Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-05-27

|
city, of her beautiful shade trees, an,
magnificent river winding it's wa,
through the picturesque valley II
eulogized the social characteristics O
our citizens, and declared that wher
ever he had gone, he had always re
turned to Augusta more firmly con
| vinced that it was the best place OF
earth to live in. The mayors remarks
were entirely off-hand and wcr,
warmly applauded.
In reply to the Toast Our Merchants
what they provide for and what the,
responded
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of TIL,
Board of Trade:
One might well infer from the length OF
the text given me, as basis of my. re-
marks, that a lengthy speech would be
the result but assure you that nothing
of the kind awaits you. II there shall be
It shall be the brevity of the same. shall
divide my subject something after the
style of "ye o!den ministers firstly,
| secondly thirdly and so on.
| Firstiy-"Our Merchants | shall not
dwell long on this part of my theme, be-
cause our merchants are too well known
to you. and many of them are present to-
night; but | venture the assertion that
for brains. enterprise. push. ability. capi-
tai and integrity, they compare very fay
orahly with those ,.t., Ct any city OF It's i SIZE
! lionares. and / imagine that they are
mighty scarce in cities of 1000.
Among our business men are few who
have grown Old in the very stores they
now occupy, having for many years cat
cred to the wants OF the public We have
| too the middle aged men in the prime of
camille life. Then. we have the younger
men. who are practicing the lessons
! taught by their fathers while ut the helm
| of business, and still others who are learn
| ing the lessons of trade as they go along.
| While we are represented here tonight
| by men merchants only, you will not for
get that the ladies are doing their share
of the mercantile work, and doing it, too
| as well as 1t Is done by their sex III any
other city.
| I'm all the walks of life, but few
| Work harder than our merchants do.
From early morn. till late at night
| They hustle on with all their might
Secondly-"What They Provide For"
| had you asked me what they do not pro-
vide for, / could have easily answered the
question. They provide for our wants
physically. and provide for those who look
after our spiritual welfare. Would you
build house of wood, brick or stone >
Say the word and the material is quickly
on the spot. Are you needing 4 carriage
of modern style, announce the fact and
swarm of eager merchants Will surround
you. Are you chilly. with the thermom-
eter registering zero or lower? Speak and
there will be hustling to see who Will
be first on the spot with the needed fuel
Would you have a suit of clothes to do
common every day work? You have only
to reach out and take It, Have you de-
sire to grace the halls of Congress. and
are you needing SUIT second to none OF
Boston make? Name the fact and your
measure will be taken in the twinkle of
an eye. and the suit VIII be forthcoming.
Is your horse worthy of a new harness.
mounted with silver or gold? They are
produced here cheaper and better than
in any other place on earth.
Would you clothe your wife in Paris
style
Then look among our stores awhile;
The goods are there the styles are new.
Sold by our ladies. not a few.
Are you hungry? Where will you find
better grocery and provision stores than
furnished in its season, and some things
out of season.
Cucumbers are placed before you. even
before the snow has left our fields-and
the physicians rejoice. Green peas are
long before we have the money with
which to purchase them. Fruit in its
times within our reach. Are you longing
for reading matter? Take a peep into
our bookstores where anything you desire
may be found
Is it furniture or carpets that you
want? Then Augusta merchants can do
you good. Are you painting with the sum-
meT nd hss s Put out yogr flag Of dstr.s
appear at your door. Are you troubled
with burglars? Then visit our we'll
stocked hardware stores, where locks and
keys, guns and pistols. are kept in great
variety
Arc you thirsty? Where can you find
purer drink than Diamond or Glenwood
Spring Water? Does your appetite call
for stronger beverage? Then. gentle
men,. you must go beyond the limits of
our fair city for nothing Of this nature
wants of every class of individuals can
he supplied by the merchants of Au-
gusta.
ThirdIy-"What They Expect From Our
Citizens" In return for the capital in
vested, the years. of earnest. honest
l,,l, ahor, a desire to furnish the goods the
cial struggles; Il life devoted to supplying
the wants of the people. our merchants
ask and have a right to expect the
patronage of our citizens. AS we believe
in protection to home industries, so let us
educate ourselves to patroniZe home mer-
chants. Il would surprise you. gentle
men. could YOU know the amount of
money weekly sent to Boston in answer
to the flaming, deceiving ads that
catch the eye. as well as the money of
our citizens; and in nine cases out Of
ten our merchants would furnish the
same goods for to 10 per cent. less than
is drawn from the purchaser by these de-
lusive "ads.
And yet duty devolves upon our mer-
chants, namely: Give to the people q
market in quantity. quality, variety and
price second to none in the State. When
the people of the surrounding country
thoroughly understand this. and with.
roads such as those leading to our city
should be. we shall be what we have n
right to be. THE busiest city of its size
in New England
Mr. w. ID. Stnson responded in n
most interesting manner to the toast
our Schools
While Augusta appropriates annu
ally some $50, 600 he felt that there was
still room for number of needed i'm
provements. He thought that we did
not always get the best teachers, ow-
ing to the practice of giving places to
new and untried ones. He thought
there should be established in connec-
ton with our school system a train
ing school for teachers. in order to give
the m careful test, and equip them for
the highest grade of work
| Mr. Stinson urged with much force
the suggestion that a superintendent
of schools should not be required to
teach but should be free to devote his
time to the developing of the best
methods of instruction, and to the Sc
curing of the highest grade of work