Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-19
SURPLUS OF ABOUT $4,000
Will Go to Help Change Date and for
Charity.
GIFT FOR CARPENTERS WIDOW
Committee Named to Arrange for
Testimonial to Chairman Stell-
wagon and Secretary Thorn.


Stellwagen presiding. and Corcoran
Thorn, secretary. on his right hand, was
held at the New Willard Hotel today.
The bells were ringing and whistles
footing for the noon hour before adj
| jOurnment sine die was taken, and a
short session of the testimonial commit
| tee held.
| Fluctuations were next in order, and
there was but one opinion among the
members-that Notwithstanding wind and
| weather and other meteorological mix-ups.
the ceremonies of March were success
| full from every point of view. Practically
all the members of the committee were
| In attendance, and every man of them
was enthusiastic over the outcome of the
celebration which launched William How
ard Taft into the presidency and James
| SchoOlcraft Sherman into the vice presi-
dency
| After Chairman Stelwagen had raped
| the meeting to order, the report of Mil
| ton Il. Allies the financier of the commit
tee, was presented. 1t showed that after
| all the individual subscriptions to the in
auguration guarantee fund have been re-
| turned, all expenses paid and certain be-
| quests settled, there will remain a sur
plus of approximately 5000. The report
Of Mr.. Allies was greeted with evidences
of approval.
| Gift to Carpenters Widow.
Upon the recommendation of James
| Rush Marshall chairman of the subcom-
mittee on ballroom decorations. the sur
plus of the expense fund of that sub
committee. In an amount not less than
$500. was by unanimous vote awarded as
a bequest to the widow of f, NJ Swami
a carpenter. who met his death by fall
| from the Presidents box, which he was
constructing in the ball room at the
pension building. Mr.. Swami was en-
/ ployed by Mr.. Marshalfs committee when
| he met with the fatal fall.
1 District Commissioner Macfarland who
! is president of the national committee on
the change of the inauguration date. Of
/ fered resolution that the Inauguration
| committee indorse the efforts of the ma
tional committee on change of the in
augural date to bring about change of
| the day from March to the last Thurs
| day in April.
! Mr.. Mcfarland stated that the last
Thursday in April was the date selected
for the first inauguration of George Wash
ington.
| 1t was favored by the late Senator
Hoar. who advised that inaugurati lions Of
| the future should be held on that date.
Mr.. mcfarland said it would never con-
| fict with Sunday, and that a resolution
| advocated by the national committee and
drafted by Senator Hoar, providing for
| the change to the last Thursday in April
| had twice been passed by the United States
| Senate. Moreover. he added since the
| organization of the national committee
| on the proposed change in 1901, the gov
errors of most of the states and terri
| tories have accepted service on the ma
| tional committee and approved the last
| Thursday in April the proper time for
the holding of the inaugural ceremonies
/ 10 1ot hat al raj
| the Senate, and Representative Gaines OF
| West Virginia. in the House, who are
| specially pressing the matter before Con-
| gress. have accepted the national COM
| mittee's resolution naming the last Thurs
| day in April.
| Mr.. mcfarland urged that all should
! work together for that date SO that the
strength of the movement for change
will not be dissipated.
Changed Date Favored.
Following his remarks the resolution
was unanimously and heartily adopted by
| the Inauguration committee.
On motion Of Charles J. Bell the COM
mittee voted to turn over to the national
committee in charge of Inauguration date
| SO much of the surplus of the inaugural
| fund as may be required to meet the
necessary expenses of the committee in its
propaganda throughout the United States.
| Any balance that may remain is to be
turned over to the Commissioners of the
| District of Columbia to be added to the
fund started by the centennial Inaugural
ton committee, the income from which is
TO be used for charitable purposes.
Resolutions of thanks were unanimously
adopted for cOurteSieS extended to the in
| auguration committee of 1909 by the New
| Willard Hotel management. the library
bureau. the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company, the Underwood and
Remington typewriter companies. Also
a vote of thanks to the press of Wash
ington for the good work it had accom-
plished in connection with the inaugural
event" Another resolution to the author
tiles of the War Department was unani-
mously adopted.
At this juncture of the proceedings r.
Ross Perry arose and requested on behalf
of the inauguration committee that Chair
| man Stellwagen and Secretary Thorn
leave their posts and the room in order
that the committee might go into eXecu-
| live session.
Mr. Stellwagen arose in compliance and
made for the nearest door, while Mr..
Thorn gathered up his books bills and
1 other effects of the secretary's Office and
olowed through the same doorway.
Testimonial Arranged For.
The committee then resolved itself
| into committee of the whole and pro-
ceeded to discuss the gallant work that
had been accomplished in the face OF
blizzard conditions and other obstacles
| in making the inauguration of President
Taft such a conspicuous success largely
through the good generalship of Mr..
Stellwagen and Mr.. Thorn.
Thereupon committee of five was
| suggested to devise some form of tes-
| timonial to show the appreciation of the
| committee for the untiring efforts of
the two gentlemen in bringing about
| such a splendid outcome.
! The suggestion was adopted with alac-
rity, and Charles J. Bell was named as
chairman of the testimonial committee
with Thomas ]. D. Fuller as secretary
and Scott c. Bone as treasurer Chair
man Bell was authorized to name the
other members of the committee.
| 1t is proposed to assess each member
| Of the general committee $40 and with
the fund so raised provide a testimonial
| for Chairman Stellwagen and Secretary
| Thorn. Four years ago the chairman and
secretary were honored at a big dinner
given to them.
| 1t is not yet known whether a banquet
/ will be given this time or whether the
| committee will depart from the precedent
| and present a more substantial token to
the interchangeable chairman and his in
| dustrious secretary.
| After the committee of five has de-
! cided upon the form of testimonial the
| general committee will be called together
| to indorse the action and arrange the
| final details.
The inaugural headquarters were open
| today. They will probably be closed to-
| morrow. and Mr.. Stellwagen and Mr.
Thorn will personally attend to the closing
| of the last details nf unit q q G