Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-09
"COMMERCIAL DAY."
Arranging for the Celebration of tn
jay Treaty Centennial

jay Treat! Centennial.
The arrangements are very nearly COM
plete for the american commerce banquet"
to be held in New York ON the evening of
Commercial Day" December 10. to COM
memdrate the close of the first century of
commercial liberty in America. as secured by
the treaty negotiated with England by John
Jay of New York.
The chairman of the committee OF arrange
ments. Mr.. S. w. Fairchld, has announced
the following names as the speakers at the
banquet: Senator William P. Frye on Our
Merchant Marine" Hon. Don M Dickinson
on american Commerce." Gen. Charles H.
Taylor, on THE American Press" and Gen.
Horace Porter. on The American Business
Man"
The aim is to have no important American
Industry. and no section Of the country
without one or more representatives at this
centennial celebration: and the acceptances
thus far received give every assurance of
success in this direction. The celebration
VIII be distinctiveiy commercial. Probably
the gathering will represent a greater va
rety of American industry and manufac-
lures and a larger measure of the nations
commercial magnitude and wealth than any
smaller assembly in this country The re-
ception committee consists of some of the
most prominent citizens of New York DR.
Chauncey M. Depew is chairman of this COM
mittee.
Speaking ofthe celebration. DR.. Chauncey
M. Depew, who Is the author of Commercial
Day." said:
THE historical facts to support this move
ment are pregnant with interest and sugges-
ton The close of the first century of our
American commerce should not pass unno-
ticed, and the business men of to-day should
bow their Acknowledgements to the valued
services rendered by the patriots of one hun
>dred years ago 1 am very much pleased at
the favorable comments from the newspa-
pers IN all parts Of the country on nv sue-
sestion that December 10 be recognized as
OFf
to be laborfng under the misapprehension
that have made mistake in my date. The
Jay treaty was not made In a day. From the
time of Jays appointment until the ra tifica
ton Of the treaty by both countries a period
OF three years elapsed but 1t was December
i!95, that Washington expressed to Congress
MS approval or the treaty as a whole.
Some Of my correspondents have asked
What can be done on this day by the bust
ness men in celebration of these events"
Appropriate resolutions should be passed
by organized commercial bodies. 1t would
be most appropriate for the Jay treaty to be
made subject for special exercises In the
public schools on that day The newspapers
on December 10 could properly have articles
on the subject, Dor the files of our newspa-
pers of one hundred years ago are rich with
historical facts5not found in the standard
histories Public meetings should be held in
business centers and orators selected to talk
upon AmeEiean commercial liberty and our
interests generally. Our national colors
should be unfurled on public buildings and
Commercial Bay banners and flags should
decorate factories, stores and business
offices everywhere. These are but few of the
things WHICH occur to me at the moment
but everything is appropriate that will i'm
press the Importance of the day upon our
people The study of the struggles Of our
countrymen to establish our commerce will
make us better business men and better sat
istied with our present condition. When one
stops to reflect upon the wealth of this coun-
try as compared with what it was one hun
bred years ago, the figures are perfectly be-
wildering. and such an observance of this
day throughout the United States would, in
my opinion, do much to start with fresh
vigor our sluggish trade. The conditions
were never more favorable for such a move
ment"