The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-08

| wen aS ours are the pubic buildings
which evidence the growth and in
creasing power of our dear old State
| You are at home, gentlemen, upon your
| own premises, among your fellow citl-
zcns and in the hands of your friends.
! For we greet you as fellow citiZf MS of Il
common State, whether YOU be to the
| manor born on have cast your lot among
! us. We are proud of our State. The
time has been when North Carolina was
counted laggard in the race of Com
monwealthS. That time has passed and
passed forever. The day now is when
to he North Car0linan is throughout
the land badge of honor and respect.
When State can sell ats four per cent
tcn-year bonds at a price TO net to the
heldcr less than three per cent, its people
cam hold their heads higher and walk
with firmer tread. No longer are we in
any way related to Old Rip. the somno-
| lent denizen of the Catskill Hills. Here
| live an advancing and homogeneous peo-
| pc-more truly American than any 9th
cr-With Il smaller percentage of for
| cign-horn residents than that of any 9TH
or State. Here live people who above
| all else love justice and liberty. who
! reverence and obey the law and deal
| Justly, and among whom the love Of
! virtue abidos with sureSt SWay-Who
| are indencndcnt in thought and action
whose greatest fault has been that here
t0fore in many ways they have been
lmduly modest-Who are going forward
in all material ways with mighty
strides, and who are soon to make their
State one of the industrial centres of the
nation. God speed the work! And we
are doing it with our own money and
Drawn and brainit is North Caroinians
who arc developing and advancing North
Carolina. May | not say of every typi-
cal son of the Old North State. that
with ballots and bullets, in peace
or in war
He stands for that jewel fair play;
If there's wrong in the land, he'll know
what its for
And how long it proposes to stay.
It's Justice he wants, and he'll have it
He's proud and he's true from big-toe
to crown.
And his backbone is doubIe-braced all
the way down.
''In this progressive condition of our
State. there is no one department of our
business life upon which our pc0lLe
are more dependent than upon yours.
Upon the integrity of our banks, upon
their careful management. their conser-
vatiSm and yet their cautious liberahty,
upon their constancy to recognized
methods and yet their readiness to aid
all safe-guardcd enterprises largely rest
the thrift and security of all business.
The problems that confront you con-
Stamty change and often need wise and
united endeayor for solution. For that
reason. among others. this Association
is to be commended and encouraged
that by discussion and consultation
light may he thrown upon new questions
as they present themselves. and the eX-
pcrience and sagacity of each one may
rebound to the advantage and benefit
of all.
There is a laudaile tendency in these
days for men following similar occupa-
tons to organize in district and separate
associations for the furtherance and
protection of their own special vocation.
Within proper limits. this tendency is
right and essential whether it result in
labor unions or in financial and CONNER
cial organizations-tha right of self
protection is a duty as we'll as a right,
and combinations of men of the same
Ut kEliuGcu interests T1IO SuplpIltS OF as
sociations for the purpose of serving and
promoting their own particular interests
is to be commended so long as they keep
within the confines of the law and pur-
sue no methods that are illegitinate or
inimical to the general good of all class
es | believe this Association to be not
emily an instrument by which your own
interests will be srbserved and strength
lA,rt in, u-bi bp
general public has Il lively and unceasinG
concern You arc the custodians of our
surplus funds. You are the heart Of
our business and commercial life-blood.
You sustain lis jan our needs and share
our prosperity. We therefore salute
Won as our friends and faithful counsel
lors and wish for your Association the
fullest measure of success and suspicious
life.
'"rhe day for large profits has gone
hy-not only in the business of bank
ing. but in adj other businesses. The
industry Of dealing i'll money like all
other industries requires careful and
close supervision. There is now. gen
tlemen no bonanza in your vocation. The
business now requires economics i'll or
ganization and administration so that
reduced rates of profit may be counter
balanced by the adoption of new and
more frugal methods. That is mat
ter which comnends itself to your con
stderation. but which | have no doubt
YOU are capable of adjusting. To make
the banking business yield sufficient re-
turns to those whose monies are invested
i'm it needs constant and capable exer-
ton. The man who conceives in this day
that banking is Il pleasurable form of a
light and lovely 'avocation in which work
is easy and profits abundant is very
much in error. No man ill amy COM
munity carries upon his shoulders
more exacting or heavier burden than
the conscientious and trustworthy ban
ker.
But ! must not detain your further,
however delightful it may be to look
into your faces. | repeat the welcome |
have already rendered. l repeat we
are glad to have you with us. i am
commissioned by the Chief Executive of
our municipality to extend to You the
freedom of the city. To request favor
OF any of our citizens is to compliment
him. We trust that your session may
be filled with harmony and that it may
be profitable to you and to your fellow