The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-02-23
SONS OF the
REVOLUTION
Annual Banquet at the Yelling
ton Well Attended.
SENATOR CLARK A SPEAKER
Brilliant Season Of After Dinner Speeches
Unexpectedly Cosciudsd BY eromlAsnt
MIsssudan's Address
SENATOR CLARK A SPEAKER

The annual dinner OF the Rhode island
Sons Of the American Revolution was
given I'm the Wellington last evening and
passed of with the eelat and spirit OF
bon comradie peculiar to events Of thss
sort
The order OF exercises of the evening
included toasts by officers Of the society
and an excellent toast 10 the state OF
Rhode Island, by His Excelency Gov.
George II. Utter.
number not down on the program,
an entertaining speech by Senator Champ
Clark OF Missouri terminated a brilliant
series OF after dinner speeches.
The official programs, containing
frontispiece illustration ~ an interior view
OF Peleg Arnolds tavern near Woon-
socket that was the headquarters OF the
Smithheld militia during the revolution
and where many soldiers were mustered
in half-tone Illustrations OF the house In
Paris underneath which the body OF Ad-
miral John Paul Jones was found. compn-
ments OF George F. Weston, the society's
historian, and papier mache favors OF
section Of cherry tree with axe imbedded,
symbolical Of the holiday observance, to-
&c ther with carnation boutonnleres, were
placed at each cover.
The sole decora tions Of the banquet hall
consisted of Washingtons portrait huns
behind the speakers table, surmounted
by the Stars and Stripes and fianked on
either side by the beautiful state flag.
The speakers table was laid out In
semi circular shape. and garnished with
ferns fattened on the linen Three vases
Of rich pink carnations and lighted crys-
..f-,s.. at.H Nls oil
rations OF the table and were common 10
the other tables. The head table was dis
tinguished by alternating electric bulbs OF
red. white and blue rising from the semi
circular outline Of ferns
About 10 covers were laid and at the
speakers table were seated the newt
elected presidtnt. John F. Farnsworth'
who presided Gov. George II. Utter j.
Edward Studley the retiring president,
r. A. Rusden. Hon. John T. Blodgett'
Chaplain Samuel II. Webb. Historian
George r. Weston. r. w Jennings, chris
topher Rhodes Col. Chatles W. Abbott,
Jr.. and Col Walter b. Vincent
Seats were taken at the IL banquet
tables at 1890 o'clock, Gov. Utter leading
the entering procession. preceded by q
standard bearer carrying the Stars and
Stripes Before tie taking OF seats an
Invocation was delivered by Chaplain Rev.
.Mr. Webb and The Memory OF the Pa
triots Of the American Revolution,
toasted by President John p. Farnsworth.
The hanauet was enlivened by the sing
ing OF America" and various topical
songs TO the accompaniment Of Reeves
hand orchestra and at intervals by the
resounding cheers of members OF the
Young Mems Democratic club. who were
hanauetting in the adjoining hall
Governor Utter was the first speaker
NJ the evening and opened his remarks
with a reference TO the time OF a child :
awakening especially as portrayed by toe
ohilds poet laureate, Eugene f1eld, al
Uovs told with a tinge Of sadness.
''ro have the cherry tree story knocked
out Ia a big disappointment" said the
governor. ~ believe that George Wash
ire;on cut down tree but never for a
minute that he never told lie. wldc-
awake boy might be expected TO cut down
n tree some time in his life, but lies, axe
the mumps. are good thing at a GER
tain period in life, and IL the boy is kept
ont In the cold at that time he Is liable to
have n return and you know that is a
very serious thing.
"i'm pleased with the way ;his toas'
of the state is put. In this week ISSUE
of Lire there is an illustration labelled
TO tho Health OF Our Country and sug-
pest great wealth. Not q man here
state but ir stead the elements and prin-
ciples which have been characteristic OF
Greece. Switzerland. Japan and Rhode
Island
"Or v-ashingtons birthday no ma
,hou;d sneak IN a pessimistic mood anc
au very optimistic, but we are thinking
too rnuch OF the mans dollars. Let's r,
trsnt about Il, What do you ask In re-
gord 70 a friend flows ne doing and
when the hand OF your daughter is sought
in marriage II is the almighty dollar
again. Isn't IL time we recognized char
acter instead OF the outward signs oi
what we call culture?
The governor concluded with toas
/ that character in the individual mar
builds the character for us all.
Col George Heber Webb. poet o
the society. followed the governor witt
the reading OF an original poem, -
Dream Of UNIVERSAL Peace which wa'
we'll received.
The regrets OF Mayor Elisha Dyer a
inability TO attend were read and Presi
dent Farnsworth introduced Col. Walte
Y vincent. who he said. like goo'
minute man stands in the breach"
/ His speech was a tribute TO the socie
| tvs valuable work and its influence 70
/ the good OF the city.
! The historian OF the society Georg
! Franklin Weston. wns next introduced
and read an interesting paper upon I'M
| finding OF the body OF John Paul Jone
| in parts and the career OF that great ma
| val hero. d
Hon. John r. Blodgett associate Jus
1 tice Of tho supreme court OF the state o
4 Rhode Island, was tho next speaker AM
in reviewing the states history CAV
some very odd statistics which showed
deep research on the part OF the speaker
An interesting statement was that Rhod
Island had been dependent colony 10
l40 years before the Declaration of Inde
pendence. a longer period than ~ ha
been an Independent state. The variou
charters and codes OF governmen
were entertainingly illuminated by IN
speaker.
Col. J. Edward Studlsy. retiring presi
| dent, was The next speaker and after
brief preface he presented the followinI
resolution which was adopted:
Resolved That the society, recogniz
ina the historical Importance OF the es
adjustment OF the first permanent settle
ment OF English speaking people on tn
| American continent OF Jamestown. Vir
ginia in the year 1907. hereby expresse
the approval OF the celebration OF th