The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-11
The ADDRESSES
WERE SPIRITED
Four Men of National Reputation
the Guests of Honor at 25th
Anniversary Banquet of Boston
Merchants Association
GEN. COLLINS HELD
IMPROMPTU RECEPTION
Hon. Kogara Ia Kahira, the lap
aneSe Minister to the United
States Received a Genuine
American Reception Which He
Appreciated

American Reception Which He
Appreciated
Boston, Dec. 10.-In celebration Of its
25th anniversary, the Boston Mer-
chants Association met at the Ven
dome this evening, and was enter
tanned by four men of national reputa-
ton with spirited addresses, chiefly
along political lines.
Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith spoke on reciprocity; Hon. Ko-
caro- Takahira, the Japanese minister,
upon the subject of commercial rela-
tions; Senator Marcus A. Hanna, on
the ship subsidy bill, and Hon. Henry
Watterson of Kentucky on kentucky
and Massachusetts" These were the
principal guests, but at the tables were
many men of state prominence, and
also Hon. P. A. Collins, mayor-elect of
Boston, congressman Conry and Ma
.phen and Marion +. Taylor of Louis
vile, Ky.
Simple decorations Of floral char
acter, beside the American and Jap
anese flags, lent beauty to the banquet
hall, while orchestral music added to
the interest A reception preceded the
banquet and at both President A. A.
Lawrence presided.
Durh6 lhe evening GeH' C1llIiIs NJ y
an llhproHnptu reception, anu GU
many telesrdiIls Oh CONG d III" - Cd
Lieut.. Gov. John L. Bates, the first
speaker represented Gov Crane. He
eHIehueo the WelcolI,e oL NJ e.'2e - ~
to the guests. postmaster NehelaI
Smith followed.
Hon. hogaro IaKahlra IecelNeu d 81
ulne American welcome Oh WHICH Hs
showed ms appnreclaIIoh'
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen:
If I say that I am gratified to have
the opportunity of being with you this
evening, the sentiment, no matter how
sincerely felt and expressed, can hard
ly be said to have the charm of nov
city. In a country like this, where a
kindly welcome and generous hospital
ity to the stranger within the gates
are the rule, all Of us have abundant
opportunity to say the same. But find
an added reason for expressing graft
fication in the fact that l appear this
| evening in some sense a representative
of the Orient before an audience con-
trolling commercial interests which
have always been closely identified
with the Orient. The merchants and
ship owners of Boston and New Eng
land We're the commercial adventures
of the Republic from the earliest days
and were among the first to carry its
flag to Japan when our ports were
opened to the Worlds commerce. There
your merchants established themselves
at the earliest opportunity and names
famous in your city's civic and com
! mercial history became well known in
Japan.
Therefore, arguing from the past, l
think it may be safely assumed that
| the Boston merchants of today take an
active and intelligent interest in all
: that affects the growth of American
commerce in the East, and from my
standpoint, that naturally means an
active and intelligent interest in Jap
an.
No one will contend that a prosper
ousC commerce is the
only thing worth striving for in inter
national intercourse On the other
hand. no one will deny that it is
potent aid in establishing good rela-
tiOns between nations. So far as the
more sentimental reasons for the eX-
Iistence of mutual good will are con-
cerned, such a scrupulOus regard for
leach others rights and the interchange
'of disinterested good offices, friendship
between Japan and the United States
was established from the outset on a
) firm basis. The notable growth of
l trade between the two countries within
/ the past few years must inevitably
z tend to strengthen this friendship, al
though it cannot be said to have
crea ted it. We were united by the ties
of mutual respect and regard before;
now we have the element of self inter-
est added, proving to us that our
friendship has been wise in a worldly
sense. That the relations between our
countries In this direction will grow
even more mutually beneficial with the
! lapse of time, I firmly believe. And the
p conviction impresses itself with equal
force upon my mind that your assOcia
ton and others like 1t throughout this
= great land will have a potent influence
( in bringing about this happy result.
Therefore I wish you success and beg
. you to believe that the kindly senu
ments which your people have so often
l manifested by words and deed toward
Japan are echoed in the hearts of my
. countrvmen.
e They fully realize the fact that you
are a peace loving people, whose
normal activities are in the direction
of trade and commerce as was stated