Complinientaty Banquet to Luther Burbank 



O 



Response by Judge Burnett. 



My appearance in this presence to respond to the senti- 

 ment proposed is rather suggestive of some unenlightened star 

 of the eighth magnitude feebly attempting to shine in the 

 midst of the most splendid galaxy of talent that this State 

 has ever known. 



One at all familiar with our public men and orators must 

 commend the judgment of the committee in the selection 

 of the speakers best qualified to do some measure of justice 

 to this occasion in honor of the illustrious guest of the State 

 Board of Trade. 



For the entertainment of a veritable king among men, 

 and of those fortunate enough to be permitted to participate 

 at such a feast, what better choice could be made than 

 of the able and affable presiding Justice of the District Court 

 of Appeals; of the learned Rabbi whose eloquence and piety 

 are always manifest, whether addressing an audience of his 

 fellow-men or whether petitioning the throne of Divine 

 Grace; of the versatile toastmaster who knows everything 

 worth knowing and can tell it even better than he knows; 

 of the honored Governor of the State, of whose administra- 

 tion we are all proud, and who has added to his many ac- 

 complishments the power of facile and persuasive speech ; of 

 our senior United States Senator, who is universally ad- 

 mired and beloved; of the erudite and popular jurist, who 

 presides with such honor and dignit}^ over the United States 

 Circuit Court; of the two eminent presidents of our great 

 universities, and of our gallant naval officer, who is pro- 

 nounced by competent critics to be one of the few really 

 great orators in the world today. 



. . 38 . , 



