Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-21
Senator McCumber Pays Trib-
ute to President.
VETERANS HONOR MENUS
Commander.in- Chief of G.. A. r.
Guest of Potomac Department.
CURTIS LAUDs OLD SOLDIER
Corporal Tanner Glorifies Character
of Women Who Remained at
Home While Men Fought.

In honor of Henry NJ. Nevius of Red
Bank. n. j., COMMUNICATIVE chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic. members
Of the Department of Potomac. members
gave a banquet at the Arlington Hotel last
evening, with many men Of national
prominence as guests.
Throughout the evening, intense patriot
ism and loyalty to the Stars and Stripes
was displayed. Speeches which followed
the repast were tributes to the Union
leaders during the civil war. to the war
President, FEATHER Abraham" to- the six
comrades who have occupied the Presi-
Dental chair and chiefly to the man who
has lived in the White House during the
past seven years.
The principal speakers were Senator p.
subject was THE President of the United
States: Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas.
THE Relation of the Union Soldier to the
Preservation, Expansion and Prosperity of
Our Country; Communicated chief Nevius.
who toasted 1.-THE Grand Army Of the
Republic and Past Commander-in-chief
James Tanner, who paid tribute to THE
Loyal Women of the Country Israel
w. Stone was POSTMASTER.
The banquet hall was profusely dec
Grated with the national colors, and the
first order of business after the guests
had been called to order by Department
Commander John S. Walker was a salute
to the flag with every comrade standing.
AS the flag was held aloft the Marine
Band orchestra played THE Star Span
gled Banner" After invocation by De-
partment Chaplain N. H. Miller the ban
quet commenced.
Tribute to Roosevelt.
Senator McCumber was eloquent in eu-
logy Of Theodore Roosevelt when he con-
cluded with the sentiment that the pres
ent executive will go out of the office with
the 'love. admiration and confidence of
the American people," and applause re-
sounded throughout the hall.
"a vast majority of the people see in
President Roosevelt" he stated, IAN ear
nest man, strong in his principles of right
and answering in his determination to
establish those principles in the nation.
Some uitra-conservatives see in the Presi-
dent only a disturber of the Industrial
peace and quiet.
"But whatever differences Of opinion
there may be on the details Of legislation,
on the character Of the Panama canal,
on the number Of battleships for which
Congress should make provision, on the
disposition of the secret service. on the
justification or propriety Of certain Ian
guage of the President in message to
Congress, all must agree to the honesty
of purpose of the President and his f1del-
ity to the interests of the American peo-
pie.
Zone of the most striking examples of
the Presidents ability to grasp big ques-
tons and meet them," said the senator. "is
shown by his action in connection with
the Panama canal. He outlined the condi-
tons and feelings prevailing in Colombia
and Panama when the matter was first
taken up by the President
ut became evident that there was a
hold-up plan in the Colombian govern
ment." said the speaker. ''but between
a revolution was ina1f1rated and q new
government was organized. That new
government was Immediately recognized
by the President, and arrangements COM
peted whereby the United States was en-
abled to build the canal.
1.-The President saw the opportunity and
acted quickly continued the speaker.
"A little tugging at the forms of Dip
lomatic etiquette would have lost us the
opportunity and would have delayed us
in the work for years. If the President
did stretch the code Of international
ethics for a great cause, the people of
the United States. who have little use
for a hold-up artist, backed him to
man. To the President it is not ques-
ton of how to do it, but to do it and get
results.
Roosevelt Fundamentally Right.
Inc HTeslOeHL iudy nave I1ldUo SOLlS
errors in minor matters. If he had not
made some in the seven years OF his ad-
ministration he would be more than
human. If he has made erors every one
will recognize that he is absolutely right
on the great fundamental principles.
Il believe the people of the United
States may vel THANK Providence that
they had President capable OF meeting
as dangerous and insidious a drift Of
economic and industrial conditions as
ever confronted nation. And President
Roosevelt has met those conditions well.
Possibly some one else might have met
the conditions with less fireworks. But
what the American people wanted was
results and the President got results
Senator McCumber described the growth
of great fortunes and the growing appe-
tite of those with financial power for more
power until monopoly OF the entire field
of competition was threatened, a mo-
nopoly SO powerful having been estab
lished that it was able to choke the great
whereby the monopoly was able to stifle
competition without reducing the charges
for its products.
1.-THE industrial horoscope showed a
drift of economic and industrial condi-
tons that was as dangerous a proposition
he declared. Those conditions we were
facing when Roosevelt became President.
To face them required the courage and
fighting qualities Of any President Of the
United States.
THE President did not make those con-
ditions, but he met them and fought them
for what he thought and what the great
majority Of the people thought was for
the welfare of The United States. He has
checked the encroachment of organized
capital that fought for mOnopoly of the
industry of the United States
He outlined the program for the con-
servation Of the natural resources Of the
United States and for the development
of the inland waterways. and declared
that 100 years hence. when the people
shall contemplate the blessings of con-
served resources. they will find that the
laws which protected those resources
for future generations were all initiated
in the administration of Theodore Roose-
Welt.
"And when he lays off the mantle of
power in ten days. he will leave the Office |