The Washington bee., 1909-07-24
He Is HoROTed
COMMISSIONER SCOTT
BANQUETED

11OAOIIllS \. Ollllg IOulIS -'4ei
Mr.. Emmett J. Scott, of Tuskegee,
Alabama. was the guest of honor last
Thursday evening at a magnificent
banquet at Gray's Cafe, 1873 E street,
northwest, rendered by upwards Of a
hundred citizens of Washington and
representative colored men of the
country at large. The function was
designed as a compliment to Mr..
SCOTS very satisfactory service as a
member Of the Commission sent by
the United States Government to in
vestigate the political, social and in
dustrial conditions of the West
African Republic and to. suggest
ways and means by which this nation
could intervene in behalf of its strug
Cling foster-child. It was the aim Of
the Commission to)-liscover, if pos
sible. some method by which Liberals
threatened dismemberment at the
hands of foreign powers could be pre-
vented, and how the United States
might assist'in the development OF its
vast natural resources and toA build
up a commerce worthy of the name.
MIR. Scott and his associates spent
several weeks in Liberia and the bor-
dering countries and their report is
now in course of preparation for
presentation to the President and the
State Department.
Mr.. Ralph w. Tyler, Auditor for
the Navy Department, acted as toast
master. and set a new pace in that
important office by his, witty sallies,
good-humored jibes and satirical ref
erences to the current happenings in
which the speakers were prominently
identified Mr.. James A. Cobb, As
sistant United States Attorney, re-
spending to the toast, Our Guest, .
paid a lofty tribute to the work and
worth of the Commissioner-Diplo
to which Mr.. Scott replied in fitting
terms, giving a clear and comprehei-
sive, yet modest statement of what
the representatives of the United
States had tried to accomplish through
their investigations in the Dark
Continent" Without forestalling his
official report to the government, Mr..
Scott told in an entertaining way of
the character of the people in control
Of Liberia of their habits and GUS
toms. and lauded the open-handed
hospitality which greeted the Com
missioners from the time they set
foot upon the African shore until
they regretfully said "Adieu.' He
painted a hopeful picture of the fu-
ture of the Republic, as he had per
ceived within the elements Of a strong
national character, determination to
preserve their territorial rights and
an intense desire to keep abreast of
the ideals and standards set by the
people of America. Mr.. Scott con
siders Liberia the richest spot on the
face of the earth, considering its
area. and felt that with the proper
help. the patriots there could estab-
lsh for all time to come a tangible
evidence of the self-governing abil-
ity of the black man. Mr. Scott's
remarks we've listened to with the
closest attention and at the close he
was given an ovation, the guests ris-
ing and drinking toast to his con-
tinued good health and happiness
Others who responded to S$2ropri-
ate toasts were Major John R. Lynch,
pavmaster in the United States
Army; Judge Robert Il, Terrell, of
Recorder of Deeds; W. T. Vernon,
the Municipal Court John c. Dancy,
Register of the Treasury; Professor
Roscoe Conkling Bruce, Assistant Su-
perintendent Of the public schools !;
DR.. w. Bruce Evans. Principal of
Armstrong Technical High School;
Drs. A. NJ Curtis. F. D. Williston,
end c. y. Childs; Mr.. r, R. HOr
rer, of the Board of Education; Mr..
Gilchrist Stewart, of New York; and
Architect w. Sidney Pittman. All
OF the speeches were of an unusually
high .order-spicy, eloquent and in
forming, abounding at every possible
point in praise of the wisdom and ex-
ecutive capacity of the guest of honor
and predicting even greater achieve
ments for him in the afterwhile.
Letters and kilograms, regretting
inability to be present, were received
from prominent men throughout the