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have been or still are citizens； but who live in New York。 Those dinners attract the leading politicians of their several States。 It is a platform for the ambitious to be president and sometimes succeeds。
Garfield made a great impression at one of these State dinners； so did Foraker； and at the last dinner of the Ohio Society the star was Senator Warren G。 Harding。 On one occasion； when McKinley and Garfield were present； in the course of my speech I made a remark which has since been adopted as a sort of motto by the Buckeye State。 Ohio； I think； has passed Virginia as a mother of presidents。 It is remarkable that the candidates of both great parties are now of that State。 I said in the closing of my speech； alluding to the distinguished guests and their prospects： 〃Some men have greatness thrust upon them； some are born great； and some are born in Ohio。〃
One of the greatest effects produced by a speech was by Henry Ward Beecher at an annual dinner of the Friendly Sons of St。 Patrick。 At the time； the Home Rule question was more than ordinarily acute and Fenianism was rabid。 While Mr。 Beecher had great influence upon his audience； his audience had equal influence upon him。 As he enlarged upon the wrongs of Ireland the responses became more enthusiastic and finally positively savage。 This stirred the orator up till he gave the wildest approval to direct action and revolution； with corresponding cheers from the diners； standing and cheering。 Mr。 Beecher was explaining that speech for about a year afterwards。 I was a speaker on the same platform。
Mr。 Beecher always arrived late； and everybody thought it was to get the applause as he came in but he explained to me that it was due to his method of preparation。 He said his mind would not work freely until three hours after he had eaten。 Many speakers have told me the same thing。 He said when he had a speech to make at night； whether it was at a dinner or elsewhere； that he took his dinner in the middle of the day； and then a glass of milk and crackers at five o'clock； with nothing afterwards。 Then in the evening his mind was perfectly clear and under absolute control。
The Lotos Club has been for fifty years to New York what the Savage Club is to London。 It attracts as its guests the most eminent men of letters who visit this country。 Its entertainments are always successful。 For twenty…nine years it had for its president Mr。 Frank R。 Lawrence； a gentleman with a genius for introducing distinguished strangers with most felicitous speeches； and a committee who selected with wonderful judgment the other speakers of the evening。 A successor to Mr。 Lawrence； and of equal merit； has been found in Chester S。 Lord； now president of the Lotos Club。 Mr。 Lord was for more than a third of a century managing editor of the New York Sun； and is now chancellor of the University of the State of New York。
I remember one occasion where the most tactful man who ever appeared before his audience slipped his trolley； and that was Bishop Potter。 The bishop was a remarkably fine preacher and an unusually attractive public speaker and past master of all the social amenities of life。 The guest of the evening was the famous Canon Kingsley； author of 〃Hypatia〃 and other works at that time universally popular。 The canon had the largest and reddest nose one ever saw。 The bishop； among the pleasantries of his introduction； alluded to this headlight of religion and literature。 The canon fell from grace and never forgave the bishop。
On Lotos nights I have heard at their best Lord Houghton； statesman and poet； Mark Twain； Stanley the explorer； and I consider it one of the distinctions as well as pleasures of my life to have been a speaker at the Lotos on more occasions than any one else during the last half century。
In Mr。 Joseph Pulitzer's early struggles with his paper； the New York World； the editorial columns frequently had very severe attacks on Mr。 William H。 Vanderbilt and the New York Central Railroad。 They were part； of course； of attacks upon monopoly。 I was frequently included in these criticisms。
The Lotos Club gave a famous dinner to George Augustus Sala； the English writer and journalist。 I found myself seated beside Mr。 Pulitzer； whom I had never met。 When I was called upon to speak I introduced； in what I had to say about the distinguished guest； this bit of audacity。 I said substantially； in addition to Mr。 Sala： 〃We have with us to…night a great journalist who comes to the metropolis from the wild and woolly West。 After he had purchased the World he came to me and said； 'Chauncey Depew； I have a scheme； which I am sure will benefit both of us。 Everybody is envious of the prestige of the New York Central and the wealth of Mr。 Vanderbilt。 You are known as his principal adviser。 Now； if in my general hostility to monopoly I include Mr。 Vanderbilt and the New York Central as principal offenders； I must include you； because you are the champion in your official relationship of the corporation and of its policies and activities。 I do not want you to have any feeling against me because of this。 The policy will secure for the World everybody who is not a stockholder in the New York Central； or does not possess millions of money。 When Mr。 Vanderbilt finds that you are attacked； he is a gentleman and broad…minded enough to compensate you and will grant to you both significant promotion and a large increase in salary。'〃 Then I added： 〃Well； gentlemen； I have only to say that Mr。 Pulitzer's experiment has been eminently successful。 He has made his newspaper a recognized power and a notable organ of public opinion； its fortunes are made and so are his； and； in regard to myself； all he predicted has come true； both in promotion and in enlargement of income。〃 When I sat down Mr。 Pulitzer grasped me by the hand and said： 〃Chauncey Depew； you are a mighty good fellow。 I have been misinformed about you。 You will have friendly treatment hereafter in any newspaper which I control。〃
The Gridiron Club of Washington； because of both its ability and genius and especially its national position； furnishes a wonderful platform for statesmen。 Its genius in creating caricatures and fake pageants of current political situations at the capital and its public men is most remarkable。 The president always attends； and most of the Cabinet and justices of the Supreme Court。 The ambassadors and representatives of the leading governments represented in Washington are guests； and so are the best…known senators and representatives of the time。 The motto of the club is 〃Reporters are never present。 Ladies always present。〃 Though the association is made up entirely of reporters； the secrecy is so well kept that the speakers are unusually frank。
There was a famous contest one night there； however； between President Roosevelt and Senator Foraker； who at the time were intensely antagonistic； which can never be forgotten by those present。 There was a delightful interplay between William J。 Bryan and President Roosevelt； when Bryan charged the president with stealing all his policies and ideas。
If the speaker grasped the peculiarities of his audience and its temper