New-York tribune., 1909-04-27
SENATOR DEPEW AT 70
MONTITK CLUES GUEST.
Gets Birthday Cake CoTered fo'fH
Candles and Ne7c Pennies.
- sf-.-,s -fsz ws ever met you.
Ps' -aur Ilfe W. daa'I forget YOU
TEe rar-e-nlsr vCa.

-,c- sang fl ytra great enthusiasm last night Al
the Monteuk cab. Brooklyn when the members u
fbe club with theis wives and invited gu's's' 0'i
hrated fhs birthday Of senator chaunctE n LeI" -
As has been their custom for nineteen years ~,
was the eigl-e-nth celebration Nj DePe" I'sssu
mis- serenty-nfth birthday few days ago. ana TWO
hundred OF the political and social leaders OF broo
lxi. assembled ia honor Of the event
Al the head Of the table were William H Eng
lisa -rcsident OF the Montauk Club. and Mrs Eng
1,sl- Mr. and Mrs William Berri Mr.. and Mrs
Tiuotbv I. Woodruff. eX-Controller Edward NJ
orout and Mrs Grout and Mr- and Mrs Depew-
A hug. basket Of orchids and other flowers was
rreserfed TO Mrs. Derew. and mammoth cake
adorned tho table in honor Of guest Of the ever
sng Sevety-ye bright pennies rested IN the lcliis
Of the cake. and ghe same number OF blazing can
dies Egsted GIp the faces Of the diners Between
courses singing was contributed by Miss Josephine
ec;laffor and Miss CAROLYN Taylor in addition 10
frequent renditions Of the refrain which has oeen
quoted.
II has always been the custom of the members
Of the Montauk Club forget their party afillla-
lions at the annual DeDew dinner. and last night
gathering represented every political creed IN BROOK
l,u Among those noticed in the banquet hall were
Register William A. Prendergast, County Judge
Lewis l. Fawcett Colonel Michael J Dady Will
lam NJ Calder. Jacob Brenner, r. Ross Appleton
David F3ooiy former Mayor OF Brooklyn; Nllllalh
! Carr Justice of the Supreme Court; F. j. h.
Kracke. naval officer Of the port and Chauncey NJ
DepeNr. jr-
senator Depev At the beginning Of his speech re
ferred 10 the most gratifying tribute to my
youth as the remark OF President Roosevelt that
his carnpaigning for Taft ahead Of Gladston5 @
famous campaigr. He said he had derived moe
pleasure from the birthday dinners given for him
lx the Nantaul Ciub than from all the other honors
that hac come him
Speaking Of world famous accomplishments PS
men wei along years. no Senator recalled t'dl
Bismarck created the German Empire at hf'H-
six bur ADDED that The successful culminal IN "l
his craftsmanship was in the Triple Alliance "Ieh
7e Was seveuty-one. Won Noltke Won his great
,5~t,,ies f., the Franco PruSsisn Var i'm his
ssrenty-secord year. Webster delivered his m
mortal speech in reply Hayne A. forJy-eight ana
achieved his great diplomatic triumph after Sky
two. TIers saved the French Republic at seventy
four. and Gladstone won the greatest victory IN
the parliamentary history Of Great Britain Al
sigbty-three
senator. Depeu called Lincoln the most human Of
the Presidents and related this incident
A veteran English statesman who attached
the British Embassy during the sLll " ,IF,9 a. u
me last summer incident never before pleilsi'el
Tgssti1a+on was Lord Lyons He was English
diplomat OF the oid school. digniied. formal abe
ana bachelor orr He oIISn d1neq 'IT Ii5s, II lis
Si,er E,ras9.nt I TncaIn would he announced fol
low the servant into the dining room and take MS
OF course with mis- ideas. the minister was as
astonisled and Conplimented as II IL had heen I.t
king in the countries where ne had beore ser l e.,
lie woud uree the PRESIDENT 10 1on MN 5i II f- i
dinner hlt President would answer accord!llS
to my Informant: G o ly@If ,c8 "' IS riting I'm
browse around" hut before the President departef
{r n - 1.sf Irfrains recoenition Of tie Confe5-
erscy ana the means II averting Il were under dis
s. one knew Of these visits and informal talks
it ~ 4b i,,forIlatior tb.s conveyed to queen Vic
toria by her minister. coming directly ana cont
3entialy from the President Of the Inited states
VS. he most potent factor OF all the influences
IN brought TO Sesr in tl1st crisis in 6eePng me queen
" 5ordiaI for friendly relations with our country
Senator Ipepev said thst when he FIRST saw a
locomotive MS highest ambition vas u ride 10
New York on that road and recalled how the wise
men OF his home regarded the report 81 the
first telegraph message sent ny Morse a. hoax
He continued.
Gardiner Hubbard as government inspector of
the Railway Mali Service while in my office SAID
that his son n-in-law, PROFESSOR bel- hao lnLeIel
talking telegTapt There was great eat skePticisJn
ton and offered me for $4,000 one-sXth interest
in the Bell telephone. AIy friend William Orton-
rany and an acknowledged authority such mat
tiers persuaded from accepting the offer on the
ground that the whole scheme was failure That
Investment with accumulated dividends would to-
Soiars N-ia, lJcizy e<cspe3 would have been
dead years ago from high living and my family
ruined by too much prosperity
Mr. Depew said he was almost pioneer IN
the idea Of government control Of railways, and
added;
The rrolfitiriou Of contributions by corporations
for poIificai purposes. and Of passes both good
measures. have had the effect OF preventing the
railroad eornpanies OF their manages from giving
any reciprocal benefits even for courteSles The
result is they do not have to-day in legislative
halls good standing - manufacturing firms or
private ind viduals. Members make capital
bv attacking them and risk criticism by tntroduc-
ing or favoTinE measures which are TRANSPARENCY
right and for the benefit of the people as well
T-Nc-Cent fare ana minimum rate DlllS pass DA
unanimous Eote without investigation or discussion
Hence the necessity for impartial and able tribu-
nas like the Interstate Commerce and Public Ser
vice commissions
But thank heaven these conditions taking
the railroads out Of politics They are giving the
thousand railway OF the United States, who
are among best and most intelligent citizens,
to be regarded by their fellow citizens as one OF
themselves and entitled 10 the same consideration
IN the hono-s in life II they deserve them as the
iaErver the doctor. the preacher the journalist,
the farmer. the manufacturer the business man.
- Win +hesa conditions
viii finally 4 natural consequence. the
treatment Of railway questions upon their merits
for safety under the conhscatOry clause of the
Constitution
Referring more intimately his life sena-
tor nepew closed his address by saying;
Everybody says u me. and every who
different Il you had 20 live il over2 No. my
friends granted the same conditions and no larger
lust The same. Ny uisfortunes have been my
greatest blessings. Ny most serious troubles have
been about Things which never happened Al pride
IN the past IS thar never knowingly said or did
ANYTHING against anybody which would leave sting
pain that while the official employer Of fifty
thousand men / had n labor trouble. that in
al the aniinosities passions OF partisan war
fare ! never lost friend. and that the sun ~
fhreescere and fifteen rises upon conditions Of
health and strength equal 10 the best OF all the
years thl7 have passed and sets with prayer for
continuing vigor az mind and body and the glorious
privilege Of sppreciaTve and appreciated friends