THE BANQUET. The celebration of the banquet in the gold room of the Hotel Grunewald was a social function of great interest. The toastmaster, Professor Fortier, presided with dignity, and the toasts and allusive music were much enjoyed. THE ORDER OF TOASTS. Music "Southern Smiles March." Invocation. Most Rev. Archbishop James H. Blenk, of New Orleans. Toastmaster-Prof. Alcée Fortier, President Louisiana Historical Society. "Welcome to Our Guests.'' By Prof. Alcée Fortier. Music "Auld Lang Syne." "The President of the United States." Response by Hon. Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State of the United States, representing President Taft. Music "Hail to the Chief." "France." Response by Hon. Henri Francastel, Consul General of France Music "La Marseillaise." **Spain."' in Response by Don Señor Alexandro Berea y Rodrigo, Consul of Spain in New Orleans. Music Hymne de Riego." "Louisiana of the Past." Response by Hon. Charles F. Claiborne, grandson of the first Governor of Louisiana, W. C. C. Claiborne. "Louisiana of the Present.' Response by Hon. J. Y. Sanders, Governor of Louisiana. "Louisiana of the Future.” Response by Hon. Henri L. Gueydan, of Vermilion Parish, Senator. Music "My Louisiana Lou." "The City of New Orleans." Response by Hon. Martin Behrman, Mayor of New Orleans. Music Cher mo l'aimin Toi." "The Historical Relation of Quebec to the City of New Orleans.' Response by Rev. Antonio Huot, of Laval University, Quebec. Response by Hon. Don Señor Ricardo Arias, Minister of Panama in Washington City. 66 Music "La Paloma." The Army of the United States.'' Response by Lieutenant-Colonel Lansing H. Beach, U. S. Engineers. Music "My Own United States."’ "The Navy of the United States." Response by Captain J. H. Oliver, Commanding the U. S. Battleship New Hampshire. Music "Stars and Stripes, Forever." "The Day We Celebrate." Response by Judge Henry Renshaw, of Division C, First City Court, N. O. Music-Dixie." "Education in Louisiana." Response by Dr. E. B. Craighead, President of Tulane University. Music School Days." "The Judiciary of Louisiana.'' Response by Hon. Joseph A. Breaux, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana. Music "You Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dawg Aroun"." "The General Assembly of Louisiana.” Music "Alexander's Ragtime Band." "LOUISIANA CENTENNIAL MEDAL. Presented to Emily B. Dinwiddie, Miss Dinwiddie's essay that won the coveted prize, was as follows: LOUISIANA AS A STATE. "When Napoleon Bonaparte sold this land to the United States for fifteen million dollars, he little dreamed of its value. The people criticized Thomas Jefferson strongly for buying what they thought to be a waste land of forests, water and swamps. They, too, little thought of what value it would be in only a century, for now it is estimated to be worth at least a hundred billion dollars. It is said that the wealth of her natural resources is greater than that of any of the thirteen States forming the original body of the Union. Congress hesitated in admitting the State into the United States. because it was inhabited so largely by the French and Spanish Creoles, whose ideas of liberty and government were so very different from those of the Americans. Even after she was admitted as a State there was a great difference of opinion as to whether it was a good thing or not. The American people who had moved. into the purchased land were very glad, but the French inhabitants were sorry, for now they lost all hope of being restored to the French government again. Let us look at some of the changes that have taken pla that time. In 1803 a census was taken and it was four. inhabitants in the ceded territory were 49,000. Now of Louisiana alone (and it is but a small part of purchase) there are more than thirty-three times a New Orleans was then the largest city of t still is. The position of this city is one reason f It is a river harbor, about 100 miles from the reached by ocean vessels. Shreveport and Ba ital) are also important commercial cities. Many people thought that Louisiana v malarial swamps, and it is true that they t the State, but they are now regarded as wealth, for they are not swamps in the us since |