The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-15
Annual Dinner OF the Cha mber OF
Commerce.

The Chamber Of Commerce celebrated its
one hundred and ninth anniversary by a
banquet at Deinonico's last evening with
rather more fclat than has been usual even
on these always pleasant occasions. 1t
may have given banquets as sumptuous
and elaborate, but even this may
be doubted, for Delmonico evidently
tried to do his best, IN view of the
great distinction Of the guests present
at this dinner. In the numbers who sat
at the table this dinner has not been
eaualled !; but this is of little account. The
great interest Of this repast consisted in the
presence Of the President of the United
States and his Cabinet. 1t would otherwise
have been q rather brighter display than
usual Of the hospitality Of the veteran as
ISOLATION which has for more than
century represented this commercial COM
munity. It's annual dinners have always
abounded with humorous entertaining
speeches. 1t is not at all because this was
good dinner we'll eaton and followed by
''the feast of reason and the flow OF
soul" that the occasion is remarkable,
of q new administration were present and
the suffering merchants OF New York were
anxious TO hear what they might have to
say to encourage hope and effort in business
enterprises. The chief interest of tho oc-
casion centres in What the President and
those members of his Cabinet who spoke
had to say in relation to the immediate
future.
We are sorry to be compelled to say that
their speeches had but little pith or signif-
canoe. President Hayes whose bearing and
appearance gave favorable impression,
made pleasant little speech, which gave no
distinct clew to that part of his policy which
relates to the business of the country.
Secretary Evarts, who responded to a toast
which afforded him an occasion to foreshadow
the policy Of the administration respect
ing the revival of our PROSTATE ship
| ping interest, was too vague and
| diplomatic to convey any distinct
idea of what the President means to recon-
mend to Congress on this great subject.
He seemed several times on the point of in
dorsing free trade in ships J; but he was
vague and non-committal, and did not in
dorse it. Had he done SO he would have
been greeted with such storm of applause
rs was never raised even by his eloquence.
When Secretary Schurz rose to respond to
the toast relating to economy he was received
with a burst Of enthusiastic warmth even
more hearty than that with which President
Hayes himself was saluted, and he made
what was, on the whole, the best speech OF
the evening. 1t was certainly the most
vigorously applauded. But his apt and ex-
cellent remarks on the subject Of civil SER
vice reform and the revision of the tariff
fell short Of what the commercial commu-
nuity had right to expect from an
| administration which comes into power
at time when business is depressed
beyond all former experience and when
the country looks to the government for
| large and wise measures Of relief. The
first want of the country is not reform in
the civil service, but a removal Of obstruc-
tons to the revival of business. Our civil
service is substantially what it has
been for half century, but within
that half century we have had long
periods of business activity and great
industrial and commercial prosperity. II
is all very well to 'tithe mint anise and
cummin," but we respectfully suggest to
the administration that there are weghter
matters which require attention in this con-
iuncture. We noed reforms which 60 q
great deal deeper than new methods Of MP
pointing public servants.