The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-19
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
The Southern Associated Press Holds Its
Annual Session In Richmond.
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE BLENDED
The City Shows the visitors Many
Courtcsies and Gives Them n Good
Iime-Edward iinson Addresses
tho Body discussing Finance and
Ranking Rerorm-Other Addresses

-, Rfchmond, Va, Nov. is (SpeclaD.-
me Southern Associated Press met in
annual session at the jefferson Hotel
| tniS city, this morning. transacted con-
ed the old officers
Mr M Glennan, Of the Norfolk Vir-
Committee.
ATKINSON'S SPEECH.
| Mr.. Edward Atkinson, of Boston. who
was In the city. addressed the meeting
said: e'
i need make no excuse for being here.
came mere for rest, but when I find
myself before the Southern Press Asso-
clallon there is word which must be
sald. have my finger OH the centre Of
,he nerve of the Southland, whence the
ln1uence may come that may make or
mar the mighty future of this nation
l know not what all your views mav
nave been; with some OF you / have
neld somewhat bitter contest in tho
iate war; others have been with me.
lie het the dead past bury its dead At
.!ie oeslnhihe Of the financial recon-
struction of this nation upon you falls
stern responsibility
|. several years since the president of
Ihe largest bank of - came to NV of
nee; He put to me this question: What
VIII VIII De the end of the purchase of Sill
which l replied: "A financial panic such
as TINS country has never seen. and n
paralysis of industry such as we have
never witnessed"
When WIN that happen?" to which
| repi!ed' NO man can fix the dale.
when the doubt passes through the land
OF the ability OF the treasury OF the
| Onfted states to maintain the pavment
OF all It's obligations of the lawful,unit
0i & Dalue-a ,n dollar made or gold" He
1 nfh
Ti, TTni,'ns, IKE myself, for the future.
Ihat Crisis has come, and from thot
| Pa'diysis we are now emerging-the YER
oiet or the nation has been rendered.
lmpute no wrongful method no those
OF your section who have sustained tho
acts which brought on this contest II,
Is ended Let the dead pas. bury its
dead May we not join together hand va
hand In the efforts 10 restore condition :
under which all may make prog:ess TO
ptosPeiiE alike? Years ago / thought
| that mad found in the restriction upon
banking the cause OF the danger which
we nave Just surmounted In our sec
non OF the country we have more bank
| ing capital than we can use. In vour
| Sectlon ana in the far West IL is lack
| ins. Aour people are distrustful OF
| BANKS ana bankers, not knowing or he
HeFinS m the service which banks rem
Ger 70 me community, vet subject your-
serves 10 the worst and most costly sys-
| ten' because you have no other. Your
People depend upon traders at the four
| co4heFs' taxing advances f:om them n.
| excessive rates of interest put yourselr
| upon obligation to sell their products to
| mem at as much az they may fix. and
ptE.ns 10 them double price for all their
~: has been difficult for the man of
the North and East to comprehend the
real grievance under which Won nave
suffered, while they depiore your mis-
taken effort in the recen; election to
or;mg pad money, not only up5n your
aS'res S,'n out upon us--money which re-
| puired a force bill or act of legal tnrdar
10 make it circulate at all.
| we now ask You to formulate your
] heeuS' 10 state your case, and TO inIn
us IN such a reconstruction OF The bani, ,
ny; system as may make this nation n
ini;oa u,t;; n'lomsns no na:ioaai wrong Or pre-
| Juuice' each serving the Other accord.ntr
| 10 us ability and lis needs. There I'VE
| many methods by which This csn he
| uoie' i, Inc adjustment Is a matter of de-
.alL Are we such incapable people
osat, possessing the greatest resources
| OF ihe wold. We are not sm5thereI in
our own grease because we canno. or
| game; OF excuse by which we can earve
each other? The lawful unit of volnn
SURVIVING centuries OF struggle through,
our the word, i now the unit of com
merce. TO which this and every cher
| country must adjust its own condi;ions
| or else suffer loss. Shall not our uni, Of
| value, the standard Of our comynnrca
| be the equal of any in the world? Then
| as | said. Let the dead past bury It's
aead; Let US join hands. The Solid
South is broken; even color line is
broken. 1t Is the most hopeful period
that ! have witnessed since the civil
war. IIght-minded men now Law away
| rheir prejudlces with the struggle which
| has just ended. Find out wherein we
| may reconstruct the financial system Of
| the country, and then Join together and
| by the force OF the united public opin
| ION. bring about the removal Of the ar
tihcial construction to our mutual bene
| fit. or all the Issues which must come
to the front In the immediate future I
| believe that the reconstruction Of the
banking system Is the mos. important.
Had that been undertaken, when T. be-
came so manifest TO the few. as II ala
few years since. we should have had
| no silver craze or we might have been
saved the disaster and panic of recent
years.
As you may mould public opinion OF
| your section through your press, so NAV
be the welfare or the ill-fare of :he ma
tion In the immediate future But let
| us remember we diff and struck through
/ the shoulde! by the very sparks that are
elected. the light of truth is extended
Whatever might have been our errors in
Concluded from First Page.)