New-York tribune., 1910-09-01
HARD WORK FOR Mr.. TAFT
Lays 7. M. C. A. Cornerstone
at Beverly.
TWO YEARS MORE THERE
President Delights Audience
with Announcement-High
Praise for Association.

Beverly, Mass, Aug 31-In laying the
cornerstone OF the new Young Mems Chris
tian Association building In this city to-day
President Taft officially announced that
Beverly would continue to be the summer
capital of the country, "at any rate" for
two years more. Mr. Taft had intimated
earlier in the season that he found Beverly
much to his liking. but his official public
announcement to-day called out great
cheers from his hearers Melville Wood
nury' the presiding officer at the ceremo
MES, referred to the President as "Beverlys S
most distinguished summer boarder."
Ihe President worked hard at the cor
nerstone The big block of granite meas
ured three by four feet, and not an ounce
OF mortar had been spread on the founda-
ton when he took up the silver trowel
He worked in silence for nearly five min
utes, and then, with somewhat Redeemed
lace he looked up and laughingly inquired
"hereS the mason? Where's my boss?"
every one laughed, and the mason
stepped forward He gave some directions
but he did not offer to relieve the Chief
Magistrate of the trowel, and Mr.. Taft re-
sumed his job. When he had applied the
last OF the cement the mason smoothed off
the edges and the stone was lowered to its
place. To make his service thorough the
President seized hold of the granite block
and helped swing it onto the foundation
Inc crowd, which had watched with much
amusement. applauded vociferously. At
the close of the exercises the President
joined the throng in singing America -
In his speech Mr. Taft said:
1t Is great pleasure for me to take part
IN IN tne ceremony of eedicating a building
eras eras+,, oeiieVe sincerely will contribute
the building up Of good character in the
young men of Beverly. do not know how
1t happened, but it has fallen to my lot to
take part in the dedication. of buildings
IKE TINS the world over. l began in Dayton,
ONO; L went on to Omaha, and then to
Seattle and then to Shanghai and then to
Hong Kong and then to Manila, and now l
have swung around to Beverly: and il Is an
evidence of the universal usefulness of the
Young Mems Christian Association that ii
is adapted, and well adapted to the better
ment of so different communities as those
that / have mentioned.
1t serves a great many purposes, but the
one that impresses me as the most useful
is the furnishing of Christian club to
young men at a time when the devil is
very near and will get them II he can. 1t
is in their idle moments that they contract
the habits that lead them downward, and
1t is in their leisure that they can make
their character what it ought to be, and
under the auspices Of the Young Men g
Christian Association numbers Of young
men who would go down into the gutter
are not rescued from there, but are kept
from there and led onward and upward to
become the best members of the COM
munity.
This is not Idle praise. Every one who
knows of the operation of the Young Men g
Christian Association knows the truth OF
what I say. It is organized on a, business
basis. The money that Is put IN is not
wasted. The men who conduct the asso-
citation are engaged IN a profession Of
teaching, a peculiar profession the secre-
taries of the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation have, but 1t is real profession
They make the money that they have GO
as far as II will: they are. able to offer to
the young men who come into the associa-
ton aid and comfort without giving them
the impression that they are receiving
charity from anybody. In other words,
they take what comes without losing In
any regard their self-respect.
7 look forward 10 the usefulness Of the
Young Mems Christian Association OF Bev-
erly with a great deal Of hopefulness, with
a great deal of interest, because hope to
spend two more, at any rate, OF my sum-
here