MAY 6, 1005
The Commoner.
15
of the evening had served in every
position on the World-Herald staff, and
Bad' always been steadfastly devoted
to lila ideals.
True to His Ideals
He declared that Mr. Metcalfe had
been truer to his ideals of what the
paper should be than any man he had
ever known. He spoke of the difficul
ties that confront an editor in holding
fast to an ideal, when he realized his
power to punish an enemy, or tho in
clination to let mercy sway, instead of
being strictly just to all. He said Mr.
Metcalfe had succeeded in doing this,
even sacrificing some personal friend
ships, and incidentally some of those
of the publisher. He said the depart
ure of Mr. Metcalfe meant not only
pergonal regret to him, but great loss
to the World-Herald. He said, how
ever, that it could not but be realized
that it was a change to a larger field
in national politics, and he believed
that it would mean an increase of pow
er and influence of the'Commoner, and
a speedy advance of that paper to be
the most influential journal in the
country under his able personal di
rection. Following Mr. Nolan's presentation
of the watch and chain, Mr. Metcalfe
wjis called upon, and voiced his sense
of obligation and his appreciation of
feeling so genuinely manifested. He
,said:
. "After all I have heard tonight I feel
very much like saying, in paraphrase
of the famous Nebuchadnezzar poem;
'Am dis me, or am it not me; or hab
de angels got me?'
"I was told that I would be expected
to make 'the greatest effort of my
life' on this occasion. This is the
greatest -effort of my life; it requires
the greatest effort to control myself
long enough to explain even in the
weakest sort of way the high apprecia
tion I have of your kindness and your
love.
"If there exists within the minds of
anyone the notion that my bump of
self-approbation is liable to be en
larged by these proceedings, I desjre
at the outset to remove that impres
sion. I do not recognize the things
that have been said as deserved -tribute,
but I accept them as testimonial
of that fine fellowship ever alert to
detect even the smallest merit on the
part of one who holds the everlast
ing password in the ancient order of
pure and unadulterated friendship.
Love for-Omaha
"I need not say to you who know of
my love for Omaha that it is with
great reluctance I leave this city. I
have lived in Omaha for more than
eighteen years. The best and happiest
moments of my life have been spent
here. I would like to live in Omaha to
the end of my days and I shall never
cease to love it. So far, in my humble
career, the most important part of
my life's work has been done here;
the best friends I have in all the
world are in this great and growing
city. Some of my children were born
here and if there were no other ties,
one little grave on an Omaha hilltop
binds me and mine irrevocably to the
destinies of this town. It is no small
matter for a man of deep feeling to
tear himself away from such a place,
to separate himself from such friends
and to sever such ties.
By your loving kindness you have
helped to make my task easier; but,
paradoxical as it may seem,, by your
loving kindness you have helped to
make it harder. You have made me
keenly feel in these closing hours all
that I leave behind in leaving Omaha.
I must sacrifice the daily companion
ship of men who have bestowed upon
me that sort of friendship that is be
yond all price. But, thank God, I
need not sacrifice the tender mem
ories, I need not part company with
the blessed recollections! What would
life be without such memories? What
would the world do without these
friendships?
"Will you pardon me for remind
JEFFERSON'S BIRTHDAY AS CELEBRATED IN CHICAGO AND NEW YORK,
Mr. Bryan's picture of Honest Tom Jefferson, tne Great Democratic Eadlcal.
-- -' . . . . . .
,"- " t, vjfl T "JC
Judge Parker's picture of the Hon. Thomas Jefferson, the great Democratic Conservative.
Courtesy of The Chicago Tribune;
ing you "that there is one vacant
chair at this board? But for the
grim reaper that chair would be oc
cupied tonight by one who was loved
by all who knew him. He was one of
the originators of this dinner. He did
not tell me for there was no need for
him to tell me of his great interest
in the preparations for this affair. I
knew at the moment I heard that such
a dinner was contemplated, that every
thing pertaining to it would occupy
his thoughts by day and by night, al
though he was an extremely busy
man. Poets may sing of love and
philosophers, may write of friendship,
but one may search poetry and philos
ophy in vain for an adequate descrip
tion of the great concern, which for
more than seventeen years this man
had in my welfare. I am npt capable
of rising jto the heights of love that
were ever occupied by his great soul,
but he taught me love and loyalty for J
one's friends in every hour of our ac
quaintance. As during his life there
was built between him and myself
a friendship that even in death keeps
him ever at my side, so the recollec
tions of my living friends gathered
at this board tonight will be ever
with me.
"In this spirit, then, I greet you, one
and all; in this spirit I thank you one
and all; in this spirit to one and all I
say:
'"Farewell, if ever fondest prayer
For others' weal availed on high,
Mine will not all be lost in air,
But waft thy names beyond the
slcy.' "
Omaha World-Herald, April 27.
AN EASTERN OPINION
"I recognize William J. Bryan as
the national leader of the democratic
party," said Norman B. Mack yester
day. "That is tho attitude of every
member of the democratic national
committee I have seen recently. Mr.
Bryan has polled more votes than any
other living democrat. He has polled
a million more votes than Mr. Cleve
land or Mr. Parker. Until someotker
democrat, receives- a larger number
of votes Mr. Bryan will continue to be
the national leader of his party."
Being the democratic national com
mitteeman of New York state, and a
member of the executive committee,
this blunt declaration, right on tho
heels of the conflicting dogmatism of
the Jefferson banquets in ..Chicago and
New York, is a sign of a new sltua-
3$,
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