The Portland daily press., 1892-07-02

| a stranger, since 1t had been his privilege
to meet so many of our people when the
Maine Commercial Travellers Associa-
ton visited Montreal a year ago. This
reception, he said, was entirely uneX-
pected, because the arrangements for the
trip of his association did not col,ta.ll-
plate any such exhibition of friendship
and hospitality. We come from Mon
treal, the metropolis of Canada, said he.
Our association numbers $50 members,
and we do one-eighth of all the business
| done in the Dominion. 1t has great in
f1uence and accomplishes great good from
Il social, moral and business peint of
view. We feel much tiattered by this re-
ception and we thank you, Mr.. Mayor,
for your kindly welcome. 1t would be
pleasing, he said, to discourse on other
matters of interest to both countries, but
this was not the time nor place, and he
could not think of holding his audience
longer in the rain. In conclusion he
again thanked the city government. the
Maine Association and the citizens of
Portland for their cordial welcome.
Other Speakers.
Mr.. George Fl. Starr, Her Ma1esty's
vice consul at this port, then spoke a
few words and introduced Alderman
Stephenson of Montreal, who is typical
Englishman, full of bonhommie and
bright as new coined sovereign.
Mr.. Stephenson said he had no idea
when he left Montreal, that the Travel
lers' Assoc iation was so well organized
that it would be necessary for him to
1 on and as he never shirked any duty he
| was npal,a red tn 1o what ba could
| He regretted the absence of Mayor
McShane, because if he had been here
| the Portland people would have been
treated to flow of elequenee. We are
all of us glad to come to Portland wheth-
Ell on pleasure or business. The city of
Portland and the greater part of Maine
would have belonged to Canada if things
had been properly arranged in the first
| instance. We are here, Mr.. Mayor, as a
| pleasure excursion. We are always glad
to hear of the prosperity of Maine and of
| the city of Portland. The sons of Mon
treal couldn't come to a better place, and
the fact that they have been counting her
for the past thirty years proves it. Today
is our Dominion Day. You Yankees al
ways like to be ahead but we've got ahead
of you in our celebration by three days,
| for you have got to wait till Monday for
your Fourth of July. You fellows are
great adopters too. We sing 'sGod save
our noble Queen, long may she reign"
/ You take the same air to sing My
Country IT'S of Thee" But we are all a
band of brothers, always glad to meet
and always sorry to part. This is but a
mere thread in the witty skeins the Colo
mel spun, and his speech was received
with cheers.
AT the close of the speaking the pro-
procession reformed and marched to the
Preble and City hotels where quarters
had been secured for the strangers.
AFTER DINNER.
After dinner many of the visitors went
out to the ball game, where the Man
clesters and Po1tlands had a set-to.
Chambers band furnished excellent
music to enliven the occasion. The wives
of many of the Portland drummers went
to the game also, taking the ladies from
Montreal with them.
IN THE EVENING.
/ The grand centre Of jollity last evening,
of course, was the elegant club house of
the Maine Commercial Travellers Asso-
citation in Brown block Here congre-
gated at an early hour the ruling spirits
of both the Montreal and Portland con-
tingents, with many of the ladies of the
party.
After fine musical programme by two
of the Montreal ladies, President Loring
of the Maine association opened the exer-
cises in few happy remarks. He was
| gled to welcome the Canadians to our
hearts and homes. For the people of
Montreal he entertained the best and
highest regard, since he was among those
who partook of their hospitality last
year. He wished it were in his power to
employ the arts of the orator in convey
ing the expression of good will. But
gentlemen said he, 81 am man of
plain word and shall not attempt to make
a speech, but in lieu thereof will call
upon gentleman who is well known to
most of you to voice my sentiment.
Mr.. Rexdale's Address.
Mr.. Robert Rexdale, who was the guest
of the Maine travelling men on their
Montreal trip, was called upon by Presi-
dent Loring to make the formal address
of welcome on behalf of the association
He spoke as follows amid generous APP
plause:
M Chairman and Gentlemen:
In rising to welcome those who were
our hosts one year ago tonight, | am not
unmindful of the memories such an an
niversary always inspires; and there is
present, too, the consciousness that 1
can do but seant justice to the theme.
One realizes at time like this why the
psalmist sighed for a thousand
tongues, but even then, could the
wish be granted, there would be none
too many to sing the praises of Montreal,
for what tongue can do justice to the
/ good old English cheer SO bounteously
dispensed to the travelling men of Maine
last summer? The Canadian drummers
ON that occasion wrote their names in
letters of gold high above the gateway of
hospitality, and rejoice with you, gen
tlemen of the Maine Commercial Travel
lers' Association, that the time has come
when you can greet them ON Yankee soil