Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-29

commerce. ~ "aue anu
THE BusINEss-MAN's DUTY.
What will the priests OF trade and com.
merce who are TO minister In this temnle
DO with the structure we now and here
commit to their hands? WIN they let
TINS organization, which has already done
80 much for the upbuiiding Of our city,
utaS nseH slowly along In half-hearted
uesuitory way, or worse than this, be a
pody OF croakers and dSscordant elements
In our midst? or will the peop,e of ,hIs
city from this day resolve that let other
cities and other communities do as thev
may that, as for the people OF Richmond.
they wih at all times. and under ali
circumstances, come up 10 this gathering
place ana consult for the common veal
ana. having reached a conclusion here,
tnat conclusion shall be binding on the
conscience and conduct OF @, sry man,
who does business In this city I don't
mean 10 intimate that every man ia
not entitled TO his opinion. On the con-
trary, l say that every man ought TO
nave and ought TO express. his own
opinion. But IL he is a true and loyal
son OF Richmond. let him Join this body
and come TO its meetings, and give us
the benefit OF his thoughts and opinions.
and thus enable us TO arrive at suchs a
decision OF the questions at issue as will
best promote the interests OF all con-
cerned.
There never was any people in the
history of the world who had as many
incentives 10 stand together as the peo-
pie Of the South. and especially those OF
this battle-scarred. but still beautiful city.
War, devastation, disaster. fire, and flood
have been our portion in the economy of
oil l.
shows that these things should only
forge and strengthen the links which
should bind us the more closely to-
gTher. OpuIence, and unalloyed pros
perity are neither the best ligsments OF
the social compact, nor are they the in
centiyes to the grandest achievements.
What makes the Jew the most saga-
cious fnancier and the most successful
merchant in this or any other land to-
day? Is II simply because he Is Jew,
and as some will say. consequently "a
born trader? No, my friends II is
because he has been prosecuted and
driven from pillar 10 post. with no coun-
try he can claim as his own and these
trials and prosecutions have made him
sagacious and strong. He Is no pamper-
ed scion of luxury, reared in the hot
house OF idleness and ease but like the
sturdy oak in the mountain side, the
storms Of winter have beaten and broken
upon It, rocking II TO and fro. II may be
but only TO make its roots strike deeper
and more firmly in the ground. And
this people teach us a lesson we ought
never to forget. And that is, as | have
said, they are the most united people in
the world to-day. No deserving Jew who
nj kn b.I
fails to receive it, and l will venture the
assertion that no man within the sound
OF my voice ever saw n jew begging,
or one who has been unfortunate in busi-
ness and who deserves succOr in that
line. who did not receive IT, This trait Of
the Jewish character, as well as many
others l could enumerate, / esteem most
highly. and l wish il was In my power
TO impress the principle Of 1t on you for
your emulation and guidance. And this
people are not only faithful and loyal to
their own race. but ! happen TO know
that a recital Of the contributions to the
general charities Of this city would re-
veal the fact that the most liberal dona-
tiOns which are made to these come from
the excellent Israelite citizens, who are
in many respects among the very best
citizens we have.
SPIRIT or COOPERATION.
These remarks bring me to the con-
sideration Of that which / consider the
greatest need in the makeup. and cha
racteristics Of our people. ] have alluded
10 IL In this chamber before and IL
live long enough. and an opportunity is
afforded. | expect 10 do so again. /
need not say ] mean the spirit Of CO.
operation. Cooperation is the watch
word Of the day and hour In which we
live. or. as n brilliant young southerner
has phrased IT, "Co-operation is the light
and persistency in the way" and l will
add the only way OF accomplishing any
great achievement I'm any line of trade.
commerce. or material prosperity of any
kind In the times In which we live. The
affairs OF men have grown TO such pro-
portions. and by means OF the facilities
NJ communication the whole world is
brought In such close contact. that the
single arm of the one or two cannot
cope successfully in the race. COmbina-
tions and rivalries among and between
trades and trade centres are literally the
order of the day" and the city which
does not see and recognize this as a fact,
and meet these organizations and COM
binatiOns with counter organizations and.
IL necessary, combinations. too, might as
well prepare Ito be left ont i'm the cold"
Indeed. its epitaph is already written
whenever il repudates the maxim that
imam is his brothers keeper
THE CHAMBERS HISTORY.
/ do not mean to charge that we
haven't manifested spirit of enterprise
and cooperation in this city. Judge
Christian continued. Nothing better IL
lustrates the fact that the contrary Is
true than the history Of this organ,Za-
tion, and this city, from the birth of the
former 10 the present time. The move
ment To establish this chamber was be
gun on the Goth OF August, 1861. At that
time a large part If not the greater part
Of the business portion of the city was
still In ashes. and the whole surrounding
was one scene of desoation and
ruin The war had left us conquered
and devastated land. the carpet bagger
and the "scalawag' were then proving
amongst our people seeking whom they
might deyour" financially. politically, and
our bravest and our best had
heen slain in battle, and the weeds of
were everywhere to typify the
griefs and sorrows We carried in our
hearts fOr these.
The speaker, continuing, said that IL was
II a time and amid surroundings like these
hat the first meeting looking 10 Organiza-
ion was called for August Goth, the same
rear. The call was signed by twenty-siX
whose names are given,
md on October 9th following an organi-
,ation was effected with David j. Burr
IL president, j. l.. Apperson, treasurer;
P G. Cogham. secretary. and a full COM
Element of other officers.
CHANGES OF A FEW YEARS.
Judge Christian continued What a
on life does an examination
4 this brief list afford? Out of the twen-
y-six business houses whose names are
igned to that call more than four-fifths
# that number are now dead. whilst not
. single house, as there represented Is
low doing business here, and all these
hanges have occurred within the short
pace OF twenty-six years. But which OF
lg here Is not old enough to know by repu-
alton. If we DO not know personally. that
very name on that list represented not
,nly the integrity but the sagacity, too,
Il the best businessmen that Richmond
yer produced. These men started the
royennent TO organize this body because
hey said they were convinced by the
.lmost daily experience of the necessity
4 establishing" such body here.
Born OF the necessities of the occasion
hen. and OF a parentage Of which any or
,anization may well be proud. this cham
er has grown from a mere handful to
,ody OF between 500 and 600 Of the most
business names I'm this city
nd State But we are not satisfied with
his exhibit, although II shows a vast Inn
s..kf III