Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-06-11
pREsIDENr rArLoR,s ADDRESS.
Final Meeting for the Term of the Board
of Trade--The Committee Fire Dis
trictlng.

Final Meeting for the Term of the Board
of Trade--The Committee on Fire Dis
tricting.
At the meeting of the Board of Trade
Friday evening the members present were
President ID. w. Taylor, Arson A. Maher,
William Lawton, Mark NJ. Cleaver, Will
liam +. Smalley, Esq, II. A. Miller, John
Hill, G. w Edwards and Secretary Il. A,
Van Trump.
A communication was read from the
Middletown board Of trade inviting al in
tcrested to attend the peach convention to
be held there on June 18th.
An important letter was read from Chief
of the Fire Department u. A. Robinson
asking the board to appoint a committee
to act Jointly with City Councils fire COM
mittee upon the question of distributing the
city for fire purposes. Mr.. Robinson
ideas on dlstricting received general eX-
preston of endorsement from the mem
bers. The following committee was APP
pointed for the purpose: Messrs. Miller,
Cleaver, I.awton and the president.
The names Of Charles w Pusey and A.
q. McCauseland We're ordered sent to City
I Council as the boards nominations for
port warden.
On the motion of Mr.. Cleavcr the meet
ing day of the board was changed from
Friday to Thursday
This being the closing meeting of the
delivered the annual address, which was
as follows:
GenYemen IF the Board: This being the last
meeting before the closing Of tho session for
tho summer vacation it seems proper that /
should give expression u some views may
hold as 10 the usefulness OF the Board o.
Trade, having been u member for number of
years, anu your president for the last three
years.
I have at all times endeayored with your
m, T.nT Inns of
Its organization. Primarily, those measures
lint would i'll the end lead to the cty's benefit
ana prosperity. Our g ~ l. endowed with
natural advantages that we have never fully
appreciated and such should make us IL
great commercial we'll as manufacturing
centre I he literature circulated by this board
oil late years has impressed many OF our adj
vanlaSts and were IL not for existing circnul-
stances would have resulted IN our increased
prosperity. Tho reason lin my Judd menb
mat we are city of $4,000 population, instead
OF one double that amount, to-day is because
we have neglected our opportunities been
selilsh In our business interesis--nut realizing
ana negleetfil of the fact that attention to our
citys development and natural growth would
collectively.
We can point with satisfaction TO many bene-
fits our city has received through the efforts
OF this board: all of which conclusiyely proves
whaicou q beac pllshed II we had the hearty
cooperation OF "urcliinens. Each census shows
heaiihy increase OF materipl prosperity,
value and population Real values exist anu
they ara increasing all he time What wo need
y tnnlldence more than anything else, and il
flrin conviction that our city must grow. and
after surmnunting financial panic such S
we had last winter there is no much tear but
that our bankers will be able 10 deal with any
additional tihancial problems that may arise
Win that confidence ana support of the COM
inunity many wrongs could be corrected, and
Inc suggestions and recommendations II the
board would bh acknowledged by the city MT
large and the authorities in particular as Inns
already been the case in many instances.
me question would not then need 10 be
asked at cur meetings: Ills this a mattor which
Out hoard eHn act upop?n We have always
taken tho broad ground that the board Of
trade Of n city, composed OF its leading citl-
zens, can properly give expression to any mat
ter involving the rily's inter sts, or roc in-
nendations that will aid the citys advance
ment.
i is, unfortunately, true that many incom-
petent ana some dishonest ineu ara chosen 10
I'LL pubic offices; although IL g unjust and I'M
fair to assume (as is the, tendency tlat all city
OIL ers are Incompetent or dishonest.
The remedy Tor thisi, public opinion, and 1t
u one 81 The duties Of this board to create pub
lie opinion Let us have fprgel y-attended
meetings wheie the CHIEF thought shhll be the
proposal OF pans 10 more fully promote aud
enltrg the trade Of our city, and where we
can discuss and Interchange yiews upon all
matters OIL municipal government having a
direct bearing upon the objects aimed Mt We
should feel that for the conduct OF affairs a
large responsibility rests upon us The mis-
SION Of ms b1ltrd - certainly to promote the
Lfhubs tulllHlHTch ana grown oil our city.
Aonr best efforts are earnestly and conf
DENLY asked TO aid this work. With n knowl-
edge that this board can rise L n higher degree
o. pubic usefulness lei US solve that II shall
deserve the ecomium Of our people.
city IN a cooperative institution and the
enlclency OF It's government depends on the
KIND OF men placed in charge Of its affairs.
Mhy do We not at all times have fit men
filling the offices In the gift Of the city? Be-
cause, ordinarily, We select politicians. We
nave no attack 10 make upon either party, as
we have siudiously avoided politics in this
board. Each party has no doubt purpose to
fulfill; but party considerations should be kent
i'll place, and for city administration We should
nave nOh-partlsan party, who would entrust
only clean, honest, upright mon with the man
agement of the city's affairs.
1t seems to me that the first step is to or
ganize for good government, irrespective of
party atfllation: We will then have good city
government
And it is certainly entirely fitting for this
board, composed as 1t is of members of both
political parties $50 called TO give expression
in regard TO these vital matters
What has tho tariff. banking or any other
national question to do with our electiug an
honest mayor aud City Council, who 5fll
dare do their duty to the city aud work only
Tor tho ctiys interest, ana who cannot be
bought?
We want n municinal party based on onyic-
ttons---a party nggre5slYe--a party intent upon
one thing, that being the citys ultimate well
fare, which me MS the citys growth in ali It's
varied capabilities; and its future growth on a
higher ana grander outlook, of which we may
all feel an honest pride
Trusting thai the meetings Of the board in
the fall may he resumed with renewed life
aud energy, and lis express ion of approval on
all matters relht ng to the city's weiiars may
bo received us emanatlng from body whose
on desire Is tho city's development and inn
provemont, hereby resign ms president Of The
board.
Mr.. Edwards moved that the resignation
be not accepted and that the address with
Mr.. Taylor's resignation left out be filed
Mr.. Lawton asked that the press be re.
quested to publish the address verbatim.
On motion of Mr. Lawtun vote of
thanks was passed to President Taylor for
his valuable services in the chair. The mo-
ton was passed with Expressions Of hearty
appreciation from all those present.
The board then adjourned until the first
Thursday in October