Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-02
is THERE AN AXE?
THE RECENT NORTHERN AND SOUTH.
ERIN BUSINESS.MEN'S MEETING.
Delegate y. Thompson Brown submits
His Report to the Real Estate
Association

At meeting of the Richmond Real
Estate Association held In the Office Of
Messrs. Frank ID. Hill & Co. yesterday
afternoon. Mr.. j. Thompson Brown. who
was sent as a delegate by this association
10 the convention OF northern and south
ern businessmen. held at Fifth-Avenue
Hotel, In New York. June 2st, submitted
his report
The paper In a full and complete report
of the entire session OF the convention,
containing the speech Of Hon. Hoke Smith.
Secretary of the Interior; the resolutions
OF the convention, names OF the officers,
| and members OF the body, with their
States. and OF the committees appointed
by the permanent committee on organi-
zation.
VIRGINIA WELL REPRESENTED.
The list OF delegates present showed,
according TO Mr.. Browns report. that
outside Of New York Virginia had the
largest delegation-viZ.. nineteen. The re-
port embraces newspaper accounts Of the
proceedings Of the convention. showing
that the only result accomplished was the
appointment Of a permanent committee,
with plenary powers. 10 organize an assoc
citation, 10 institute It's working plans.
and to carry out the same without refer
ence 10 the convention. The committee
named It's organization The Southern EX-
change Association, which Will be com
posed Of all Businessmen and associations
paying the annual fee OF s.. The perma-
nent committee is composed OF one repre-
sentative from each State. Mr. John
SHELTON Williams represents Virginia.
MIR. BROWNS OPINION.
Mr. Browns report contains. besides the
recorded acts of the convention, ms own
Impressions OF the body. He says the adj
tournment OF the convention without an
interchange Of the views Of the business
men North and South was to many OF
the southern delegates a disappointment.
4 number OF these had travelled hundreds
Of miles for this purpose. and with the
hopes that by such an interchange OF
business views much good would result.
The convention adjourned sine die imme-
diately after appointing the permanent
committee.
ANTAGONIZES THE MODE.
Mr. Brown antagonizes the mode adopt
ed in organizing the convention, and
thinks IL should have been organized.
first by the delegates with credentials
from corporate bodies and associations,
as many of such were present: and SCI
cond by individual delegates who did not
represent organized bodies. He thinks
that this would have given greater sOlidi-
" 10 the acts of the convention. and more
effect TO the claims of the authority Of
the convention before the public. He also
in the report expresses himself as not
looking with favor upon a self-perpetu-
ating committee with plenary powers.
without reference back to the source and
VfsFi If &c
that much good will result from the
efforts OF the permanent committee. but
from the incidents al the convention he
fears that there will be aXe-grinding
somewhere. He closed his thorough re-
port as follows:
A SUMMARY
ITO summarize. all the incidents OF he
convention, the only special speech by
congressman on the subject of the Mica
ragua canal, followed by resolutions offer
ed by a banker formerly handling the
stock of the same; the formation OF a
permanent committee with such unusual
power; the appointment Of committee
men in the manner hereinbefore referred
10 tend TO deeply impress me with the
fact that there was something to be
done--nOt however by the convention,
for It was certainly debarred from a free
interchange Of Views with the northern
businessmen whom we were invited to
meet i'm convention, and for this purpose;
but that something, whatever IL was,
was TO be done by Il committee. an off,
spring Of "A convention. whose lfeless and
beheaded trunk was the only evidence
it ever existed, and whose ears and eyes
were forever stilled in death. that IT
might never see or hear Of the doings Of
its own progeny.
My theory may be wrong. and hope
1t is and | sincerely trust that this ini-
mense machinery. however questionaby
il may have been put together. will never
be degraded by the grinders of anybody's
axe, be they bankers, brokers, lawyers,
ar ropVr.ecuopn "