St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-10-11
BANQUET TO
COMPANY D
More Than 200 Representative
Men Of The Town AT COmpli-
mentary Dinner Given In Masonic
Hall
GEN. TILLOTSON SPEAKS
In Place of Gov. GateS-Capt. Wilcox
Given Great Ovation When Called
Upon to Speak-Elisha May
and Ex-Governor Ide
Respond.

Upon to Speak-EIisha May
and Ex-Governor Ide
Respond.
Hearty good fellowship reigne6
supreme at the complimentary ban.
quet rendered to Company D last
night by the citizens of st. Johnsbury
The banqueting hall in Masonic Tenn
pie was filed with over two hundred
representative men of the town
These together with the company
after a bounteous menu had been
served, listened to some of the best
post-prandial speaking ever heard n
st. Johnsbury Governor Gates, VINO
was unable to be present, had an able
representative of the state in Gen
eral L. S. Tillotson of st. Albans.
Captain Wilcox of Company D when
called upon was greeted with a burst
of applause that lasted several min
utes. The banqueters rose to their
feet and gave three cheers and a
tiger for the veterans of the Grand
Army of the Republic present and
as Elisha May, who was~ introduced
by Toastmaster A. S. Stone, as the
representative of the veterans arose.
he was greeted by another prolonged
outburst of applause. Ex-Gov. Henry
c. Ide Of St. Johnsbdry gave an in
teresting address on the conditions in
the Philippines at the time of mis-
governorship there. other interest
ing speakers were: Major Melville
of st. Albans, surgeon major of the
First Vermont regiment; Major Wat
son of st. Adams; Chaplain Paul ID.
Moody. Capt. Henry w. Ellis anu
Roger Williams Of Cuba.
A concert was rendered by the
band from the st. GabriePs parochiaI
school on the terrace in front of the
Masonic Temple, while waiting the
word to march into the banquetinf
hall. When the word was given the
members of Company D took their
places at the central tables, leaving
an unoccupied chair between them
which was later occupied by a civil
ian, a plan which successfully scat
tered the boys and made an interest
ing feature of the program.
President c. e. Peck of the Com
mercial club called the banquet to
order and Rev. Alfred P. Grint OF
st. Andrews Episcopal church asked
the blessing.
Following the satisfying courses
that were served, cigars were distrib-
uted and after the chairs had been
pushed back, President Peck in be-
half of the Commercial club spoke n
word of welcome to the returned
company. He then turned the exer'
cises over into the capable hands OF
Arthur S. Stone, who with his hum
orous stories, apt illustrations ana
appropriate introductions, kept the
banqueters intensely interested be.
tween speeches.
General Tillotson Speaks
General Lee S. Tillotson was intro
duced as the commander of the army
and navy of Vermont, and in begin
ming he said he was willing to 40
cept the responsibility of the army
but wished to be excused from the
Vermont navy proposition. He con-
veyed the regret of Governor Gates
in being unable to be present. In
speaking of the recent trip to the
border he said: "Have we profitted
at all by the lessons past. Has what
we learned during the summer led US
to believe that we have made any
progress in military preparedness? 2"
In answer to the questions General
Tillotson spoke of the vexatious de.
lays caused to all concerned by the
uncertainties Of the war department
but he defended this by speaking Of
a federal law that was passed prior TO
the mastering in of the troops which
put into effect in three weeks a law
which when put on the statute
books was intended five years fo1
He received a warm ap.
plause when suddenly stopping he
said, Il am not talking politics, ]
am a republican" Then he went Oh
to say. "If you have criticisms to
make, wait and consider, give every. /
one a chance to work things out
along the new line of affairs" He
spoke of the regiment of infantry /
Vermont was calico upon t0 furnish
is well equipped as any on the bor-
Ter and further said, that the reg
liar army officers on the border
thought highly of the Vermont
roops, while the fine reputation
gained while on duty, gave express
ion of the hope on the part Of the
,order people that if the necessity
rose the Vermont boys might be
ent there again.
General TillOtson explained that
he enlistment under the new law held
or six years and while the men were
,ut of the federal service, yet they
we're still members of the Vermont
National guard with three years of
ctive service before them, and three
ears on the reserve list If desired.
In closing general Tillotson urged
he business men to get behind the
of the local company.
rye their employees to join, for ne
aid: zone system cannot succeed
ntiI every man gets behind. You
an take your choice to do IL volun.
arily or within a few years it will be
lade compulsory. Keep on pushing
nd you will be given an efficient or
as has been had in the
asst"