THE BANQUET.

The three days' convention was brought to a fitting climax by a splendid banquet at the Arlington Hotel, Friday evening, Oct. 9, every detail of which was carried out to perfection. The large dining hall shone resplendant with myriad lights, among which ferns were entwined with pleasing effect. Suspended over the head table was a crescent of ivy with the name of the National Association in red immortelles. In the decoration of the tables chrysanthemums were used in abundance. Numerous potted palms and other hot-house plants occupied every available space, and the national emblem was placed conspicuously at various points about the hall. Choice music was furnished by an orchestra during the progress of the feast, and the Temple Quartette rendered the song of George W. Hatch, "O, We Are Jolly Life Insurance Men," and other selections.

Beside the underwriters present there were clergymen, lawyers, physicians, educators and business men, and all who addressed the assembly had some inspiring thought to present, some sound advice to offer. The various toasts which were proposed during the flow of after-dinner oratory were of such a nature as to instil feelings of loyalty and devotion both to the country at large and the special avocation in which the majority of those present were engaged-life underwriting.

Hon. Simon Wolf presided as toastmaster. At his right were Hon. J. H. Eckels, comptroller of the currency; Hon. John W. Ross, district commissioner; Maj. Ben S. Calef of Boston, expresident of the National Association; Charles H. Ferguson of Chicago and E. H. Plummer of Philadelphia, also ex-presidents of the national body, and C. M. Ransom of Boston. On the left of Mr. Wolf sat Dr. B. L. Whitman, president of Columbian University; D. S. Hendrick, the newly-elected president of the National Association; Rev. T. S. Hamlin; Hon. John M. Pattison, president of the Union Central Life; George H. Burford, president of the United States Life; Thomas H. Bowles of Milwaukee; Joseph Ashbrook of Philadelphia, manager insurance department of the Provident Life & Trust; William T. Gage of Detroit and Matthew Trimble of Washington.

Delegates and guests at the other tables were:

Angus, S. F.

Ayers, D. H.

Ayers, Henry C.

Bailey, John F.

Baker, Francis
Balloch, Dr. E. A.

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Ward, E. R.

Wardle, Charles A.
Walker, E. H.
Walker, G. C.

Warren, Nathan

Watson, Dr. J. A.
Weeks, Eli D.
Wells, G. C.

Wells, S., Jr.

Wertimer, Henry
Wertimer, Mrs. Henry

Whiting, J. H. C.

Whitney, J. H.

Wight, J. B.

Wilkes, L. D.

Williams, Ben
Williams, Mrs. Ben

Wolf, A. T.
Wood, C. E.

Woodman, S. F.

Wyman, W. D.

Yereance, James

Following were the insurance newspaper representatives present:

H. R. Hayden and C. A. Jenney, Weekly Underwriter; Franklin Webster and Emil Schwab, Insurance Press; Max Cohen, Views, E. N. Hopkins and I. A. Durham, Underwriters' Review; George W. Hatch, Insurance Age; H. E. Roberts and A. G. Hall, Surveyor; Charles H. Hewitt, Insurance Post; F. C. Oviatt, Chronicle; James H. McClellan, Baltimore Underwriter; C. E. Rollins, Jr., Argus; Clifford Thompson, Spectator; F. H. Leavenworth, Indicator; N. H. Weed, Western Insurance Review; J. H. C. Whiting, American Exchange & Review; J. C. Bergstresser, Insurance World; A. J. Flitcraft, Life Insurance Courant; St. George Kempson, New York Insurance Journal; Charles I. Simonson, Investigator; Gideon L. McKean, Chicago Independent; Henry H. Putnam, THE STANDARD. The menu, to which all did full justice, was as follows:

MENU.

Blue Points.

Puree St. Germaine.

Fried Sole, Tartar Sauce.
Saratoga Chips.

Filet of Beef, with Mushrooms.
Cauliflower.

Sweetbread Croquettes.

French Peas.

Premium Punch.

Virginia Pheasants, Broiled, Currant Jelly.

Lettuce Salad.

Neapolitaine Ice Cream.

Fancy Cakes.

Coffee.

Cigars.

At 8.40 P. M. the chairman (Mr. Simon Wolf) proposed the toast, 66 The President of the United States," which was drunk standing, and three hearty cheers given.

