Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22
lAUD PILGRIM IDEALS
Descendants of MayfIoWer
Assemble at Banquet.
SPEECH BY G. |. RAYMOND
Governor of Society Discusses Char
acter Of Forefathers. /.
JOHN BARRETT EXTOLS ROOT
Present Secretary Of State Foremost
Minister of Foreign Affairs
in World, he Declares.
JOHN BARRETT EXTOLS ROOT

nlemOratlnG the ISSth anniversary OF the
arrival of the Mayf1ower in Cape Cod
harbor.
Thomas Hopkins, former governor of
the society. during the evening read the
quaint old compact signed by the pilgrim
voyagers in the cabin of the Mayhower
on that memorable day.
The supper room was decorated with
autumn flowers. Instead of a single ban
quet table the guests were seated at
small tables about the room.
George Lansing Raymond. governor of
the society. when the dinner was over,
opened the ceremonies with. few words
on the origin and purposes of the little
band of men and women whose descend
ants were here assembled.
Mr.. Raymond's Address.
In the course of his address he said:
I'm all history there have been few
events important as that which we
this evening commemorative landing
Of the Mayflower pilgrims on the coast of
New England in 1920.
Before the times of the English indie
pendents-a few hundred people whom
these pilgrims Representatives, may
have been others who held the same opin-
ions that they held. But there had been
<,
back their opinions by their deeds-w
ing. rather than surrender them. to en-
dure persecution and exile. to sacrifice al
most everything that a civilized man
holds dear-ease. comfort. property. home,
country and even. If necessary. life
1T is because of this attitude Of mind
on the part of the pilgrim fathers that
half of the enlightened nations of the
world today have accepted their opinions
and made them dominant in church. and
state. and society.
I'm the opinion, not of myself only. but
of many of the ablest historic writer's OF
the world, 1t is questionable whether.
either in this country or in Europe. the
conditions of sentiment and of govern
ment that l have been describing would
exist today had it not been for the settle
ment of the English pilgrims. ! am not
speaking of the Puritans. who came
later and were bigots and prosecutors.
but OF the pilgrims. who were neither.
and never believed in either. Had it not
been. say. for the settlement in New
England of the pilgrims. and for the
ocean that separated them from the old
country-in other words, had 1t not been
for the voyage of the Mayfiower.
After the first effects of the reforma-
ton, intellectual. civil and religious free
down in Germany and France were al
most trampled out for a time by the
tread of invading armies led by military
despots. Even In England there was a
reaction Then came our revolution, fol-
lowed by that of the French. Since then
progress has maintained itself: largely.
as most historians think. because. amid
spiritual assumption gathered in clouds
so dark above them that often not one
ray from heaven seemed any longer
visible. amid material armament crowd
ing SO thickly about them that often not
one path to development seemed any
longer unimpeded. the thinkers and toll
ers of the old world have nevertheless
espied, continuing steadfast upon the
shore on this side Of the Atlantic, an
ideal and realization which the people OF
France-not ]. nor you, nor any OF our
people-have deemed worthy of being rep
resented in the greatest statue of our
age-Liberty with her torch enlighten1ng
the world
read by Mr.. Hopkins There was then
tenor solo by Harry Stevens. accom-
panied by Edward AIuth. An address
was to have been delivered by the Chinese
minister. Owing to the death of the
emperor and empress dowager he wa3
unable to be present.
John Barrett Speaks.
There was an address on the Pilgrim
Fathers by John Barrett director of the
Bureau of American Republics. He said
In part: ...
ut is fitting that on an occasion like
this. when We are concentrating an
event which has had such wide influence
in the development of our country we
should devote moment to the considera-
ton of the movement to make the present
Secretary of State the next United States
senator from New York. This thought
suggests what he has accomplished and
emphasizes a record hardly surpassed In
the history of our country.
LAS Secretary of State he has DEVELOPED
the prestige and influence OF the United
States to a point never before attained.
He has secured the ratification of more
treaties than any of his predecessors.
He has had the complete confidence and
respect of all the diplomatic corps who
have been accredited to Washing ton during
his term of office. And he has so adj
ministered the affairs of the State Depart
ment that he stands out today possibly
as the foremost minister of foreign af-
fairs in the wide world.
The most practical and lasting achieve
ment of his administration is what he has
accomplished to bring about closer rela-
tons of commerce and friendship with
the twenty Latin American republics just
south of us. The people of the United
States have never fully appreciated the
wonderful journey that he made In 1906
70 South America. followed by the one
he made in 1907 to Mexico.
Their importance. however. was ap-
precated in foreign lands. 1t is rema rk-
able that the great newspapers of Europe
gave far more attention to his speeches
and to the receptions which were accord
ed him all over Latin America than did
the representative papers OF the United
States.
Gained Latins' Confidence.
NO minister of foreign affairs of any
other nation in the history Of the world
ever accomplished more for the good of
his country than did Mr.. Root in his visit
to our sister republics His speeches were
not only tactful but forceful There was
no patronizing sentiment in them, no sug
gestion of the 'holier than thou attitude
which has been harmful in the past
in much that has been said by American
statesmen and writer's about these
lions.
HE duly recognized their brilliant his
| tory. their present achievements and their
future possibilities. He became with them
what they term muy simpatico,' and won
| their confidence and affection, which
| meant, in turn. the removal of distrust
| and doubt on their part of the attitude
of the United States toward them.
| There could be no better evidence of
the practical benefits of Mr.. Root s
| diplomacy than the change that came in
| the tone Of the entire Latin American
press. from Mexico and Cuba south to
| Argentina and Chile during and after his
memorable trip. There has been. more
over. a wonderful growth of interest
Throughout the United States in the pos
sibilities of commerce with that part of
the world and. on their part, in the de-
velopment of trade with us.
| From his backing and from the CO.