Evening star., 1913-12-07

ties: and by the menace of an overthrow
of the new conditions of justice ana iAl.
dealing and return to the dishonor ana
shame of the nation and the misery OF
the capital which this equitable settle
ment cured
NO one knows better than the Oldest
Inhabitant that the local community IS
no more able today to perform unaided
the nations task of capital building ana
maintenance on grand national scale
than ii was in the COS and Ios of the
last century. 1t is more populous ana
prosperous and has more resources. but
the National Capital standards of life
and the municipal cost OF living have in
creased in vastly greater proportion.
His Judgment Unimpaired.
The same prolonged observation and
experience which enable the Oldest In
habitant to perceive clearly the danger TO
which the capital is exposed, also, OF the
other hand, inspire him with supreme
confidence that Uncle Sam will not ulti-
mately be guilty of any mean and base
act of repudiation and confiscation. From
the beginning of the city's history the
nation, as represented by certain misrep-
resentatives. has repeatedly threatened
destruction to the capital community, but
in the end. when the crisis came. the ma
ton has always acted in accordance with
the American principle of fair play in lis
dealings with the nations city
For the reasons indicated no other
WaShingtonian will feel a stronger i'm
pulse to buckle on his armor and to fight
for Washington. thus assailed. than the
Oldest lnhabitant. and since the impend-
Ing battle is one not of ply ysicai strength,
but of reason. of logic. of equity. the
rheumatism and other physical ailments
of the Oldest Inhabitant may not prevent
him from enlisting in this war and from
rendering good service in the cause
Long a Washingtonian in Spirit.
At the conclusion of his address Presi,
dent Noyes introduced Commissioners
Newman, who told the Oldest Inhabi-
tants that he had been Washingtonian
in spirit from the time he first came to
the city at the age of eight years. Thir-
teen years ago, he stated. he returned
TO the capita with the intention of max
ing it his home, but, later, was forced
to spend time away because of i'll health
II think Washington is the only city
in the world that is fit for human habi-
tation," he said. 'and 1t got my goat
when / was attacked on the ground OF
residential qualification in connection
with my appointment as Commissioned"
Mr.. Newman asserted that, before he
made every endeavor to justify his claim
that he is a true Washingtonian.
Historical Events Recalled.
Commissioner Siddons traced some Of
the more important historical events ir
the epoch during which the Oldest In
habitants have lived
With our knowledge of what thu
Capital city is. he said. Il, for one, can
not share in the apprehension that there
ever Will be return to the old Wash
lngton. We must rest secure in the be-
lief that Congress will not attempt the
futile thing of turning back the hands OF
time and reconverting Washington into
the city that existed before. the civil
war"
Washington forever will keep pace
with the development of the nation, he
predicted. 1t is impossible to think he
said, that the citizens of the United
States will allow the National Capital tc
be other than city set on a hill
Whether we will or not, We must keeI
up the work of progress and develop
ment," he continued.
Col. Harding, National Citizen"
Col Harding, the District Engineer
national citizen of Washington" He
replied that he could think of no more
desirable class of citizenship TO which
as did his associates, Commissioners
Newman and Siddons. referred to the
extensive development of Washington
which has taken place during the life
time of the Oldest inhabitant. From the
standpoint of physical beauty. he
pare with our own. The social life OF
the capital, he said. also will compare
favorably with that of any other
municipality.
Commissioner Harding stated thai
while there are slums here as in other
cities. Washington is remarkably free
of dark spots District Engineer
Commissioner, he asserted. should conse-
crate his life. for the time being. to ad-
yancing the interests of the District.
The Engineer Commissioner concluded
by saving that the affairs of the munich
paIity are in conscientious hands and that
he believed the future will prove that
they have been in safe hands. as we'll
He referred to the hearings before the
House appropriations subcommittee IN
charge of the framing of the District
budget, and stated that the affairs of the
District as far they are affected by
the deliberations of this committee, are
in safe, conscientious and interested
hands"
Tribute to the Dead.
Prior to beginning his address. Presi-
members of the association have died
during the year. A cluster of twenty-four
roses. with card attached TO the stem
of each bearing the name of a deceased
member evidenced the associations tri-
butte to the memory of those who had
departed this life during the year.
These flowers are not here in honor OF
the living. but in memory of the dead,
stated President Noyes, as he asked thf
guests to rise and offer a silent tribute
to the departed members, whose names
were read by Secretary Benjamin w.
Reiss.
The roster of departed ones included
the names Of seven former vice presi-
dents of the association-Capt Jonathan
d. Cathell, James r. Dobbyn, A. p. Far
don. Fred w. kahlert, Herman kahlert,
Thomas p. Cissell and j. ID. Schofield
and one ex-president, 5. Thomas Brown.
The other members who died during the
year were Charles kattleman. Oliver G.
Fisher, George Gibson William W. Hall,
James +. Heffner, Charles Kennedy, "A.
Reynolds RI. das.oni w. sebastian. IAN Charles S 5.
Shreeves, B. f. Trueworthy. r. A. Walk
er E. NJ Willis, Rev. Randolph W Low
rie and j. p. Wallace.
Honors Paid the Commissioners.
Preceding the banquet an informal re-
ception in honor of the Commissioners