Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-08

izenshfp it has no reason to fear com.
parison. with any state in the Union
what He Was Taught to Believe,
Twas brought up to believe that
! the very essence Of American govern.
| ment and American life is the political
and civil liberty Of the individual cit
tzen. By that I mean among other
government of his own choice. This
Is the stone on which the corner OF
! our national. temple stands. This is
the foundation whose weakness or de-
] cay would bring all the glory stand
ing over it to ruin and despair. De-
stroy that and we will have wrecked
the constructive work of centuries
| Destroy that and America will no
longer be America
THE ballot is the badge Of freedom.
It Is the sign and symbol Of democracy.
Moreover, in this time of violent unrest
when loud and angry voices are heard
on every hand urging the overthrow
Of the very foundations Of society
which it has taken us centuries to
build. the ballot is our best insurance,
our surest guarantee against the ex-
treme radical and the anarchist.
IF there is any reason or justifica-
ton here at the capital of the great
American republic for nearly half
million people as intelligent and as
patriotic as any equal number to be
found anywhere in the world to be
compelled to submit to a government
in which they have no representation
and no voice whatever. 1 confess I do
does. In fact, exist. I most assuredly
want to know what it is, because it
will mean that many cherished theories
OF government and Of democracy here
tofore held valid and controlling must
undergo essential revision"
So Hendrick Lands Civic Spirit.
Commissioner j. Thilman Hen
dfick. chairman Of the board Of Com
missioners. lauded the civic spirit that
induces men to join such an associa-
ton. AS men advance in years, he
said. they either become broader or
more narrow in their viewpoint. He
said he felt sure that men who were
prompted to join the Association of
the Oldest Inhabitants have broadened.
Former Commissioner Mcfarland
declared there are two things on
which the people Of the District stand
as unit-namely, representation in
Congress. and the maintenance of a
fixed and definite fiscal relation be-
tween the federal and District gov
ernments.
"some Of our friends on the HILL '
continued Mr.. Macfarland, SAY occa-
sionally that if the people of the Dis
trict would only agree on what they
want their requests would be heard
and answered. Well. on these ques-
tons we are agreed
Mr.. Mcfarland said the people of
the District welcome the stand of the
present bodrd. Of Commissioners in
support Of fixed proportion Of fed
eral appropriation for capital main
tenance, t f.
-. InpFessfve Tribute; to Dead.
An impressive tribute was paid by
the association to the eleven mem
bers who died during the past year.
Eleven white flowers were placed on
the; speakers table and the diners
stood in reverence while Recording
Secretary BENJAMIN W. Reiss read
the namei: ". E. Cook, j. Tyler Pow
ell, Baldwin b. Drane, John Lynch,
DR.. Thomas Calver, Leopold Richold,
benjamin. F. Larcombe. Charles Rob-
ertson, A. H. c. Richards, DR.. Ben
ian1in G. Pool and Walter F. Stevens.
John. C1agett Proctor read an origi-
nal poem snfttied. s"Still in the Ring."
Else u Baasset Guests.
Among those present were: Robert
n Harper. president OF the Chamber
of Commerce; Thomas Bradley. presi-
dent Of the Board Of Trade; W. B.
'westlake. president Of the Federation