The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-03-02

splendid banquet table set in honor of
| Washington Gardner, and, more than
! that, to pay worthy tribute to worthy
man. Honor like unto this has fallen
| to but few men in these recent utili-
tartan years.
Comrade Gardner is Chairman of the
| House Subcommittee on the District OF
J Columbia. and in that position he has
/ been as true a friend to the District of
F! Columbia as tho he had been born and
reared here. In view of this sterling
devotion to the interests of the people
of the National Capital a lot of public
spirited citizens made up their minds
that some sort of recognition should he
given Comrade Gardner, who will soon
retire from office. and that this tribute
should be given him before his retire
ment. The idea took like wildfire, and
q banquet was the outcome. And then
people literally tumbled over each 9TH
er to get seat at the banquet tables.
/ Finally 1t WAS necessary to close the
list, as no more could be accommodate
. ed. This in itself was a tribute TO
sterling worth and integrity of this
friend to the District of Columbia, for.
lie 1t known, the members of the Dis
trict of Columbia Committee, who act
as a Board of Councilmen. have not
been always stanch friends of the Dis
Irict. but have had an eye to their own
represented the interests of the people
of the District.
Just think of a dinner to a member
of Congress where the President of the
United States, the Speaker of the House
of Representatives., Senators, Represen-
,atives and guardians of great corporate
interests all speak as with one voice
praising this one member of Congress!
Such thing has been seldom known
even in the history of our own great
United States.
The banquet was given at the Will
lard Hotel. The decorations of flags
and flowers We're magnificent. and the
great banquet hall of the Willard was
crowded to the limit. The program of
speaking was a long one, and the
speakers lost no opportunity to give
Comrade Gardner the credit due him
for his eight years of labor for Wash
ington. Mr.. John Joy Edison was toast
master.
Mr. Yerkes made a brilliant sketch
of Comrade Gardeners exceedingly use
full life.
Every speaker seemed imbued with
the same desire to praise the untirins
efforts of Representative Gardner for
greater Washington and better WASH
ington.
President Tafts Tribute.
President Taft, who came late, was in
splendid physical condition, and his
strong, clear voice and genial optimism
was never more visible than when he
spoke of the work of Comrade Gardner
His personal tribute was as follows:
Il came here to join with you in tes-
tifying to the gratitude that We all
ought to feel to member of Congress
who has given so much effective atten-
ton and so much of his time in Com
gress to the benefit of the District.
There is great deal to attend to in
Congress. There is good deal to at
tend in each district looking to a re-
done for the District that aids the par
ticular Congressman in his reelection.
The consequence is that the work
which is done by Congressman for the
District comes nearer being prompted
by pure disinterestedness and patriot
ism and love of the Capital than any
thing else that is done. That is the
reason why you are here, and that is
the reason why 1 am here. Perhaps If
Mr.. Gardner had not devoted so much
time TO the District and a little more
time to the benighted members of his
district he might not have been here
tonight, but he would have been here
next month. That is not the only rea-
son why am glad to testify my re- !
spect for Mr.. Gardner. He going
out. and there comes over ev. man
who holds temporarily an office. after /.
he is half thru, sort of sympathy with |
those who are going out"
Speaker Cannon, after he had given
many statistical figures concerning the
and was trying 10 do for 1t, closed with