it, and they had better not put a Dutchman in office after an oath to enforce the law and then ask him why he does enforce it. [Great applause.] This gentleman does not need any introduction, evidently—­the Hon. Theodore Roosevelt.” [Great applause.  Three cheers were proposed and given for Mr. Roosevelt.  A Voice:  “Tiger!”] Mr. Roosevelt:  “In the presence of the judiciary, no!” [Laughter.] There was great cheering when Mr. Roosevelt rose to respond.]

MR. PRESIDENT, GENTLEMEN, AND BRETHREN OF THE HOLLAND SOCIETY:—­I am more than touched, if you will permit me to begin rather seriously, by the way you have greeted me to-night.  When I was in Washington, there was a story in reference to a certain President, who was not popular with some of his own people in a particular Western State.  One of its Senators went to the White House and said he wanted a friend of his appointed postmaster of Topeka.  The President’s Private Secretary said:  “I am very sorry, indeed, sir, but the President wants to appoint a personal friend.”  Thereupon the Senator said:  “Well, for God’s sake, if he has one friend in Kansas, let him appoint him!” [Great laughter.]

[Illustration:  THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Photogravure after a photograph from life]

There have been periods during which the dissembled eulogies of the able press and my relations with about every politician of every party and every faction have made me feel I would like to know whether I had one friend in New York, and here I feel I have many. [Great applause.] And more than that, gentlemen, I should think ill of myself and think that I was a discredit to the stock from which I sprang if I feared to go on along the path that I deemed right, whether I had few friends or many. [Cries of “Good!  Good!” and great applause.]

I am glad to answer to the toast, “The Hollander as an American.”  The Hollander was a good American, because the Hollander was fitted to be a good citizen.  There are two branches of government which must be kept on a high plane, if any nation is to be great.  A nation must have laws that are honestly and fearlessly administered, and a nation must be ready, in time of need, to fight [applause], and we men of Dutch descent have here to-night these gentlemen of the same blood as ourselves who represent New York so worthily on the bench, and a Major-General of the Army of the United States. [Applause.]

It seems to me, at times, that the Dutch in America have one or two lessons to teach.  We want to teach the very refined and very cultivated men who believe it impossible that the United States can ever be right in a quarrel with another nation—­a little of the elementary virtue of patriotism. [Cries of “Good!  Good!” and applause.] And we also wish to teach our fellow-citizens that laws are put on the statute books to be enforced [cries of “Hear!  Hear!” and applause]; and that if it is not intended they shall be enforced, it is a mistake to put a Dutchman in office to enforce them.