The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
LOTOS DINNER TO M'KELVAY.
BROOKLYN EDITOR TOLD WHAT
A GREAT NAN HE rs,
Wnh a Few Glbes On the Side for the Bor-
Ough He Halls In Reply He
Praises the thu and suggests Honor
ing wealth for what IL Does.

o Praises the Club AMI sugSests tOnor-
ing wealth for h IL Does.
The Lotos Club has a custom every win
ter OF honoring with a Inner some man
distinguished in the arts, the professions
or IN science. The first Of the clubs com-
plimentary dinners this season was held
last night in honor Of st. Clair McKelway,
editor OF the Brooklyn Eagle.
Among the men who sat at the guests table
with President Frank II. Lawrence and in
turn said pleasant things about Editor
McKelway were Judge Alton B. Parker
Oscar s. Stratus, the new Secretary OF Com
merce and Labor; DR.. Henry van Dyke,
Nicholas M. Butler, president Of Columbia;
Seth Low, Timothy l.. Woodruff, Gen. Hor-
ace Porter, Hart Lyman, editor in chief OF
the New York Tribune. and George d.
Daniels
I They greeted Mr.. McKelway as an old
friend and companion, a good fellow per
sonally, and as an editor fearless, indie
pendent and devoid Of hypocrisy and
hysteria. There were no set speeches
Every mau when introduced by President
Lawrence made a few remarks of genera
nature md then got around TO Mr.. Nickel
yav to tell him what his good traits are.
II was an occasion also for cracking a few
Jokes on poor old Brooklyn, and few OF
the speakers resisted the opportunity which
the pn,sence of the Brooklyn editor afforded
, them.
Perhaps 200 were at table. The
( rooms cf the Lotos Club were hung with
gariands OF smilax and clematis, in which
! famed the red blossoms Of the poinsettia.
The sow. snir menu was symbolical OF the
occasioa- On the cover were a scroll,
printing Dr. ess and a quill. Inside were a
portrait Of Mr.. McKelway, a picture OF the
Brooklyu h,agle Building and a scroll on
which was the list OF degrees which
universities and colleges have, given Mr..
President Il awrence, starting the speech
making, said: W meet tonight for the
first time this season. Since we last met
connection with the club. The destinies OF
the club are somewhat changed. III
governing body needing the call Of filthy
kcre, has sold y our house over your heads.
IA voice: -Tha nix Godl" and laughter.l
We are to remaln here another year, but
we must realize that the old rooms with
their pleasant sst'ciations are doomed.
I'VE must some day prepare 10 see a
hideous commercial structure erected on
this site. As for the new home, l hope
Il will be a protest against the growing
bigness OF things. / am one OF those who
are tired OF marble columns and painted
ceilings. [ApplauseJ 1 hope our new
home will be modest COS ~ comfortable and
more modern but that il will retain the
homelike features Of the old abiding place.
1 don't believe this dub should be run as
a hotel. l hope not so much that IL will
grow karger, az that it will remain distinc-
tive. Applause.i
1--WE are here tonight. to honor q oon-
genial companion. 1 am'not sure whether
St. Clair McKelway was the author OF the
old saying: In the midst of life we are in
Brooklyn NaughterJ 1t IL a rare honor
to welcome him. For years he has been a
great force in journalism, one OF the few
-.u..s.snu wraat So,, rroalicta Hia ipfallaof
r. ~ rugged as his speech. l turn 20 the
man from darkest Brooklyn llaughterl,
st. Clair McKelway." Applause.
Mr.. McKelway hadN this to say to the
Lotos Club:
1 have spoken often enough at the Lotos
Club, when others have been honored. to
know what to expect from those who will
follow me. They are the targeteers. am
the target. FOE what | am about TO receive
from them may the Lord make me truly
pachydermatous. In what l shall say to
them before they can draw a long bow or a
short gun on me 1 shall be sincere asalways.
but brief. az rarely. Fewer editors than
men Of other callings have received dinners
here. In my memory among editors / can
only recall Mnrat Halstead. the late Charles
A. Dana and Whitelaw Reid. Mr.. Reid could
have been received either as an editor or a
publisher or a diplomat. Mr.. Halstead was
received IN the character OF a dlstingu ished
journalist who has just adventured on Brook
lyn. The representative position OF the
hate Charles A. Dana in journalism, In author
ship and in public service We all know.
had the pleasure of speaking at the din
ners TO them, as well as at dinners to many
others here, and in my capacity as targeteer
j may be called experienced. Now il Is my
turn to be the target.
IL Is with tribute as 1t is with sensitiveness.
Every man says he Is not sensitive-and IL.
Every man "a vs. he does not like TO be praised
MP by others, before others-but he does
likett He likes II, especially when he knows
H. TO be true aud deserved. Hisafectation of
dislike Is the tribute he pays to good form
and to good pose. The abrupt and carefully
advertised candor Of Mark Twain in "a ying
that be wished he could go round in Adamic
costume fools no Mlssourian who has gone
In to swim with finland he and l went to
school in the same Missouri county. The
naked truth. IL told about mar it shall
not be told h~ere-would be very different
from what he affected 10 tell about himself
in Washington the other day. An Adamlc
photograph Of him, If copied right. would
never be copyrighted in any language except
the profane.
"Th Lotos since itS foundation has felt
the pulse of the times surrounding it and has
prescribed the right artistic regime and the
sound ethical tonic of each occasion IL has
confronted. The present appeals 70 this
club with moral and mark ed Significance.
. C1I Atp h"' - FbNiAAhs fOhSFNN
genius and the recipient OF the Nobel prize
for his work "a a p~eacemaker. az lie Chief
Magistrate. Our State will soon have a
reformer and a Iurist as It's Governor. We
have had worthy and ordinary Presidents.
] doubt for a long while 10 come We shall
have merely an ordinary President. A high
stamp generally impresses more than a short
period. Cleveland. Mckinley and Roose-
welt have preserved the White House from
mediocrity or chicanery for many a year to
come, as we'll as for their own time. Governor
elect Hughes should be an influence to hold
his successors for years to come TO character.
" courage and capacity. The men who tread
n the heights OF principle reach the summit
OF achievement.
Any department of human endeavor
measurably affects every other. The period
of political reform draws art to higher levels.
IL inspires literature TO the study of great
examples and to the aspiration OF higher
ideals. IL should stir Journalism 10 the COM
mendatien Of the hopeful and the clean in