The record-union., 1892-11-16
Annual Dinner of the New York
Chamber of Commerce.
MANY NOTABLE PERSONAGES IN
ATTENDANCE.
President-EIec Cleveland the Guest
of Honor WhiteIaw Reid Also
Present-Depew, Instead of Attend
ing the Obsequies of "a Distinguished
Friend, Finds Himself Listening TO
Democratic Ratification Meeting.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

New York. Nov, 15.-The annual dim
ner of the Chamber of Commerce was
held at Delmonico's tonight. NJ. Cleve-
land was present and Mr.. Depew was
also there. In the absence of President
Smith, Nice-President Orr presided
Cleveland sat upon his right, and Secre-
tary Of the Treasury Charles Foster upon
his left. The Cabinet was further repre-
sented by Attorney General Miller
Among others present We're Comptroller
of Currency a. d. Hepburn, Calvin S.
Brice, Senator Hiscock, William II.
Breckinridge, Whitelaw Reid, Carl
Schurz, Murat Halstead, George NJ. Pull
man, D. Q. Mills, Henry Willard, Austin
Corbin, Colonel Elliott i. Shepherd,
Henry Clews, William Samyear, and
others.
After dinner Mr.. Orr made a short adj
dress, and introduced Secretary Foster.
who in response to the toast, THE Treas
ury Department" spoke in part as fol-
lows: 1.-The relations Of the Treasury
Department to such an important body
as the Chamber of Commerce of New
York are such as TO justify me in speak
ing somewhat in detail. although briefly,
of its personal relations to the country.
The greatest distress of the Secretary is
the numerous and persistent opportunity
of party and social friends for office,
After much observation and experience
/ do not hesitate to express my opinion
that the work of the Government is bet
ter done than that of our great corpora
tions. Care always is taken to promote
the comfort and convenience of the pub
lie in business with the treasury. We
have, by the use of gold and silver certifi-
Gates, circulating medinm illustrating
the superiority of paper money over
metal to such an extent as to create in the
minds of thoughtful men the inquiry as
to the utility of coinage. The fact is es-
tabllshed that the paper representative is
preferred by our people,"
Attorney-General Miller followed. in
response to the toast, The President of
the nited States" which was drank nv
all present. president Harrison" he
said, SIS kept away by UNEXPECTED diff
culties. He is in sore domestic affliction.
He occupies great office, however, and
l believe the people of the United States
do not understand the vastness of the
office. | believe there is a tendency ex-
listing among legislative balls of States to
rob the executive government of its
powers, and instance my own State of
Indiana as an example. l think the
Legislatures are invading the offices of
the Executive.'
st. Clair Kelley spoke to the toast
Italy" in place of Baron Fava, who
was kept away by illness. He was fol-
lowed by DR.. John Hall on Commerce
and Civilization" Hon. w. II. Breclin-
ridge on the House of Representatives.
and President Schurman OF Cornell Uni
versity on Commerce and Education.' -
When Professor Schurman finished.
Mr.. Orr announced that the regular card
was exhausted, but he would now pre-
sent to the company a gentleman who
needed no words of introduction. Hon.
Grover Cleveland. The mention of the
President-elects name was received with
an outburst OF applause, to be hushed to
respectful silence, and he spoke as fol-
lows:
I'VE have noticed" said he, ''that
many men, when they seek to appear
especially wise and impressive, speak of
our Business Interests as somethinp
awful and mysterious, and quite often
when the proposition is under discussion
its merits are no longer apparent to those
whose hair is on end at the solemn sug-
gestion that our business interests are w.
ing in wait with numerous vialS of wrath
in complete readiness for those who arrive
at an accepted conclusion. 1t is eutirelv
natural that my familiarity with busi-
ness interests, rising from the relation to
which L have referred, should be of a
pleasant sort and free from fear and trepi-
dation, for the only meetings / have at
tended OF the Chamber of Commerce have
been precisely such as this, when the
very best things to eat and drink had
been eXhaustively discussed. l am bound
to say that on these occasions the dread
ful beings representing the business in
tereSts have been very human indeed.
know you will not do me the great in
justice Of suppOsing | in the least under
rate the importance Of the commercial
and financial interests here represented.
We are all interested as Americans in a
common pursuit. Our purpose is, or
ought to be III our several spheres, to add
to the general fund of national prosperity,
From this fund we are all entitled to
draw, perhaps not equally, but Justly,
each receiving a fair proportion OF indi-
vidual prosperity. Let us avoid tramp
ling on each other in our anxiety to be
first in the distribution Of shares, and let
us not attempt TO appropriate the share of
Others"
In conclusion Cleveland expressed
thanks for the coUrtesies extended, and
said he never allowed himself to be heed
less of the affairs they so worthily hold in
their keeping.
Hon. Whitelaw Reid spoke next, and
introduced himself by saying speech
side.' 81 have made great many
speeches. he said, within the last three
or four weeks, and Pm bound to saw Pm
not at all pleased with the result. As a
member of the Chamber OF Commerce I
would like 10 answer a question which
my friend from Kentucky (Breckinridgel
has asked. He asks that as a representa-
tive of the successful party he was here
to ascertain the wishes Of the business
1aa "a If
so injurious to business as uncertainty.
lie told us it was the purpose OF his party
to set their faces resoiutely and antagonis-
tically against the course which the people
of this country pursued for thirty wears.
l can only answer i'll the words OF a dem
uty OF the French Chamber, who SAID
that on international questions affecting
his country or nationality there was no
minority and no majority. That all were
rrenchmen, + and that we all are Amer
leans"
When Reid had taken his seat loud cries
We're made for Depew. Mr.. Depew pleas
antly acquiesced, and said, in part: II ex-
pected to be here tonight attending the
obsequies Ofa distinguished friend of mine
and l prepared an eulogy W hich would be
satisfactory to the deceased. | discover.
however, rhat have been listening to a
Democratic ratification meeting. i find
the places changed. Pm the corpse. -
[Laughter.l He believed that as the
Democratic party had thirty years in
which To study the political history Of
the country, they should be ready to pre-
sent program me at the first opportunity
and without delay. The people had de-
cided in favor of a change. He hoped
there would be no delay in legislation.
Mr. Cleveland understands the gravity
of thel situation, and he has a grand