The Chairman-We have no governor, we have no mayor in the city of Washington. We are governed by a commission of three gentlemen, the president of which commission is with us tonight, a man well known, respected and revered in the city of the nation. I have the pleasure of introducing to you one well known to us and one whom I am sure will be well known to you all before you leave-the Hon. John W. Ross.

THE NATION'S CAPITAL.

HON. JOHN W. ROSS.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am sure that I am very much obliged to your honored chairman for his very complimentary address, and I only wish I could fulfil his very flattering statements.

It was a great source of regret to the commissioners of the District of Columbia that invitations sent to them the afternoon before you met in convention to welcome you upon the day of your meeting could not have been responded to by them owing to the time when the invitations were sent and engagements they had already made. But I beg to assure you that they all feel honored by your presence and that we wish to show in every manner possible that the people of the District of Columbia appreciate the honor of the selection of the capital as the place for your meeting in 1896.

Your chairman says that it is your capital. I want to emphasize that fact. [Applause.] For it is the only city in all the land in which every one of you, whether you come from Maine or California, from Louisiana or Arizona, can stand and say, "This is my city, and these are my public buildings." [Applause.]

You who have not had occasion to study the capital may be interested in knowing that the United States, that individual known as Uncle Sam, owns more real estate in this District than all of the other property owners in the District combined. That shows the interest which you have financially in the capital of the United States. But that is the least part of your interest. You come here as citizens of the United States. You come to your own capital, you come where the laws are made and where the system of government is enforced which silently regulates the federal rights and duties of 65,000,000 people.

You come from various communities, with different political beliefs, but here, on neutral soil, you are all Americans, and you are fond and proud of your native land. [Great applause.]

I only wish that our congress was in session that you might see something practical in the way of legislation. When I speak of that I am reminded of an incident that happened many years ago, within my observation, when, as a member of the Illinois legislature, I heard an address by a gentleman from Logan county, the first he had made in the legislature. Old Mr. Hawes-that was the gentleman's name-was an honest, solid representative in the legislature. He looked a little like the pictures of old Dr. Samuel Johnson. He had sat there for many weeks, listening to debates and saying nothing. Finally, after two months had

passed and he had seen something of the routine of legislative work, he arose one day and said: "Mr. Speaker, I have been sitting here for two months, listening to what has been going on as a representative of the great county of Logan, and I want to say to you, Mr. Speaker, that I have about made up my mind that laws are like sausages-the less you know about how they are made the more respect you have for them." [Laughter and applause.]

Sometimes when we are disposed to make a little sport of the men on the hill we talk in that way about our legislators, but it is only in fun. We who live here know that the slanderous stories of the men from your states as to legislative corruption are false, and we know that the American congress will compare favorably in ability and dignity with any legislative body on the face of the earth. [Applause.]

You have been in and about the city and seen our public buildings. You have visited the grave of Washington; you have looked upon his monument, and I know that the feelings you have had are those which cannot be expressed in words. The most eloquent man in the world never expressed that feeling which an American has as he looks upon the emblem of his nationality. [Applause.]

I see before me here tonight my old friend and fellow-councilor, Edward B. Hay, who has recently returned from a trip to foreign lands. I will warrant that as he returned to within sight of his native land and saw that flag, that, with all his eloquence, he never could express the feeling in his heart at that sight, and I know that same feeling animates you.

I hope you will go back to your states with a greater love for our free institutions. No matter how we may differ on economic questions, the main point is to preserve the union of the states. [Great applause.]

I fear no other disaster than that dauger will come from adverse interests and sectional feeling, and that is what all patriots should seek to prevent. But with union, with the wisdom, strength, and majesty of the American people, all other questions may be settled without danger to the Republic. [Applause.]

By our altars pure and free,

By our law's deep-rooted tree,

By the past dread memory;

By our Washington,

By a common, kindred tongue,

By our hopes, ripe, buoyant, young,
By the tie of country strong-

We will still be one.

[Long continued applause.]

The Chairman-I wish to say to the gentlemen that it is the highest evidence of culture to give attention to a speaker, even if you do not believe in what he says. [Applause.]

To insure attention seems to me, with life underwriters, the best possible policy imaginable, and I therefore trust from now on we will give the respect and attention to every speaker to which he is entitled, and we will honor ourselves by such conduct. The toasts from now on will be brief and to the pointnot essays, but responses to after-dinner toasts.

The next toast is Education." Not only the education of the