The sun., 1908-11-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
IT WAS ALL A CONTINENTAL
LOVEFEAST.
j. j. Hill Talks Free Trade. Bryce the
Folly OF Reforming in q Hurry and
G0d0y OF Mexico Of DiaE-Fairbsnk
Wasn't Asked to Speak; Absent.

Never, or almost never. are there any
vacant chairs at the annual Chamber Of
Commerce dinners. The Chamber of
Commerce dinners are. from financial
and commercial viewpoint the most inn
portant OF all the public dinners held in
the United States during the open season
for such amenities.
The dinner given by the Chamber Of
Commerce at the Waldorf last night
was the 14Oth annual banquet. The
guests gathered in the Astor Gallery as
early as $50 O'Clock to hobnob over cock
tails for half an hour. At 7:S0 o'clock they
marched 700 strong into the grand ball
room of the hotel. led by President j.
Edward Simmons Of the chamber. Be-
hind him trailed diplomats. members of
the British nobility. authors. finanoiers,
Am mbassadors. Rear Admirals and almost
all of Wall Street. And they marched
into a banquet hall decorated in a way
that made even those folks used to at
tending public dinners cit up and take
notice.
The dinner was not 30 much PAN
American dinner as it was North Ameri-
can dinner. The United States led of
in interest. of course. and on either side
in equal importance-a although the north
ern frontier might have had just bit
the better OF it-were ranged Canada and
Mexico.
James j. Hill. who made one of the most
important speeches of the evening spoke
OF Canada almost entirely. On the
other hand, Senior Jose F. Godoy. the Mex
lean Minister at Washington. also had
things to say. Around the Presidents
table one might see Andrew Carnegie,
Mitchell Innes. F. G.. T. O'Hara, the Deputy
Minister Of Trade and Commerce of Can
ada: the Right Hon. James Bryce. British
Ambassador: the Hon. Clifford Sifton.
p. c., the late Minister Of the Interior Of
Canada; Byron E. Walker. c. v. o.; Sena-
tor Depew, Rear Admiral Goodrich, Lord
Northeiiffe, Chancellor MacCracken Of
New York University. the Rev. James H
Ludlow, D. D., who began the dinner with
the prayer; j. Pierpont Morgan, EXPIRES
ident Charles Stewart Smith Of the Cham
ber OF Commerce. John 8. Kennedy,
Edward King, Cornelius N. Bliss. Thomas
H. McKttrck, the Hon. John Balm. Capt
Frank Kellogg Of the navy. Robert Gill,
Thomas Wilson, st. Clair McKelway,
Oswald G. Willard. Hart Lyman. John
Foord and Samuel S. Fontaine.
At the other tables among the American
Beauty roses and the chrysanthemums
and the candelabra were George F.Seward,
A. Barton Hepburn. Gustav Schwab.
lsidor Straus and Vernon H. Brown. who
made up the committee Of arrangements
Of the banquet; John Claflin. Henry
C!ews, Robert C. Clowry. Eugene Delano.
Joseph Eastman, Stephen Farrelly, Henry
Kessler. Albert Lewisohn. Comptroller
Metz, Cord Meyer. Adolph 8. Ochs.
Thomas NJ. Mulry, Henry Phipps, George
W. Perkins. George r. Sheldon. John
wanamaker, Timothy J.. Woodruff,
Charles H. Zehnder. James Speyer, Gage
E. Tarbell. Nathan Straus and Samuel
Untermyer.
In fact you could look over any pink
candelabra shade and find head!iner,
The boxes we're draped with blue
shields, on each of which the name and
arms Of the States were emblazoned
within circle of gilt paint. High abov e
the roses and carnations and soft glowing
candles were the Stars and Stripes, the
Mexican and Canadian flags and shields,
the crosses Of Great Britain and the
coors Of almost all the great European
States. About 0 O'Clock when the bell
rang that sent the army OF walters scurry-
ing for the coffee, the boxes high abov g
the rising tobacco smoke began to fill
with women in evening gowns. In the
centre box, the keystone OF the '"horse-
SHOE was Miss Kitty Cheatham in an old
rose gown, her hair lighted with a dia-
mond tiara that lighted the proceedings
And the boxes looked down on the array |
of speakers.
The men who spoke an1 who were
introduced by the toastmaster, President
J Edward Simmons, included JamesJ Hill |
the Hon. Clifford Sifton, P. c., OF Ottawa;
MIR. Bryce. the British Ambassador; BYRON !
E. Walker, C. Y. o.. president Of the |
Canadian Bank Of Commerce, and Sehor |
Jose F. Godoy. The toasts were: The |
President, The King THE President,
a Mexico, Senior Porfirio Diaz.' which |
was responded to by Senior Godoy. and |
The Prime Minister of Canada. Sir
wilfrid Laurier.' which was responded to |
by Byron E. Walker on Industrial Can
ada; the Hon Clifford Sifton on Progress |
IN Canada" and James j. Hill on Expert
ences and Observations, L
The toast to The President received
perfunctory applause land Wall Street
arose silently then while the orch hestra
played THE Star Spangled Banner. The
toast to His Majesty King Edward VII
caused heartier cheers that brought
smiles to Ambassador Bryce and Lord
Northclife and the Canadians ranged
along the guest table.
About this time word filtered forth
stealthily that only two parsonage OF
Importance were absent. One was John
Jacob Astor, who had not come because
of the recent death Of his mother; The
other was Vice. President Fairbanks.
They say" that recently list OF the
guests and speakers was sent to'Mr. Fair
banks The list OF speakers did not in
clude the name Of the Vice-President
for some reason or other. Mr.. Fairbanks
sent word day or two before the dinner
that he would be unable to be present:
Vice-Preeident Fairbanks's letter OF re-
gret was the one notable regret letter
that was not read. One very important
member Of the Chamber OF Commerce
said last night that Mr.. Fairbanks's letter,
read between the lines. sounded note OF
peevishness. But be that as 1t may.
As the coffee came on Ioastmaster
Simmons arose to quickening silence ana
read some kilograms and letters Here's
the first
THE WHITE HOUSE.
wAsHISoroS, November 10. 1908.
/ wish I could accept but 1t is simpe
impossibility. should particularly like |
10 come, but even tho should only speak |