Mr. Holmes: I will call upon Mr. William Richardson, of Brooklyn, to ask the Divine blessing.

PRAYER.

Mr. Richardson: We thank Thee, O Lord, for all Thy blessings; for that wise providence and Thy grace with which Thou hast so continually surrounded our pathway. We thank Thee for Thy beneficence to this Association and its membership during the session now closing. O Lord, we especially thank Thee for Thy continued goodness to the officers of the companies which are members of this Association; that Thou hast kept all of us in life and in hope during the past year; and in a good degree of health and strength. We thank Thee for the harmony of the session which has just come to a close. Grant Thy blessing, we beseech Thee, upon the presiding officer and the membership; and we pray Thee to be with us as we shall separate and go to our homes; and that Thy grace and blessing may be with us all through the year to come. We entreat Thee, Lord, to remember with Thy blessing Thy servant, the President of the United States, his wife, and the officers of the Government. Grant that the Government may be conducted in Thy love and fear; and that this nation may be recognized the world over as a nation whose God is the Lord. We ask all these mercies for Jesus' sake, Amen.

TOASTS.

"A WELCOME TO THE LADIES." RESPONDED TO BY THE RETIRING PRESIDENT, MR. CHARLES B. HOLMES.

The President: The first toast of the evening is the following, to which I have been chosen to respond

"A Welcome to the Ladies."- Oh woman, lovely woman, nature made you to temper man. We had been brutes without you."

PRESIDENT HOLMES: It is my grateful privilege, on behalf of the American Street-Railway Association, and in its name, to welcome you, one and all, to this festive gathering. It is here, more than in any other place, that we are able to renew and to strengthen those bonds of good will and helpfulness which have been so dear to us all in former years. We are glad to see you all, and to welcome you all to this joyous scene; and having partaken of this substantial and delicious repast, it is my privilege to introduce to you the speakers, whose glowing sentences shall feed our minds and thrill our hearts.

And for a moment I beg your indulgence while I emphasize, as well as I can,

this welcome to the ladies; for to-night, for the first time in the history of this Association, ladies have graced our gathering with their beauty and their presence. They have done, and are doing, more than any words of mine can tell, to add to the happiness of this occasion. In olden times people were wont to ride in omnibuses over rough pavements and jolted about, thought that they were comfortable; but when the street-car came, with its easier motion and its quicker speed, people all said, "How miserable we have been; why didn't we think of this before; how glad we all are now." In former times we men have met and feasted and toasted, and we thought we were happy; but to night our eyes are opened, and we discover that the old-time song was only a miserere, while to-night our song is a jubilate; and it is such, because we have at last discovered the great truth of that which was spoken at the beginning of time by One Who never made a mistake, and Who said, "It is not good for man to be alone." [Applause.]

It is fitting and proper that this Association should be among the first to inaugurate this movement, this new departure of inviting the ladies to the banquet; for there is no institution which comes so near to the fireside and to the home as that which we represent. The wives and the little ones are every day committed to our care, and lives and limbs more precious than gold are turned over to us for transportation. It is evident, then, that we should be among the first to inaugurate this movement. We are glad to-night, not only because we are favored with the light which shines from woman's eyes, a sweeter and a holier light than ever fell from stars; we are glad to-night, not only because we have the privilege of gazing upon those beauteous colors which come and go in woman's cheek, not rivaled by the rose or the lily in their best estate; we are glad to-night, not only because, when over man's life there sweep great billows and round him roar great storms, woman has ever come, and with her still, soft voice, and with that sublime authority which was committed unto her by the Creator of the universe, of the heavens and earth, has said, peace, be still! and no peace has ever fallen upon the wild waves of Galilee more real and more sweet and more precious than the peace which follows her decree; we are glad to-night, not only because in the firmament of man's life woman comes with the light of her love greater and grander than that of the sun in the midst of the firmament; we are glad to-night, not only because when dark night settles over man's life woman comes and pours upon him the gentle light of her presence and her love, which is better and purer and brighter than ever fell from the satellites of the heavens, lighting his footsteps through the dark valley; but we are glad to-night, with a deep and satisfying gladness, because of that high and holy and noble philosophy which woman has ever borne with her from the beginning of time until this very hour [Applause]. When Napoleon first marched with his mighty armies up and down the continent of Europe, he left in his pathway the greatest desolation; empires ruined, cities destroyed; hearth-stones desecrated; weeping mothers and fatherless children; a blighted land; and on every highway and field and hillside a vast cemetery where were buried the unnumbered and the unnamed dead. The flag of France was the flag of Napoleon, and the flag of Napoleon was the ensign of deepest ambition and most selfish greed. Not one of those campaigns,

