New-York tribune., 1906-12-16
GENIUS In WHILE HOUSE
mr. M'KELW4Y'S TRIBUTE.
Nediocfty Barred for Long Time
TO Come, Says Editor.

rfvh
,.Kelvav and at his left General Horace Porter
,,sers at the guests table the Rev DR. Henry
-, DYKE President Nicholas Murray Butler of
,o,urnbia University, Oscar s. Straus. ex-Judge
from b. Parker. ex-Mayor Seth Low. Timothy I.
,roosrur chairman OF the Republican State Com
o,t,ee; Hart Lyman. George H. Daniels, Chester S.
"a Gilbert Evans and Dr. Truman J. Backus
Tho dining room and the reception room. which
"a r. be used to accommodate the ls0 diners were
-o,usely decorated with palms and other greens
~. menu was large card. IN a portfolio bearing
. striking likeness OF DR.. McKelway. a picture of
.he Eagle Building. ard what purported 10 be the
fac-simile OF part OF the editorial page of "The
ysgle" Of current date.
NJ Lawrence. in opening the after-dinner part
:. the feast spoke Of the change in the destinies
:, the club since last winter by reason OF the
-.cent sale OF the Fifth avenue house The gov
-nors have yielded the temptation of filthy
,grre and sold your house your heads" he
aid T'Good,' said a voice. II hope it Is good.
: hops We shall be contented with a modest club
house when plan for home. / hope
our new home will be a protest against the grow
,,r biguess Of things. I am tired Of marble col
INNS and painted ceilings. l don't think we
should engage in keeping q hotel. We ought TO
tsep cur distinctive aims. While We all can't be
artists or journalists. should admit no one not
'sn sympathy with the aims OF these callings"
In introducing the guest OF the evening Mr.. Law
renee spoke Of him "a genius who for many
wears has been a force in Journalism He re
raTs the original creators of great journals he
said, ''men who were dominating personalities ]
propose toast TO DR.. McKelway. Journalist ed
FOR publicist and orator.
Or. Nckelway said that the Lotos Club had MI
vsys felt the pulse Of the times and that the pres
snt appealed 10 it with moral and marked signii-
cance He referred TO President Roosevelt as
spelling reforrner. political genius and recipient OF
;he Nobel prize" OF Govemor-elect Hughes he
sid he should be influence 10 hold his sue
ressors for wears 10 come, as well for their
time.
Mark Twain. who went to school in the same
Missouri county with DR.. McKelway came in for
eood-natured dig or 81 the hands Of the speak
O.. pr Mckelway said IN part:
! have spoken often enough at the Iotos Club
when Others have been honOred 10 know what to
expect from those who will follow me. They are
about 10 receive from them may The LORD make me
irgly pachydeTnatous. In what shall say them
before they csn draw a long bow 4 short gun
On ne ! shall be sincere, as always, but brief, as
Fewer editors than men Of other callings have re-
es!veo clnneIs Iere; IN my memory among editors
A Dana and Whitelaw Reid. Ar. Reid could have
been received either as an editor or publisher
senrgreS on BrooTn Tbe a ,s 11st
iion of the late Charles a Dana in Journalism in
authorship and in public service all know
tls Of the lines srroundjn II a s ss le Sns
ihs night artistic regime and the sound ethical
t29Ls o1 each oecas9n it has confronted The pres
Tfe Tis rT IT Sd as99P 33e las spelling rsf2Tper
tor his work IS peaoemaker as its chief magis-
-, S0St lee d s5oIiItI ard
i-E.St = US governor. We nave had worthy and
ordinary Presidents. doubt II for long while to
A high stamp generally 'inpresses more tIreo
tIoIt period. Cleveland, Mckinley and Roosevelt
far fher own tine overnoreIecf o & as wf1 s az
ts an influence 10 hold his successors for years
men who { cad the heights of principle reach the
tlnlnits of achievement
Any department Of human endeavor rneasurabIy
draws srt to higher levels Il ihspires literature
% the study Of great examples and to the aspra-
ne conrle1dat!on Of tho hopeful and the clean in
h45sss7 hss ana N ne No great result is solitary
moral or martial. both passion ard a force
T. this. Only Blatant mediocre Journalism rnagni-
les merely material prosperity The better jour
aniiT obiisation It bTescriBes to that i5 joGt S
ialsn The pra. ~ principles and not merely the
~ aat men have amessed. but how and whore
ta tley sci Il; not now much one holds for him
fsf hut - how much ne viii let go for The uplift
" RlInarltF j was poet whom this club hon
tlsht hand is what have given away" And 10
ls tlnE, The obligation TO account for their stew
hand That which must be pardoned the spirit
y y aTIsm n the national heart is due to the sense
h shame and u wrong in the national conscience.
me te'npor5ry-it may be the permanent-efect
ender inqulst.on. There is no hostility toward
s-l tsl.a 5o;estE gotten. There Is respect for IT.
Is used for mankind But OF itself and for itself
hhg, hs ~elllh Is no guarantee Of standing and Is
man IS what lie IS and what he does, not what
Givers have here been more honored than getters
u is TINS which makes the club not merely
5 the ReBabo e and l begoSd IT o Your t8n oedasiohs
'isye shown this Many Of your members have e4-
me Lotos as remember, was formed by men IN
iae professions or in the arts, for finer purposes
nan conventional clubs could easily subseFVe. Inc.
9os drew those who rated sentiment above 5ordid-'
seslth. The Lotos soon lei in such bushes men as
we're themselves students and lovers OF humor ana OF
TIE club capitalize its ethical and art advantages
~ ne sae Of solvency as well as OF literature and
I@rble with ideals never lowered or lost
70 other organization IN New York has been so
PERFECTLY equipped FOR Lotos purposes the Lotos
Itself. All other organizations concede the unique
te5t Of the city to the club for its high function is
one which every man Of AFFAIRS or OF sentiment well
irde for long as New York is the metropolis OF
se higher values They are the values S which ; can
s infalholy invested 10 secure the Desl re-
turns whether this side or beyond the stars
According 10 custom there IS only one set speech
81 the Lotos Club dinners. but after DR.. McKelway
fa' down MI Lawrence called on many OF the
ters a. the guests table for short speeches First
Ne called General Porter, who said he had Ted
y y the pubic crib SO long as diplomat that lie
thought he would come back and eat at the Lotos
fF'b for while.
After telling many laugflabIs anecdotes OF news
PAPER be said that many OF the largest move
1'snts were now started by newspapers
ne psid high tribute 20 Dr. Mckelway as jour
taast. educator writer, traveller and orator. Dr.
heKelEGy he said was willing "hew 10 the
NE let tie chips fall where they may, but was
iot one o, those who thought il was an essential
s1'y of newspaper to infect community with
.ys'eria. The editor. he ssid- had received the
saest reward possible 70 give man. the esteem
Y his felIovs
I4e ker. Or: Henry van Dyke referflng 10 the
mhg change in the home OF the Lotos Ciun' SAID
- hoDed no dream OF architectural tplenoor would
I. aaa-E ILL LII