St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-05-24
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION.
Splendid Speakers at Board of Trade
Annual Banquet.

Lie Ol5 GNGuL Vi Tie year " Qc1lC III
the social and economic life of White
River Junction was Thursday even
ing, when there occurred the annual
ladies' night and banquet of it's board
of trade in the spacious and ever at
tractive dining room of the Junction
House. 1t was in every way a repre-
sentative gathering with covers laid
for LAG and nearly one-half of the
number present were women. The
feast opened at $50 and the march to
the dining room was from the parlors
of the house, while the Muriel Stock
we'll orchestra of the Junction played
pleasing march. President James
A. Stacey of the board of trade presid-
ed and the blessing was asked by
Rev. DR.. Sisson, pastor of the Meth
odist church. The bill of fare was
an elaborate one, it including no less
than nine courses with baked chicken
pie as the central feature, and the
service by the Is walters under the
direction of Miss Mary Gleason, that
widely known head waiter of the
Junction House, was commended by
all. Throughout the banquet a spirit
of cordially and good fellowship pre-
vailed and this was made all the more
manifest because of the all around ex-
cellence of the orchestral music.
Boutonnieres of carnations in varied
colors were at each plate, while Incl
dentals of this and that nature kept
all in a merry and active mood. 1t
was near to 1890 when the cafe noir,
the final number on the lengthy bill
of fare, disappeared and the post
prandial exercises ushered in. The
POSTMASTER was David A. Elliott, a
position he has filed for several an
nual feasts of the board. The first
speaker was Vermont's adjutant gen.
eral, Lee S. Tillotson of st. Adams,
whose theme was Military Prepared
ness General Tillotson spoke in a
manner that aroused the interest and
enthusiasm of his hearers. He men
| toned the present status of the ma
tional guard and referred in particu-
lar to the present activities of state
and nation to the end of securing a
still more efficient military organiza-
ton. The necessity of an organized
and efficient national guard he said
was more apparent today than ever
and he urged that all assist in the
furthernce of still more efficient ma
tional guard He said that the efficien-
cy of the Vermont state militia was
exceeded by that of only one other
state, Utah, and that a large proper
ton of the members of the regiment
were qualified sharpshooters. He
further urged that the federal gov
eminent be given extended power over
the militia of the states and he ad-
vised that commissions be given only
on merit. The proposition that the
militia be increased to the number of
| 500 to each member of congress- Gen.
| Tillotson strongly endorsed and he
said he should work for it to the best
| of his ability. Should this become a
| law then Vermont would have a force
of 5000 men. Of especial local inter
est was the fact that he advised that
| White River Junction have a company
| in the state militia. The succeeding
speaker was Speaker John E. Weeks
of the present house of representatives
| and Middlebury and his was a hearty
reception. He began by pleasant al
fusion to Representative Stacey and
| he brought to the town and feast the
congratulations of the west side OF
the state. President J. B. Estey OF
| Montpelier, and the state fair associa-
| ton was next introduced and his brief
remarks were alike effective and re-
plete with a general interest. Presi-
dent John M. Thomas of Middlebury
college was the next and special
speaker of the occasion. He was in
the best of humor and his every word
was eagerly listened to. His general
topic likewise was Preparedness
and his handling of the subject was
from the standpoint of the common
citizen. He said that. we as a people
and nation were entering upon a new
era with influences in control utterly
different from those that have been
potent in the preceding years of the
American nation. He touched upon
the matter of the integrity of nations
as observed today and he eloquentIy
pleaded for the upholding of that
fidelity to the flag that has ever been
characteristic of the people AS
Americans he feared we had been
taking things a little too easily and
have been too careless and extrava-
CANT in our ways of living and the
wasting of our national resources
1t was just midnight when the gath
| erinR closed