The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-09
MR.. WILLIAMS SPEECH.
Expresses Great Confidence III South
and S0utEcrncrS.
Nr Williams id


Gentlelnen.-It is a sincere pleasure to
me 10 address one S. A. l.. (SaD as the
representative of another. | think we
Will all agree that they are two promis-
ing and growing girls, whose friends have
the right to be proud of their progress
so far and confident of the future.
/ can congratulate you on what appears
to me to be Il reInarkab bic achievement.
The best and surest test is results, and
your results show that there has been
wise anaSement, prudence, diligence ana
energy in every department of your or
ganization. In the pongratuatlon and
praise won from lis outsiders. your every
department shares. The wise plans in
the home Office have evidently been faith
fully executed and the activity of the
agents has made effective the designs of
the founders of your company. You nave
so combined conservatism with agrees
siveness as to bring growth and vitality
with safety
The position OF the life insurance agent
is more adequately understood and rec
oGnized now than ever before lie is
more than ever accepted by business men
as an important factor in the business
life OF every community. as representing
real values and an Indispensable element
of business calculations.
"A
l must modestly acknowledge the truth
of the sentiment expressed in your toast,
that the railroads are prime factors IN
the building up of the South. The road
/ have the honor TO represent will, l hope,
be an especially valuable force in that re-
spect. because it is distinctly Southern
the one important system of which that
can be said-established and managed by
southern men. financed with Southern
capital. and depending for its success
largely on Southern capital. Our pur-
pose. however. is n to trust to sectional
affection. but to prove that q system
made and conducted as ours. by Southern
brains and money. can offer the public
better service and facilities than any
other in this territory.
Such l take to be your purpose in Your
department OF business. Neither OF us
are asking favor or patronage because
we are Southern Both of us are trying
to illustrate the truth that the thing that
is Southern can and will. on its own mer-
its, hold its own against the rivalry OF
the like thing from anywhere on earth
We are working together-you i'll your
line and we in ours-to keep the profits
of business which Southern people con-
tribute at home, for the enrichment and
upbuilding of our part of the Union.
Southern money has for years been pour
ing in torrents through n hundred chan
nela to swell the wealth of the great
money centers at the north and east and
west. Our work is to dam some of these
channels so that the flood may be turned
back upon our own soil. You are in one
channel. / am in another. but we are
working together for the same great end
NEW CONDITIONS.
The South has never been backward in
progress or enterprise. She has the oldest
railroads in this country and she was
leader in the insurance business She has
been bafiied, Ilampered and defeated by
circumstances originating with the origin
OF the fcderation.of the States. The fruits
OF the foresight and public spirit and
energy of those long gone before US have
been gathered by others. The enterprises
established by our forefathers have passed
into strange hands, or have been blishted
by the calamities of war and politics
Now we are beginning over again with
courage undiminished. with purpose I'M
changed. not new things. but old hopes
and plans with new methods and in new
conditions.
We are building. gentlemen, in our re-
spective Experimentation in yours, we in
ours We are building a new, strong and
glorious South which shall be lender
not a borrower: not dependent, put al
equal or a SUPERIOR doing her full part in
the development Of the power and majesty
Of our country. commanding her full! share
of the worlds respect accorded TO TINS
Union.
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.
As VIC are working fo- the same end,
promoting our own interests ANA those OF
the South and the country. we should WORK
together and help each other When there
was war and death the Southern people
rallied to each other and stood shouider
TO shoulder and fell SIDE by side from IN
Potomac to the Calf OF Mexico. Now that
there is lie and peace, 1t Is Tor US aGall
to stand together. 10 help each other.
foster our own enterprise, to keep ou
money among us. TO enrich ourselves
we have in time past enriched other
Not only that II is within our power, an
should be our purpose 10 reach out tuf
Their and further year by year and
gather in business and profit from beyon
our own borders. No business can be sue
cessful by merely holding its own W
need 10 take for ourselves what shaH be
come our own only after we nave gone
after il.
I promise YOU. gentlemen. that the rail-
road companies Of the South will run their
trains over as few of your policy-ho!ders
as possible and that when we must run
over them. we will DO it as gently as pos
sible. congratulate you very earnestly,
and on behalf OF all the Southern rail-
road interests, and especHd!y IN peh2il OF
that ] represent. ] express the WISH Tor
your continued and Astounding success.
Nav your policy -hoiderS be as the sands
of The sea in number and as the waves OF
the sea in saltiness-for notice the
scientists have discovered recently that
with plenty of salt the average of eSpecta-
ton of life may be raised to something
like hundred and fifty years.
The Hon. D. y. Tompkins. of Char
lotte n c.. responded to the toast. La
Dor in the So,:th rs influencing Its Pros
.,crity.''
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