society. With President Fletcher sat the
following guests: John McLane, governor
of New Hampshire: Henry Roberts. COVER
nor Of Connecticut; William T. Cobb, gov
ernor of Maine; DR.. Edwin A. Alderman,
president of the University of Virginia; Dr.
F. E. Luther president of Trinity College;
Right Rev William Lawrence, DID,, bishop
of Massachusetts; Robert E. Peary, Rev.
Leander T. Chamberlain, Rear Admiral
Joseph B. COghlan, United States navy;
George Cabot Lodge, Horace Russell, presi-
dent of the New England Society; Edmund
C. Stedman, eX-president of the New Eng
land Society; Gen. Thomas H. Hubbard,
ex-president of the New England Society;
Edward F. Darrell, William Butler Dun
can, James Fitzgerald, John Lloyd Thomas.
Austen G. Fox, Hart Lyman, Charles w.
Meade. o.
Bishop Lawrence's Address.
The toast, "Forefathers Day" was re-
sponded to by Bishop Lawrence; Section
alism and Nationality" was the topic as
signed to President Alderman.
President Luther discussed the Schools
of the Country" Commander Peary told
of THE Farthest North"
Bishop Lawrence In part said:
Jtf L,
well aware that the Independent may grow
somewhat overrich in the mugwump and
fall to decay in the chronic critic and cynic.
But because there is overripe fruit shall
we condemn the whole crop? No. New
England rejoices in the thought, she Is
proud of the fact that she is the home of
political independence. So that when party
ment becomes loose or corrupt there may
always be found sons for the pilgrims who
will break with the party and stand for the
right and for the nation.
I'm the natural organization of business
and the gathering together of great capital
there Is a power from which 1t seems al
most impossible for any man who is within
to break.
Religion is in the hearts and lives of
the people and in the churches. The state
has nothing to fear and everything to gain
by the recognition and protection of religion
in the people.
stand for is this: There shall be no med
ding on the part of the prelate. priest, min
lister or layman, whether from Rome, or
Boston. or Washington. whether Protestant
or Romanist or Mormon, with the policy,
officers, taxes, schools or legislation of vii
lage, city. state or nation.
Defense of States Rights.
President Alderman of the University of
Virginia was the next speaker. He said
ba bo ~
the Old Dominion and her daughter states
to New England. He reviewed at length
the elements which entered into the make
of the two people. the Puritan in the north
and the cavalier in the south, with the
Scotoh-Irish strain added, both becoming
believers in liberty, the northern branch in
individual liberty and the Virginian in the
liberty of local sef-government and the
right to regulate his own affairs. These
different viewpoints when applied to the
negro question brought on the war. Touch
ing on state rights. President Alderman
said:
THE doctrine OF states rights as a neces-
sity of popular government Is again en-
gaging the thought of the republic because
mightier forces than war are vitaliZing this
old issue under new enemies and those
who understand it best and love it dearest
and will fight for 1t longest are those who
live in the states where devotion to 1t once
had power to separate them from a coun-
try they had fought to found There is
nothing stranger or more interesting in
political history than the recurrence of this
bestowed dogma of the south, uncon-
nected with secession and unconfused with
slavery, as necessary to federal union and
human freedom.
IF. as Mr.. Root thinks. the struggle is
on between the growing power Of the fed
eral government and the decreasing au-
thority OF the states, you can count on the
southerner to be on the side of maintain
ing the just balance. for no American sees
more clearly than he just what is the vital
spot in the liberty of state I interpret
Mr. Roots speech as prophecy and a
warning rather than a plea for central
fzation. The drift that way is unques-
toned. VIII the states let the drift con-
tinue?
Problem Wisely Handled.
When race riot occurs there are out.
cries and loud voices ana some sinking of
the heart, for wise men know how hard 1t
is to distinguish between the moral and
economic phases of such problem as that
which produces those outbreaks 1 dare
say here tonight that the people of the
south are handling the problem of the
African. which has both married and mold
ed the national development for 800 years
wisely any people on earth could
hope to do in the first generation of
African freedom, and at a time of human
foment and struggle in all lands.
Faithful men at work and will
continue at work, to the end that the
quality and breed of our race shall not
be allowed to deteriorate and the quality
of justice be allowed to become cheap
ened. Upon the south rests the burden
of the African and the problem of the
integrity of the race, as upon New Eng
land and her breed rests the burden Of as
similating the disconnected and aspiring
Of all lands.
win the age-long antagonism between
New England and the south ever end?
They are peoples of long memories. OF
stiff necks, and perhaps will never lie
down in lion and lam bike fashion; nor is
that necessary or desirable for the stabl-
ity of the republic or the grandeur of It's
ideals Fate only drove them to war for
their ideals of Americanism. AS the
struggle for liberty takes on new phases
fate may bring them to understanding and
sympathy.
Incidents of Trip.
Commander Peary related incidents of
his arctic trip and added:
For 400 years the world drea med of a
union of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
and our flag now flies at Panama. For