Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-04-29

Many Associations Roosevelt and
Plult Also Speak.
New York, April 27.-United States
Senator William t. Frye was rendered Il
harqurt here last night in recognition of
ais labors in behalf of New York har
Dor improvements.
The dinner was given ly the follow
ing associations: Produce Exchange.
Marine association of the port of New
York, the steamship interests. Cotton
Exchange, The Chamber of Commerce,
Merchants association Board of Trade,
Board of Marine Underwriters, National
Board of Marine unuerw riters. Coffee
Exchange. Metal Exchange and the
stock ENchange
EH-Muyor William l.. strong was
'hairman of the general committee of
.0J. and Gustav II. Schwab was secre
tary.
Governor Roosevelt and Senator Pla; t..
made addresses previous to The one de.
lVcrcd hy the guest of the evening. Mr..
Frye said in part:
THE more see of this world The more
"
scattered his gifts here with pruGigul
hand. These gifts We're bestowed uTon
intelligent. r,sDurccful men. who made
fairly good use of them. Since the close
of the Civil war our progress has been
the marvel of the woi Id. We have out
stripped the nations in agriculture, in
mining and manufacturing. our growth
in wealth and population has surpassed
cur widest dreams; our home market
became the btst on earth. actually abb
Sorbing almost our entire product This
operated in one respect TO our disadvan-
tage; it tempted us to contentment. in
duved Us 10 neglect foreign markets,
their requirements and necessities
When. through Il bitter experience. we
lear, Il that our product was third
larger than our consumption: that our
surplus would surely increase year by
year: that We must have Il foreign mar
Ett on crab-like. Progress backward, we
found ours elves face to face with most
serious prubl,m. Our CO mmercial rivals
were strongly entrenched everywhere:
with subsidized steamship lines entering
all the great lorts of the world with
banking facilities, business agencies
long eStahi. he'd, and ii thorough ac-
Guaintance with trade requirements.
I'VE entered upon the solution of the
problem with courage and Intelligence.
The manufacturers of our country
formed an association. embracing men,
bcrship from nearly every state ia the
Union What has been accomplished:
Last year we imported in round nuin-
bers $IG1, 900 600 of goods and exported
Of
balance of over $5OO,C00,O 900 in our favor.
our exports exc ceded those of the United
Kingdom.
1T is easy to account for our exports
of agricultural products: hungry PEOPLE
bought our wheat. needy manufa, tar, rs
our cotton, ciaNihS apletites our to-
hacco. But the products of our manu-
factories We're compelled to met the
iiercest competition. to seek .ha same
markets sought by England Germany
France and Belgium. In this COM
mcrrial war the advantages were not AL
with us. our coal and iron were acccs-
sibla, while our rivals sought them de- p
down i'm the bowels of the earth Our
working men We're better fed, clothed |
housed and paid than theirs, did more in
telligent work and accompiish he'd greater
results. The inventive genius of our
mechanics was decidedly superior to
theirs. We had another advantage
Transportation WAS lower with us than
with them--a Very important item in the
cost of the finished product.
What of our future? Our success
last year is most gratifying, but our
necessity for foreign markets is certain
Il, unpIarf,il inv, ,i,,
genius, the brain power of our working
men. our present and our prospective
machinery, the sagacity, enterprise and
skill of our manufacturers, all promise
still greater advance. In few years
We shall have IL population of 100 900, 900.
While all the nations of Europe are
Dur commercial foes; while just now
they fear us more than ever before, and,
as China witnesses, are lining up to stop
our advance, we have abundant cause
for courage and hope. The unexpected
has happened, increasing our confidence
in the future tenfold. Humanity and
decent self-respect forced us to q
declaration of war against Spain. The
conflict was short, sharp and decisive.
In few months that proud kingdom be-
came suppliant for peace. Cuba is
commercially ours: for, while we re-
fused to accept sovereignty there. and
intend to yield all claim to authority
whenever stable government is formed,
that government will owe it's life to
us; its people cannot fail to remember
that their freedom from oppression,
from eXacting and burdensome taxa
ton, from hunger and starvation. Is Il
gift from us. Gratitude and contiguity
will surely give us the trade. When
peace abides there. and good govern
mcnt assures protection to life and prop
.rty, commerce will enormously increase.
Porto Rico is ours, and its trade will be.
But more promising than the ac-
quirement of many such islands is the
acquisition by us Of the Philippine ar
chipelaEo. undoubtedly tie most fertile
and productive unexplorel land under
the sun. In 1897. with rebellion life.
according to United States Commissioner
Harden. the exports were Sal, ,S42 dO0 the
imports, $l73iI.0oo: balance in favor,
s23 S99. 900. Give the islands good gov
.rnment. protection to life ard prop
erty, an advancing civilization. ircreas
ing intelligence, fair wages. honest col
lccting of revenues. railroads and high
way. improved agricultural implements.
cable communication with our country
and telegraph lines between them; and
who doubts that commerce will, in a
few years, be quadrupled? The bulk
of it will be ours. even with the open
door, for we shall have the advantage
OF England, Germany and France in
distance and freight rates. The islands
Asking n1land to Intcrfere.
Melbourne. April Con the sugCes-
ton of Premier Seddon of New Zcaland