Complimentary Banquet to Luther Burbank 



Response, Luther Burbcnk. 



"Mr. President and my highly esteemed but deluded 

 friends deluded if you expect Luther Burbank to exhibit 

 that ready facility in handling the English language which 

 these gentlemen who have been chosen to address you 

 possess: 



"Ever since I came to this curious world I have steadily 

 on all occasions, tried to mind my own business and especially 

 to escape publicity, but alas, here I am once more dragged 

 out into the lime light. If you came here expecting me to 

 help on the fireworks you have my sympathy, but I congratu- 

 late you on the good judgment exhibited in your choice of the 

 gentlemen who have spoken and those who are yet to ad- 

 dress you. It was a fine bit of humor to place me in the 

 midst of such a galaxy of orators, and it must be very amus- 

 ing to you, but this part of the performance is no joke to 

 this victim of untoward circumstances. 



"I was brought up in a family like most of you and my 

 eyes have always been wide open when something appeared 

 which promised to be useful to myself or others. Among 

 other things flowers and children never escape my notice, but 

 children respond to ten thousand subtle influences which leave 

 no more impression on a plant than they would on a sphinx. 

 You may say, 'well, what do you know about children ?' Any- 

 thing we love, we study, and I have observed that in search- 

 ing for good teachers you do not choose parents of large 

 families on account of their superior knowledge of children. 

 You generally select those who have no families of their own, 

 do you not? Therefore, as one of the latter class, I claim 

 the privilege of saying a wo^d for the helpless little victims. 



"Some time ago I accorded a St. Louis clergyman a five- 



.'8. 



