The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-17
HAD No SAND IN IT
SUGAR THAT SWEETENED THE
TOASTS AT THE RETAILERS
BANQUET BOARD.
PRELATE AND POLITICIAN
JOIN HANDS AND HEARTS AND SING
THE PRAISES OF RETAIL
MERCHANTS.
The Gathering Was Typical of the
Substantial Character of the
City's Mercantile Trade.

President Jesse Gregg, of the Com
mercial club, surrounded by such sub
stantial business men as c. B. Bowlby
j. H. Horton. B. L. GOodkind, L. l..
May, H E. Wedelstaedt and Frank
Schliek, looked out from the head of
the banquet board last night in the
faces of several hundred representa-
tive st. Paulites, who stand for the
solid retail interests of the Sanity
City. With Mr.. Gregg sat those who
were to speak on topics of interest, in
Guiding Rev. John Wright, of st. Paurs
Episcopal church; J. Adam Bede, but
recently returned from Ohio, and Louis
Nash.
The spacious dining room was filled
comfortably and the tables upon which
the viands were spread, were taste
fully furnished with rare colored
chrysanthemums. The retailers were
present to talk over their business af-
fairs, and chose time when men are
commonly supposed to be in the most
congenial mood-after a good dinner
Before the diners took their seats
President Gregg called upon Dr.
Wright, who asked the divine blessing
for those who were present.
A glance about the room showed that
nearly every line was represented
During the discussion of a thoroughly
enjoyable menu, business matters
were, for the nonce, forgotten, and the
social phase of the affair became ap-
parent. During the banquet approprI-
ate music was given by the Twin City
Mandolin club, which was stationed in
the hall.
1t was $50 when President Gregg an
nounced that the speechmaking period
was at hand. In welcoming the retail
ers, he took occasion to say that never
before had the prospects of St Paul
been as bright as now. The capital
bill was a law. the state capital was
fixed in st. Paul, and the SANITY city
was again starting off on an era or
prosperity. Mr.. Gregg enumerated
several of the industries which had al
ready felt the Improvement. Mr.
Gregg acted as POSTMASTER, and first
introduced j. II. Horton, who touched
on st. Paul as a retail center. MI
Horton took up his text, What We
were, what we are, and what we ought
to be-" and told something of the cir
cumstances surrounding the movement
of the retail center from one to another
part of the city. In interesting fash
ion he related the progress made by
st. Paul through two periods Of bqsl
ness and financial depression. At dir
ferent times st. Paul was a great cen
ter and his business-that of furs-Was
80 per cent foreign, and the balance
that done at home.
The establishment Of a center was
vitally important on account Of the
out of town, rather than the home
trade, for the home people would find
the local retail stores. The country
trade, as he called it, Mr.. Horton SAID
must be looked after if st. PauPs pres
tige as a retail center was to be re-
esta blished.
One strong reason why outside retail
patrons, and especially women, did
not come to st. Paul was, Mr.. Horton
said, that they were obliged to walk
from the union depot to the represen-
tative retail stores. There was need
of street car facilities and the action
of the city Legislators in allowing the
matter of the street railway loop to