The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-18
An ESCAPE FROM PERIL.
Business Interests May Well Rej,ice
Says President.
CLEvELAND,S LETTER TO NEW
YORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Annual Dinner at Observation-Disclosures
guished Gathering of Statesmen aud
Business Men.-Addresses by Postmas-
ter General Wilson and Others.
New York, November 1.-THE 128th
annual banquet of the New York Cham
ber of Commerce was held tbis.evening
at Delmonioo's. Among the 376 guests
were the most prominent professional
and commercial men of the country as
we'll as distinguished statesmen and
politicians. Alexander e. Orr, president
of the Chamber of Commerce, presided.
Seated at the guest tabl les were Post
master General Wilson, Whitelaw Reid,
Gen. Nelson Miles Mayor Strong, Seth
Low, Rev. DIR. Greer, j. 8. Morton, Sc
cretary of agriculture. Fl. A. Herbert,
secretary of the navy, Hon. Jos. R. Haw
ley, Hon. J. R. Eckles, Hon. Jos. II.
Walker, Chares A. Dana, Hon. ".
Bourke Cook ran, Admiral Henry Erben.
U. S. NJ, Commodore Montgomery.
U. S. N, and Murat Halstead.
Among others present were Gen. Horace
Porter. Carl Sohurz, Cornelius N. Bliss,
Geo. Gould, Henry Clsws. Isaac Selig-
man, Geo. NJ. Pullman and Henry Vii
lard.
When Mr.. Orr arose to welcome the
guests he was heartily oheered After
his Introductory remarks he read let
ter Of regret from Presidents Cleveland.
In 1t the President said: "Recent events
m vuyh1 mt
business interests to rejoice in their
escape from threatening peril. While
they have abundant reason for rejoicing
and can view with the greatest satis-
faction the support they have given
sound money,in the contest lately waged
against it, it Ia hoped that in this time
OF congratulation, 1t will be remem-
are required to even maintain the present
conditions. But absolute safety will
only be secured whom our financial sys-
tenn Is protected by affirmative and tho
rough reforms. When our business men
are habitually alert and watchful and
when they are moreover fully aroused
to the i'm portanoe of such legislative
action concerning our finances as business
methods approve, and the welfare Of the
may be confidently anticipated, not only
in the accomplishment of practical re-
Suits but In the removal of hurtful pref
udices, through assurance to the people
that business and.patriotism are beoom
ing more and moro united.
A letter from Gov. Morton was also
read. A letter of regret was received at a
late hour from Secretary of State Olney.
Postmaster General VIM. L. Wilson was
introduced by President Orr and was
received by prolonged applause. Mr..
Wilson in the course of his address, said !:
eve have just had test of the oapa-
city of universal suffrage to deal with
question so confessedly difficult that
in other countries it is committed to
trained experts and statesmen. That such
fight could move forward from a
perilous campaign without a cessation
of.-ordinary business enterprise, has been
marvel to other nations. That the re-
suit has been achieved by a partial aud
temporary dissolution of party ties and
hearty concert of forces, irreconsilably
antagonistic on other policies is a ground
for quickened patriotism and loftier
pride in American citizenship. If we are
to esoape the great per1ls in the future
and dangerous political issues we must
understand that In country where
every question ultimately rests on
popular suffrage, a campaign OF educA-
tion is a perpetual duty.ss..We must all
admit that the entire body of our Efnan-
cial legislation for 30 years has been a
make-shift and concession to mistaken
Ideas"
A ddresses were aIno delivered by