which the world has been wont to call great, was born out of woman's prayer, or woman's hope or woman's love.

Over yonder capitol there floats a flag which is dear to every American heart, whether it is found in the great city or the quiet country place; on the vast plains of the West, or in any foreign land, or upon the high seas. Whenever an American eye falls upon that flag it cheers his heart and makes him glad ; for that flag is the hope of the nation; it is the inspiration of patriotism; it is the ensign of liberty and justice; and right here, under the Star Spangled Banner, do we welcome you to-night. Oh, ladies! because from the beginning of history till this very hour you have always borne, wherever your feet have trod, a nobler and holier ensign than ever floated over the cohorts of Napoleon, than ever rose at Austerlitz or fell at Waterloo; a grander and holier ensign even than our own beloved American flag. For, my brethren, if you and I had eyes to see and ears to hear, it would be our privilege to look far up in the bright blue sky, far up above the dust of the market places, far up above the din and discord of greed and selfish strife, and there behold woman's ensign—an ensign of spotless white and dazzling brightness, and on its waving, graceful folds, we might read on the one side an inscription in letters of living light, "A Service of Love;" and on the other side the inscription in letters more crimson than our own heart's blood, the burning motto, "A Love of Service." [Applause.] When you and I shall have spiritual insight enough to grasp her high philosophy, and walk along those mountain tops where she so softly speeds, we shall then be able, with even-handed justice, to deal with employee, with patron and with capital. We shall be able then to find that high and holy harmony of life which never will be found in the dust of the market place, nor in the roar of fierce strife for wealth; then our motto will be, not love of gold, but "love of service." I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your kind attention. [Applause.]

"WASHINGTON." RESPONDED TO BY MR. WILLIAM B. WEBB.

The President: The next toast is:

66

Fair

Washington-Name revered by every true American. City; guardian of our liberty and honor; crown jewels of the Republic."

I call upon Mr. William B. Webb, of Washington, to respond: MR. WEBB: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen-I need not I am sure in this presence, and amid these surroundings, tell you that you are heartily welcome to the Capital City. The earnest expressions of friendship and good fellowship that have greeted you are, I know, sincere and heartfelt, and nothing that I can say can add in any way to the assurance of that sincerity. Words of welcome are of little value unless accompanied by actions that attest their sin. cerity; and real, sincere hospitality needs no words to make it acceptable. The people of this city are always happy to welcome their fellow citizens whencesoever they come, or upon whatsoever call of pleasure or usefulness they become our guests. I need not say that that welcome is most sincerely tendered to men

who come hither to commune together, with a view to their more perfect adaptability to man's comfort and convenience, concerning the great systems of street locomotion in our midst, and the various mechanisms and appliances that belong to the subject. You are here for the good of the public, and of your fellow men everywhere, and the great cause you represent commends itself to every inhabitant of the land. Nothing marks this age with more distinctness, than the advance that has been made in the direction of facilities for the transportation of people through the streets of our cities and towns, and no nation has been more anxious to share in that advance than ours. But I must not be unmindful that I am to deal with other subjects, and while I need not assure you of my great interest in all of your deliberations, I must content myself with this simple reference to them. May your deliberations be fruitful of good results; may you feel yourselves that you have accomplished a great work in coming together in this city of the nation. I feel satisfied myself that these results will be all that man can wish for, and trust that assurance will be shared by all who hear me. [Applause.]

