Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-15
University Gymnasium Filled with the
Largest Audience and Most Dis
tinguished Guests of It's History
Excellent Feast of Reason Follow
ed Repast---Gov. G.. H. Prouty Pre-
ided---Responses by Pres. w. H..
Taft, Ambassadors Jusserand and
Bryce, Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux
and Governor Hughes.

the burnt offering. that is. who should
be selected as the first speaker, and
deprived Of the opportunity to get
ideas from those who follow him.
Governor Hughes has figured In that
capacity several times in New York.
acting as n proper host Tonight 1
am offered. Laughter.) Perhaps be-
cause the train leaves early. perhaps
because II is my turn. I don't suppose
that audiences realize In post-prandial
discussions. as you call 1t formally in
your program. how much you lose by
reason Of the presence Of the press. and
the reporting Of what Is said. No speaker
likes to go into the light and frivolous II
he Is going to face 1t In amber and In
cold print tho next morning, and yet n
great many things might be said under
the influence and inspiration Of such a
presence as this that would pass for coin
that the next morning would seem spur
ious and I may say has the air and taste OF
a chestnut Now. one OF the stories and
experiences that comes to me tonight
al the end Of these three days is that OF
Georg. Fred Williams. Of Massachusetts,
who attended meeting IN celebration
q
Louis They gave him the hospitality
that that region is famous for, for a
day or two, continued from hour to hour.
and finally he was called upon at three
O'Clock In the morning at the closing ban
Duet to say what he had to say to the
people Of Memphis, and what he said was
People Of Memphis. we Of Massachusetts
thank you for your ferocious hospitality"
there be any similarity between our two
experiences It Is fitting that this one
shoul1 and. as 1t certainly does end, in
spite OF the decorations, in a gymnasium
G4aughter)
! would not object to make two and
three speeches a day. even with the
presence Of every member Of the dis
tinRuished company Of the travelling show
Of which I am part Uaughter) II II
were not that at least two and some
times three Of those speeches have to be
made to the same audience, and therefore
the Jokes and the repartec and the light
persihages and the badinage cannot he
repeated, and when the distance Is only
across the lake. you are very much
afraid that some OF the audience may
have been In New York as we'll to hear
those acute remarks that you 80 pride
yourself on In your first speech. G.augh-
teri. And that Is one difficulty about a
late speech. When you get into your
first speech you always forget that you
ought to keep something In reserve, and
you let go Of both barrels. and then
there Is nothing left. G.aughter). And
SO this morning referred to the fact that
have great pride in my Vermont nm
cestry, and intend to repeat that to-
night. (Applause).
! have often seriously studied the ques-
tlon why 1t was that there seemed to be
a distinctive character and n peculiar
individuality In Vermont men. suppose
It is due to the fact that the problems
that the Vermont men had to solve when
they came here from Massac husetts and
other where's were so dfficult that they
necessarily developed all the traits OF
character which We call virtues. CAP
plause) They certainly did not find any
opportunity for luxury here that would
destroy their energy and enterprise
They made. therefore. safe and con-
sentative people II were 10 describe
the Verinonter In ono word, would say
he was safe man, safe for himself. safe
for his family. safc for his state and safe
for the nation. (Applause). His exper-
fence was not unlike. and his standing In
our community Is not unlike that Of the
canny Scotch In Great Britain. Nobody
ever got ahead Of a Scotchmnn In trade
and have yet TO hear of the Vermonter
that has been left IN that regard.
Naughtcr). You came here and found q
large agricultural crop Of rocks. and
you went to quarrytns and you developed