Wichita eagle., 1888-12-25
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE
BOARD OF TRADE.

BOARD OF TRADE.
Wichita wishes it well. 1t owes it a
tribute, public recognition.
For the hours, which in moments, have
quietly fed,
For the days, which in hours, have rapidly
Sped
And the months, which in days, are counted
as dead,
And the year, which in calend'rd months,
is dying,
relying
The board has organized victory out of
defeat, and there is today feeling OF
security, a better tone, a degree of salts
faction, which is a harbinger Of coming
victory throughout the realm.
All hail to the self-reliant board to
whom Wichita is indebted for its growth
and solidity, and to whose united action
it looks with confidence, not blind, child
like confidence, but the faith that is the
offspring Of repeated trusts, until 1t
seems as if allegiance is deep seated IN
our breasts round with loyalty" to that
triumphant, civic legion; faith akin to
that the government felt in the hero OF
the famous apple tree, and his scared
and veteran warriors i'll the closing years
of rebellion.
The year that is dying has not been
without its cares and anxieties, doubts
and apprehensions, burdens and discour-
agements, yet weighed by effects, count
ed by results, Judged by fruits considered
in its consequences, and viewing 1t as
the foundation whereon to erect an edi-
fee OF prosperity, it is the natal year OF
a commercial city-the beginning of a
new life, even as the empty chrysalis
tells us a butterfly is on the wing. The
town chrysalis is vacated and we have
doomed our city wings. Let he who
doubts it try to catch Us in the CONNER
cial sweepstakes.
The evidences of permanent wealth
that Wichita has fruIted and those now
in the blossom considered as mere
wealth, brick and mortar, taxable assets,
wealth producing vines. are poor things
| in comparison to the intrinsic worth Of
the act, the impulse, the motive that
| inspired the board of trade to move with
a continuity of purpose to reach def
mite end, as a general plans his move
ments and marches his army under shot
! and shell to reach an eminence that he
may sooner end q campaign. This has
| been the policy of the board Of trade That
obstacles prevented the accomplishment
OF every design undertaken is nothing.
The main battle has been fought and
won on original plans and the impedi-
ments were on skirmish lines; detailed
/ troops looked after them and the army
moved on to battle.
1t is not the purpose Of ''this paper to
give statistics, but TO touch on the char
acter of the board of trade as a body,
the lesson it inculcateS, the principles Of
manhood that underlie it and similar
bodies and the moral to be drawn from
it. And in considering this thought of
/ Emerson's comes unbidden:
MANS the elm wealth the vine,
Stanch and strong the tendrils Irvine.
Laurel crowns to just deserts;
Power TO him who power exerts."
Cur real worth is our men. Our
future value Will be as our men are. Cut
down the elm and the vine crawls and
creeps-buries itself in its own decaying
| leaves and dead branches, and at last
! but encumbers earth with its own
weight. But SO long as the elm bears its
weight it proudly climbs, shooting its
branches from above and below, fruits
in season, bears its purple harvest, beau
tiful to the eye and blessing to man
kind.
Our wealth is not the accidental cir
cunstance of locality, the fortuitous
gift of fortunes sportive wheel that car
ried some other people TO destruction as
it whirled us to the top, moment to en-
joy life and then carry US under. In
cities. states, republics, as in man desti-
ny, fate, is the result of action.
Deep in the man sits his fate"
''To mould his fortunes mean or good. :"
Those like bladders, full blown, who
have rode joyously on the topmost crest
of prosperity's foanY wave, would do
well TO examine into the causes that
produce the wave, and see if there are
not some in our midst who breasted q
strong current for many weary day.
/ before the sun broke through the black
clouds and disclosed that we were in
/ peaceful harbor,
| Devotion, courage, patience, fortituCie,
nerve, comprehensiyeness. hberality,
continuity of purpose altogether are
cultivated AID developed. qualities and
/ self reliance ls The outgrowth and child
Of defeat, succeeded by victory, victory
/ followed by defeat, other ups and downs
harden soul-temper it.
Victory u2aketh one vain-glorious; de-
| feat c<asteth one down. To modestiy
achieve success. submissiveiy submit 70
defeat, and overthrow is at last victory.
/ in and of itself, producing that courage
/ IL man that is the sequence Of thai calm
| intelligence, which in the ene. is sefy-
trust. self-reliance, and leads man,