New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-26
Quinquennial Event Gayly
Celebrated by Ex-Sen-
ator and Admirers.
1000 RETROSPECTIVE
WORDS OF WISDOM
Speaker Lauds Presidents Pam
ANA Policy, Home Girl and
the Old Oaken Bucket.

A slave to habit ChRuncey NJ Depew,
Of Peeksklll and this city. was again the
recipient Of a birthday dinner at the Mon
tauk Club, Brooklyn last night Mr.
Dcpew il now eighty years old. Five
years ago he had birthday dinner Five
wears hence he IL going 10 have n third
and every five years thereafter until they
become rionotonous.
In snappy little speech OF 1000 words
net. Mr.. Dopew discussed every possible
subject lie was the only speaker OF tho
evening. william H. English. president
OF the club, VS. the POSTMASTER.
Among the celebrities present were
William Barnes. IT,. Edward NJ. Grout'
Representative William Calder and Jus
tice Luke ID. Stapleton. A group OF young
men sang and played n NUMBER Oh Popu-
lar and unpopular songs ana you"s
woman got up and waved an American
flag. the while she sang THE Star-spah-
gled Banner" Whereat all the diners
their emotions running loose under the
stress OF wartime patriotism, applauded
voelferously.
Getting down 10 Mr.. Depew, OF getting
back TO him, he said that folks can live
much longer in this age because OF the
advances made by science since DR.. Osler
got peeved one night and suggested that
persons sixty be chloroformed.
Times have greatly changed during my
recollection Of seventy and intense actiV-
ity OF sixty years We are not happier
but we have more opportunities for hap
riness.
There were no very rich or very poor
Churchgoing was universal, and there
was a genuine Christian democracy
There was little reading OF interest on
sociological questions. The girls could
not tango or turkey trot. but they were
graceful In square dances and the waltz
and I'm the intervals on the piazza, the
staircase or the conservatory were
equally charming to the college graduate
or the village swain.
They we're experts as we'll In the art
OF the cook, the skill OF the dressmaker
and the milliner and the economies
which get much out OF little In comfort
and show In the early struggling and ris-
ing days OF the young married profession
al or business man When he had won
his way. as so many did. she was equal
to the responsibilities OF the wife OF the
statesman or millionaire, and her hus-
band gratefully acknowledged the large
measure OF his success which was due to
his wife"
Mr.. Depew spoke OF the old oaken
bucket, and said he was wont 10 patronize
il when he was practising law.
81 have never since had draft OF any
huid OF any kind from anywhere so good
and refreshing. Now both well and
bucket are condemned By the Board OF
Health"
The public has changed it's attitude
toward wealthy men. Mr.. Depew pointed
out In the old days a wealthy man who
held public Office was regarded as a pub
lie idol He next took up the Panama
Canal tolls repeal question and said:
The exemption Of our coastwlse ship
ping from tolls on the Panama Canal was
made under the preteXt OF n right which
is denied by the statesmen and diplomats
who made the treaty and most Of our
ablest lawyers who nave studied II. The
demand OF the President for a repeal of
the exemption is statesmanlike and cou-
rageous. But the repeal was really sur
render by indlrectlon to that govern
mental assistance by subsidy to our mer-
camille marine, which, II scientifically
pursued, will once more put our flag on
the seas and give us our place among
mercantile nations"
Concluding Mr. DanpW said.
II have found the best insurance policy
I'm the ability TO say NO Many OF my
friends have died before their time be-
cause they could not resist the appetites
which destroyed them.
Horace Greeley once said TO me after
the payment OF notes he had Endorsed had
swept away years of savings: 'Chauncey'
l want you TO have law passed making
il a felony, punishable with life imprison-
ment, for a man TO put his name on the
back of another mans paper. AS Ia
ment about one-duarter OF my earnings
gone that way because OF my inability 10
say No. and without any benefit to my
friends, I sympathize with Mr.. Greeley
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