The National tribune., 1907-08-08

Dedham. Mass. Ch3rleS afTen fdir-
banks. Vice President of the United
States. and President of the great fam
lily of Fairbankses, presided over the
annual reunion of the clans at Ded-
ham, where Jonathan Fairbanks, who
came from Yorkshire, England, settled
in 1886. Members of the family from
all sections of America were present.
and these, with their invited friends.
made total of nearly 1000 people who
crowded into the old Fairbanks home
stead which is believed to he the old
est dwelling house now standing in New
England.
The Vice President was the personal
speaker, and he told his relatives how
great was his pride that in the family
records was the comparative absence
of the extremes of either wealth or
poverty In conclusion, Mr.. Fairbanks
spoke of the failure of the Western
States to preserve buildings and scenes
of historical interest as the people OF
the East had done, with such COM
mendable results.
Good gracious. Who was it prayed
that he be protected from his fool
friends? Here is "a warm personal
friend of President Roosevelt who
wants to give him the purple. DIR.
Peter Mcqueen made speech in Iowa
the other day which has Tillman
knocked out enI1feiE- tT. mcqueen,
after blistering the United States Gov
ernment with red-hot irons, went on to
say:
''The facts are that very small per
cent of the people in any country really
know what self-government is. What
do l want to vote for any Governor,
Senator or any one else for? 1t does no
good. Times are better for me with the
Republicans in Office than if the Demo-
Gratis were, and / am just one of the
millions
''If man wants to be a Senator he
offers his price and is Senator, and I
have to pay just as much railroad faro
if one man is in as another. / tell you
what the American people needs is Il
King. Roosevelt should be King. No
country could ever have a better one.
He's a grand man, and the Nation can
never have a better Executive at its
head.
There's not a more arrogant race
in the world than the rich of the United
States, and not race of women more
overbearing and self-conscious than the
American beauties and their mothers
and aunts."
Now. there's a man who ought to
hunt No Mans Land" if one can be
found. for man who thinks like that
should have no country and no flag.
vice fIcSlutHl tAuldi SoleN
son was one of the speakers at the
jamestown Fair last week. on Bur
gesses'' Day, and he said. as always
some interesting things. Among others
was the following:
MY countrymen, the little settlement
planted just three centuries ago near
the spot upon which we have to-day
assembled has, under divine guidance
grown into mighty Nation. Eighty
millions Of people, proud of local tra-
ditionS and achievements, yet looking
beyond the mere confines of their dis
tinctive Commonwealth, find their chic.
gle.y in being citizens of the great Re-
public. The mantle of peace is over
& our land, and our accredited represen-
tatives in the worlds conference at this
auspicious hour are outlining a policy
that looks to the establishment of en-
during peace among all the Nations
To-day, inspired by the sublime lessons
of the event we celebrate, and with
hearts of gratitude to God for all He
hath vouchsafed to our fathers and to
us in the past, let US take courage and
turn our faces hopefully, reverently,
trustingly to the future
Judge Stevenson was speaking of one
great big Nation, mind you. but to a lot
of people who were carrying and wear
ing flag which had but little standing
AZ years ago, and ought to have none
at all now. If the stars and bars had
triumphed instead of this splendid
great big world power of Nation we
would have had about AZ miserable
httle snarling Prncipalities. each
claiming to be Nation. and stars and
bars instead of Stars and Stripes
Here's a story about Gen. Wilson
which is probably true in part:
Gen. John NJ. Wilson, retired. is a
man who does things and does them
usually in ways that other men would
not think of. IT was he who completed
the building of the Washington Monu-
ment, and he had il in charge for many
years When the question OF putting
an elevator in the shaft for the ac-
commodation Of the public was first
mooted. many people were afraid, and
this fear continued after the elevator
was successfully installed. Once Gen.
Wilson was called before a Congress
sional Investigating Committee and
asked if he were quite certain that the
elevator was perfectly safe.
NO" he replied, Il am not"
WHAT" Congressman said. You
come here and tell US that it is now
carrying passengers and you don't
know whether il is safe or not?"
Il cannot guarantee it." replied the
General: "alI that human skill and in
genuity can do to make it perfect has
been done, but even while you gentle
men sit here something may have
smashed"
1t was simply a little object lesson of
the Generals belief in the fallibility of
human devices. Some time later there
was a heavy thunderstorm and light
ming struck the monument No par-
ceptiblc damage was done, but there
was some thought that the "cepstone -
which is made of metal. might have
been Injured. 1t seemed that the only
way to find out was TO send man 10
examine it. This required the building
of scaffold. a certain risk to the
workmen. and cost of about $4,000
The General had another idea He teIe,
phoned to a friend in charge of the
United States Naval Observatory
please turn your strongest instrument
on the top of my monument. will you,'
he said, -and see If it is all right p" II
q few moments the cap was under {
most rigid inspection. and it was fount
to be intact
Formal announcement has beer
made of the engagement of Miss Edit
Root. daughter of the Secretary o
State and Mrs. Elihu Root, and Lieut.
ulysses ;. Grant, Sd. U. s. A. son o
MaJ.-Gen. Frederick Dent Grant. NJ
date has been set for the wedding. tht
1t will probably be arranged by tb.
time decided upon for the dena r+,,,