The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-16

NEW YORK, Nov. 15.-ISpecia,a-
The one hundred and twenty fin an
nual dinner OF the cham Der OF commerca
was held at Delmonco's tonight. Tn,
inc famous gold and white room, re-
splendent with light and color, ladened
with the perfume of flowers and filed
with music, were many Of the most in
huential representatives Of social, DO
litical, educational and mercantile in
terests in this country.
Nare viands, ancient vintages and
sparkling oratory in judicious admix.
lure comprised the programme. Mr..
cleveland was present Depew was also
there, and no gracefully congratulated
the Presidentelect. instead of Offering
MIN that promised ante. election conso-
lation.
Vice President Orr presided. Cleve-
land sat upon his right and Secretary
OF the Treasury Chas. Foster upon his
left. Acknowledgement Miller, Comp
troller of the Currency Hepburn, Sena-
tor Brice, Senator Hiscock, VIM. c. p.
Breckenridge, Whitelaw Beid. Carl
Schurz, Murat Halstead, Stewart I.
Woodford, Rev. DR.. John Hall, Rev.
W. ii. Bibbert and David M. Stone were
the other guests.
AmohS VuoSe present were Geo. Nj.
Pullman, o. Mills, II. 0 Armour,
Horny Willard, Austin Corbin, John FL.
Starln, OK Collector Robertson, Jessie
Seligman, John Ii. Inman, Kerry Clews,
VIM. T. Havemyer and VIM. Steinway.
The toast card provided for but five
speeches, The Treasury Departments,
ny Secretary Foster; Tine President of
tho United States" by Attorney Gen.
eral Miller; The House of Representa-
tives," by Breckinridgo of kentucky;
commerce and Civilization" by DR..
John Hall; Italy" by Baron Fava, and
Commerce and Education" by Presi-
dent Schurmann, OF the Cornell Univer-
sity, but Cleveland and others made
brief speeches. Mr.. Clcvcland's speech
was as follows:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen: | am
exceedingly gratifiod by the kindness
and warmth of your greeting. 1t does
not surprise me, however, for | have
seen and felt on more than one occasion
the cordial hospitality and heart iness OF
those who assemble az the annual dinner
OF our chamber of commerce. We have
all noticed that many men, when they
seek to appear especially wise and inn
pressive, speak of our business inter-
ests' as something awful and mysterious;
and quite often when proposition is
under discussion it's 10. rils are no longer
apparent to those whose hair Is on end
at the solemn suggestion that our bust
ness interests are lying in wait with
numerous walls of wrath in conn ]ete
readiness for those who arrive at an un.
accepted conclusion.
II am fortunate in being able to
state that my relation to the cham
Der OF commerce of the State of
New York though merely Of COM
Min nntnru hind uric
mem bership, has so falDiliarized me
with business interests that no longer
regard those words as meaning blood
thirsty beast, nor do have constantly
before my mind those children in tho
biblical story who were torn in pieces
by bears for discussing too much at ran
dom tho badness of the ancient prophet.
"lt Is entirely natural that my
familiarity with business arising from
the relation to which l have referred,
should BIO Of very pleasant sort and
free from fear and trepidation for the
only meetings | have ever attended of
the chamber of commerce have been
precisely such as this, when the best
things 10 cat and drink have been ex-
haus,ively discussed. / am bound to
say that on these occasions the dreadful
beings representing business interests
have been very human indeed.
~ know you will not do me the great
injustice OF supposing that l, in the
least, nnderrate the Importance of the
commercial and financial interests here
represented. On tho contrary. no one
appreciates moro fully than that, while
tho proper adjustment OF all interests
should be maintained. you represent
those which are utterly indispensable
to our national growth and prosperity.
do not believe that any other interests
should be obliged to feed from the
crumbs which fall from tho table of
business; nor do believe that the table
should be robbed of good things which
are honestly and fairly there merely be-
cause some other tables are not we'll
provided for.
at comes to this. We are all inter-
ested as Americans in common pur-.
suit. Our purpose is, or ought to be-, In
our several spheres, TO add to the general
fund OF national prosperity. From this
fund we arc all entitled to draw, per
haps not equally, but justly. each no
ceiving fair portion of individual
prosperity. Let US avoid trampling 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.
''As I close cannot refrain from ex-
| pressing my thanks for the courtesies
often extended to mo by the organiza-
ton at whose hospitable board L have
sat this evening. beg to assare you
that, though l may not soon meet you
again on an occasion like this, shall
remember with peculiar pleasure tina
friends made among your membership
and shall never allow myself 10 be heed.
less Of the affairs you SO worthily hold
| in y0ur keaninpn