The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-03-07
Brooklyn's "First Citizen"
A Former Waldo County Boy.

The Brooklyn, N. Y, Citizen of recent
date gave a page account of the Both
birthday celebration of Hon. David A.
Body, native of Jackson and brother
of Mrs s w. johnson of this city. The
Citizen also dignifies the occasion with
the following editorial tribute:
At the dinner given last night by the
Prospect Heights Association at the Mon
tauk Club to David A. Body, in ceebra-
ton of his entrance upon the ninth decade
of his life, the former Mayor was hailed
as "Brooklyn's first Citizen" title
which before him was worthily borne by
the late j. S T. Stranahan. In what con-
sists this pre-eminenCe of first citizen"
in a community numbering two million
souls? There are in Brooklyn men of
more diversified business interests than
Mr. Boody; there are men who measure
their wealth by millions more than the
modest competence he possesses; there
are men who have held higher public Of
flee, yet none of these men is so clearly
entitled to the designation of ''flrst citi-
zen'' as he, whose life has been devoted
TO the finer threads, as DR.. Boynton said
in his splendid address, in the body pol
itic.
In the field OF education, as typlted by
our schools and libraries, MIR. Boody's &C
Invites were glowingly praised by PreSl-
dent Somers of the Board of Education,
who received his first appointment as a
member of the Brooklyn board from
Mayor Body twenty eight years ago,
and by Mr.. Hill, head of the great library
system of which the honored guest of the
evening was the actual founder and the
first and only president. In the domain
of civics Mr.. Body made his mark both
as a member of Congress during the try
ing years when his party was rent by the
free silver agitation and as Mayor of
Brooklyn at that transition period when
the city was emerging from its rural COM
munal life into the magnificent metropol-
itan borough of today.
On this topic Almet F. jerks, who was
the right-hand man of the Mayor, serV-
ing as his Corporation Counsel, spoke IL
luminatingly and with deep feeling. He
gave to Mr.. Body the credit at the Sara
toga conference of determining the course
of the Democratic party In this State In
favor of sound money, and from intimate
personal knowledge and daily association
he was able to testify to the purity, the
loftiness, the wholly unseltiSh motives
which guided his chiefs every action dur
ing two trying years.
From financial and educational institu-
lions with which he has been connected
the Peoples Trust Company, the Brook
Ign Institute of Arts and Sciences, the
Berkeley Institute, tributes of affection
and admiration were laid at the feet of
the "frst CITIZEN And when it came
his time to speak, he stood erect in all
the majesty of his eighty fruitful years.
tall and straight as an Indian, scarcely
wrinkle showing on his clean-shaven
face, his hair still retaining its natural
dark color, his voice vibrant and strong,
a perpetual marvel to younger men, of
one who has detied time and who has dis
covered the secret of eternal youth which
Ponce de Leon sought in vain in the en-
chantedl and of Florida.
That secret Mr. Body disclosed for the
benefit of his hearers. 1t was simple
recipe: Live to be useful to your fellow
man. All his life he had exempllfled TINS
teaching. and now that the shadows were
lengthening, the great tribute OF affection
and respect poured out so coplously last
night by his fellow-citizens and neigh
bors const ituted an inspiration to him to
try to do even better. In placing the
civic crown upon the head OF David A.
Body, the hosts of last evening placed
it upon no unworthy brow. Brooklyn
has once more first citizen, the va
lidity of whose title will go unchallenged'