I am to speak of Washington, the great and the good, the hero, the patriot and the statesman; of him whose wisdom was so profound, whose heroism was so great, whose virtues were so many and so eminent, whose life was so pure, who was so modest and so simple, so unselfish, patient and long suffering, that it is not too much to say he was born in the early days of our history as a nation that his great life might shed a light over its entire future. His name has become the property of the nation. Of course you cannot expect me to say anything new or original about such a man as this. His own country can never cease honoring him, and the people of America will continue to sing his praises to the remotest generation. His name must be remembered as long as the English language is spoken. Nay more, in every land where freedom is known or dreamed of, in every nation where human rights are respected; in every clime where man can exercise his right to free thought, everywhere throughout the world, Christian or pagan, savage, civilized or barbarous, where the word "Liberty" is known or spoken, or where any expression can be given to the idea conveyed by that word, the name of this greatest of the men of human history will be heard and revered as a household word. We people of this city are proud of her fair eminence among the cities of our land. It is in very deed and truth the city of Washington. Its name is no mere designation. It was not given simply to distinguish it from other great cities in this and in other lands. It was not intended to add another laurel to the great name it bears, to help hand down to posterity the name and fame of the hero of our revolution. No, none of these. This is the city of Washington. Here by the banks of the river he loved, amid these surrounding hills, upon this lap of earth, then a wilderness abounding in swamps and brawling brooks, he laid the foundation, devised the plans, and marked out the streets of what was destined to be the capital of a nation that was to be the wonder of the ages. His wisdom taught him that here in this Western world was to grow a great and powerful nation, and he determined that it should have a Capital worthy of its greatness. The great Capitals of the world were all representative of the grandeur of their respective nations. They stood for all that the countries had gained in wealth,

in art, in civilization, science and culture. Rome, Paris, London, St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Berlin were all representative, and Washington knew that our country could be no exception. He was wiser than his generation. It remains for those of the generation of to-day to make this city what he meant it should be; what he knew it must be. It has taken almost a century to teach the people of this land the wisdom already gained by their ancestors so many long years ago. And now the city stands before us, fair and beautiful, in its public buildings and parks; more fair and more beautiful in the work done by its private citizens. Beautiful it certainly is in the verdure of ten thousand trees now putting on the gorgeous foliage of the dying year, with its beautiful streets, noble parks and squares, and its fountains and statues. Dear to us who live in it, admired and loved by every American citizen who comes to see it, for every American feels that it is his city-the property of his nation.

I hope I speak the sentiment of all who hear me when I say that this city is worthy of the proud name that it bears. This is the greatest tribute that can be paid to it that here we have a city worthy of so great a name. [Applause,] The progress of our city has been phenomenal for the past decade. There are many of us who can remember when Washington was a mere village. She has now stretched her arms out over the surrounding hills, and has gathered, and is gathering into her borders, people who a little while ago never dreamed that they would ever be counted among citizens of the Capital. This is largely, almost entirely, due to the street-railways that the enterprise of our citizens has constructed. [Applause.]

We can all of us see that as these street-railways branch out into the neighboring districts, these neighborhoods grow into and become parts of our city. I am happy to say that the railroads of this city are under good management; they are in good control, and for the most part well taken care of. They are not free from the usual accidents that occur to such railroads; they are not without the usual complaints that attend such enterprises in all cities. Our railroads have had the experience of other city railroads. They have been the subject of comment and complaint among our citizens; but I am glad to say that our railroads are presided over by patient, saintly men, who do not care for complaints. [Laughter.] My brother Hurt there, broad-shouldered and stalwart, has shown himself equal to any emergency. He has the worst of it. Mr. Willard, Mr. White, and Mr. Pearson, and all the other Presidents of these roads, are gentlemen whom I can commend to you as possessed of the utmost patience and endurance. I happen to have lived among them for a lifetime, and have experience of their good traits. [Applause.]

I am happy to be here to-night (and I speak for my colleagues in the government of this District, as well as myself), not only because I am glad to greet you as visitors to our city, but because I hope to get from you the best advice about the government and control of these street-railroads that are becoming such an important interest in our affairs. I have not been able to attend your deliberations, but I shall read with interest the record of what you have been doing. What I don't understand will be explained by the skillful engineers who form part of our Government, and there is nothing to prevent the complete utilization in our community of all that is best, as the result of your deliberations.