The Republican journal., 1909-09-02

~ seni 1eAu the report or
the first meeting, August 16, 1889. bv
ALVIN Philips, and published in The Re.
publican Journal of Belfast, August 2etb
OF that year. 1t brought to mind MANY
delightful memories. Immediately fol.
lowing that reading came the great tria
OF the souls of the nobility, for indeed
they have souls: refer to the ANNA
election OF officers of the clan. Chief
or Sheik, Phillips seemed to feel ratbe,
shaky at that moment, for he said he
had held the first Office nineteen wears
and would like it nineteen moro .nd
rather expected it one more. but womb
not formally declare himself candidate
Grand Duke Conner did so declare him.
self, and as no third man appeared to he
IN the race the Sheik seemed to have
another shaking spell, for he we'll knew
the popularity of the Grand Duke
and was not sure of the issue if thew
should measure lances. Just as that
thrilling event seemed consummatinp
Conner weakened, concluding the twen-
tieth annual meeting was not auspicious
for innovations, and moved a committee
on nominations, with himself as chair
man. 1t prevailed, and he soon reported
F. F. Phillips for President, C. F. Conner
for Vice President, B. F. Knowles for
Secretary and E. A. Dinslow for Treas
urer, and they were unanimously elected.
The no confidence sentiments that the
two aspirants had been pouring out on
each other We're then succeeded bv mu-
tual congratulations.
All new visitors were made honorary
members of the club. An address of
welcome was delivered by Earl George,
with fine feeling and rare good sense.
The response was made in the same adj
mirable manner by Eugene M. Stubs of
Rockland, present for the first time at
one of the Dale meetings. He depicted
with feeling the conditions when we
were boys and girls together in the South
Montville school, and the many changes
time has wrought in forty years. At
the close of his address the Chief arose
and proclaimed his old schoolmate Stubs
the Earl of Knox amid loud acclaim on
the part of the Knights. Mr.. Stubs
awoke to the fact that he had become an
Earl, and one of the Boguesdale Peers,
with smile on his face akin to the
breaking of new day out of clear
Sku If 6ona iol- II, oly = |,
Conner didn't know it was done till he
later moved that it be done, when he
found that the plum was indeed picked
and swallowed. Honors in the Dale come
easy to merit, but hard to the self-seek-
ing.
The Presidents annual address came
next. He launched out into the Orient,
the ancient morning-land of civilization,
which historically as in the natural sue
cessior of night and day, looks in its
twilight towards the fair sunlight of the
exploited by railway and industrial utili-
ties by the money powers of the world,
Uncle Sam, whose purse is longest Of all,
not being backward in the enterprise.
The religious superstitions of China a
decade or two ago made the investment
of European and American capital there
hazardous, but diplomacy and the pres
ence of the powers at her gates are
bringing that under control, and her new
day is surely coming, and her awaking
will not prove 1.-THE yellow peril, - for
moral sentiment with the humanities
follow the trends of commerce, and her
statesmen will be found to share the
| wisdom of the Caucasian rulers. Russia,
he thought, is making slow but sure
progress in her departure from absolute
to limited monarchy. Turkey is hamper
ed greatly in her late move for represen-
tative government by religious fanaticism
and official corruption. Nevertheless the
river of progress will make its way
among the weeds. Spain, old and effete,
seems in the clash of religious and anti
dissolution. Oh, n1isapplication of her
great religious leaders moral precept
and spiritual light. That precept should
have made her righteous, and the light
would have made her holy. Standing in
the shadow she lost the substance. She
enshrined the symbol, and left in the
sepulchre the body symbolized. A pro-
tectorate of the Powers seems to be her
destiny. However, the Chiefs optimism
dubbed up in an allusion to the late can
onization of Joan of Arc He narrated
briefly her call from the life of shep-
erdess to lead the arms Of France and
free her country, that she loved with an
exalted religion and patriotic heart, from
the ruthless invader, because her king
and his generals were too incompetent;
her magical success, sweeping her enemy
before her in one brief autumn campaign
like leaves before gale; her tenderness
for her enemies wounded; then her strate-
gic movements in winter and spring; then
her wish-sweet child!-to go home, only
to be denied by her king, who had not
wanted her services, but now could not
spare them, till she was trapped by the