The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-22
The Sister Cities.


AS will be believed by those who en-
JOY the pleasure of his acquaintance,
there was but short Interruptions to
the run Of laughter that accompanied
the response made by General Palmer
to the toast The Sister Cities" 1t Is
given below in full
Proctor Knott made himself famous by one
speech on Duluth the Zenith City Of the Tn.
salted Seas" Had he selected Scranton for a
text he would have been twice famous.
IL Is but yesterday since Scranton was Slocum
Hollow, with one store, tavern, a blacksmith
shop and dozen houses. I say yesterday be.
cause remember it well and am only boy
Today, barring Wilkes Barre and Pittsburg. it is
the most thriving and prosperous inland city in
| the state.
What makes a city great2 Is it population ?
The census gives you $1,000 and You claim ls0,.
| 600. Is it wealth? The mighty buildings that
| shade your streets, the mmptuous homes that
crown the hillsides testify that people have
had capital, and that they now have experience,
and Scranton has the capital. Is il enterprise? =?
The very atmosphere throbs with il. When I
come to Scranton and listen TO the tales OF for
| tune made it seems to me that every Scranton
| man has a touch of Midas--everything he handles
| tuIns to gold. Lawyers, great expoundcrs of
| the law, made fortunes mining coal Watres,
| al propriately named, promotes water companies
| until he seems to have q cnch on all the creeks
from Lake Erie to the Delaware, and is nearly
rich enough, not quite, TO 20 into politics and
run for United States senator. Sturges builds
| railroads and cuts coupons for pleasure and jugs
| councilmen for a business. Watkins does J. Pier.
| pont Morgan in a coal mine deal, and Simpson
| seems to own the Waldorf Astoria. ! am sure
| that enterprise il drug in Scranton markets.
| A great town.
| OF course, Scranton is great town. Great in
| the pluck that has made these barren hill sides
blossom like rose. Great in the energy that
| has developed and built up this wonderful city
| in a night. Great in the business ability that
| makes it a manufacturing center for varied in
| dustries and a wholesome mart for Northeastern
| Pennsylvania and part Of York state. Great
in the loyalty Of her citizens to their city and
| each other Great in the unlimited and illimit'
there is but one city on earth, and that is
| Scranton. Believe Scranton man when he talks
| about Scranton. ! guess not.
Said an Irishman to his friend whom he met
| on the street: "Why, Pat, ! heard you was
dead' Faith, say am not" says Pat.
'Surc ] would rather believe the man what tald
me-" says the friend" You think that is an
| Irish bull. 1t is not. II was borrowed from the
| Greeks and was old when Rome was built.
1
, city is men. Not mere bipeds wearing clothes
| but real men with brains and Drawn, with char
acter and courage, fearing nothing but God and
| dishonor. OF such Scranton has not been lack
| ing. II she had she would still be Slocum Tol
| low. | cannot go over the list, it is too long
| and of the builders OF Scranton are still
| living and giving daily evidence that they are
| alive OF some OF the dead ! may speak, anc
| particularly OF George W. scranton, whose hon
/ h1a tyntir sit m
| of his kin you owe honor and remembrance. lii
| wise foresight laid the foundations, broad anc
| deep OF your prosperity He filled to letter
| my estimate of a man. lie had Drawn and brain
| and character and courage. lie feared God anc
| loved the TRUTH "and his works do follow him. y
james Archibald, Dickson, Albright. Mates
| Names, and scores Of others, were the captains
| OF industry who 'builded better than they knew
| The burden laid upon this generation-many q
| them bearing these hOnored names-is to perpet
uatc what they originated. With wider oppor
| tunity, with greater means, with added expert
| Cnce, there is no reason why the men OF Scranton
should not carry on this great work OF building
| city 10 its legitimate conclusion, and l an
not in doubt as to their capacity or intention
| in that behalf. But, as the years roll by, an'
| wealth accumulates. see to il that the standar'
| OF manhood set by the brave. true men who wer
| your pioneers is not lowered or debased
| Ill fares the lana, 10 hastenlnB llls q prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men decay
II this life has no higher motive than to bull,
| palaces and pile up gold it is not worth living
| In this century we may reasonably expect nev
| adjustment of conditions between the laborinl
poor and their employers. To reconcile labo
| and capital 30 that one shall not with unceasn,
fury destroy, the other with unhallowed gree
/ opress, is a task worthy of the most enlightened
and Christian Craftsmanship OF this or any othe
land The unrequited toll of the bondman
no more. but every drop Of blood drawn by tn
lash was repaid by torrents drawn by the sword
II YOU would escape in the twentieth centur
destruction worse than that visited ON Rome b.
the Goths and vandas in the sixth, you mus
meet the reasonable demands OF those whose 10
it is to toll for bread, and fairly share with then
the proceeds OF industries in which capital ca
do without labor no better than labor can d
without capital
Ny toast is 1.-The Sister Cities" Now, 20
expect me to talk about Wilkes Barre. Well,
shall not have dependent family, and wis
TO hold down seat in congress few months
| take no chances. ] am like the man who re
ceved despatch saying: "your mother'in'la'
Is dead, Shall we bury, embalm or cremate.
The reply was brief, but emphatic; "Embalm
creInate and bury. Take no chances"
But, in order TO keep solid with my constitu
ents | will venture to say this much Whe
Macauley's New Zealander sits on the ruins q
London bridge meditatng upon the greatness Q
the city that has been but Is not; when the owl
are roosting and the bats are boarding in the to
stories Of your tall buildings, when an aborigin
! from the Sand Cut, digging around the hol
4 where the court house stood shall uncover III
corner stone, and, opening IT, take out the RI
publican, and Tribune, and Truth, and Times
and read of the mighty people who once inhabi
ed this valley; when your statesmen are a
dead; your city council all honest; your last no
OF coal dug and burned, Wilkes Barre will 81
in the midst OF a hundred thousand acres Of VII
gin coal with ninety feet to the acre, as compl'
Gently, as self-oontained, as proud and as pro-
porous as she Is today rejoicing in the fact tha
the supreme court has solemnly declared, in
judgment from which there is no appeal, that III
} is the most peturesquely beautiful city In n