The Topeka state journal., 1902-11-11
ROOSEVELT,
CLEVELAND.
President and Former Presi-
dent of United States
Meet as Guests of the Chamber
of Commerce
AT THE DEDICATION
of the New Building in Greater
New York.
The Ex-President Was Orator
of the Day.
AT THE DEDICATION

United States as lJS guests u iioAOl, 0ti--
with representatives of foreign govern
ments and other distinguished persons
the New York chamber of commerce
formally dedicated its building in TINS
city today The new building, hand
some structure of white marble, Is STU
ated in Liberty street between Nassau
and Broadway.
The proceedings were opened with
prayer Of dedication by the Rev Morgan
Dix. rector Of Trinity church An ad-
dress of welcome by Morris X Jessup
president of the chamber. followed. ana
then the grafton of the day was deliV-
cred by former President Grover CleVe-
land, who said in part:
1T need not surprise US II the popular
estimate of this business organization
should fail to take into account all that
it has done to promote high and Datrl-
otic purposes not always related, in
narrow sense. to commerce No asso-
ciated body of our citizens felt more
deeply and effectively the throbbing OF
patriotism and devotion to country
when our government was threateneq
by armed rebellion: its protest and aid
was Immediately forthcoming when,
afterwards. an insidiOus attack was
made upon financial integrity through
an attempted debasement of our cur
rency; from no quarter has a more
earnest and insistent demand been heard
for the adjustment of International dis
putes by arbitration; its espousal of the
cause of business education among our
people has been hearty and practical; 1t
has advocated enlarged reciprocity OF
business relations between nations and
the removal of their veXatious hind
RANGES; and last, but by no means least,
1t has promptly and with an open hand
relieved distress and alleviated disaster.
Such incidents as these illustrate the or
ganization's benefcent accomplishments
in the advancement of civilization and
in furtherance of the Improvement of
humanity.
.sTf We i,,s+1xr q aDrracio+a what these
things mean. we shall realize that COM
merce has done an immense service to
humanity, by enlarging within its wide
influence the acceptance of the laws of
honest dealing among civilized commu-
mites and by curbing mans besetting
-' sins of selfshness and greed.
We shall thereuDon be led to appre-
hend the especial benefits in a moral
sense that have accrued to our own
men from the work and example of the
chamber os commerce of the state of
New York and of kindred institutions
scattered throughout our land. They
have brought together n vast number of
citizens and made the American mer-
chant who. too great to be mean, has
by bold enterprises and brave venture,
challenged the admiration of the world
equally as important as this in its
moral complexion and significance they
have. by the adoption and enforcement
of rules for their government illustrated
to people ant to chafe under enforced
restraint how usefully they themselves
may voluntarily restrain and regulate
their conduct; and beyond ALL they have
directly and by example leavened the
mass of our citizenship with a love Of
scru9ulous honor and largely contrib
uted TO the preservation of true devotion
to fair play.
What 7 have said must not be un-
derstood as in the least intimating that
commerce should be an altruistic or
benevolent affair. mana =ed on lines of
hi =
ception would be absurdly at fault
Commerce is born of enterprise: and
enterprise is in this busy. bustling age
born of struggle and competition But
the struggle and competition need not
be to the death. Alertness and keen
ness and securing business opportuni-
ties does not by any means import un-
mindfulness of all else save truthfulness
and ravenous snatching
'As the pioneer of colonization ant
expansion sordidly undertaken in it's in
IereSt, commerce has in other daVS haC
justly laid at its door cruel aggression
and ruthless disregard of human right.
in regions where. to use the languag,
of an apologist. the welfare of the in.
habitants of these possessions is siIh
ordinate to the strategic or commercial
purpose for which they are heldI /
any measure of restitution or comDen
sation has fallen due from commerce +,
humanity on this score we know tha
lis lull acNlUlJIanCe mas been made or i
forthcoming and we certainly shoul,
have no cause to fear that a like guilt
responsibility will be again incurred
These exercises, recalling so forcibl,
the growth of American commerce il
worldwide influence abroad and in use
fulness and beneficenCe at home canno
fail to be of interest to III our country
men; but the citizens of the great q
our states and of our imperial CITY. vrit'
all they have to make them proud an
happy. must especially congrat11lat
themselves upon the association of tbai
state and city with the fame and homo
which have been wrought ont Nv tb
chamber of commerce of the state q
New York"
When Mr.. Cleveland rose to sneak h
was greeted with loud cheers from tn
assemblage and several times in hi
speech he was interrupted bv apnIaus,
At the conclusion of Mr.. Cleveland
address, Morris K. Jessup, president =
the chamber, announced that Presider
Roosevelt although reservine his ad
dress for the banquet this evening ha
consented to say a few words.
ROOSEVELT SAYS A FEW <VORns
AS President Roosevelt stepped fol
ward to address the chamber. the vhoi
assemblage rose and cheered. He sDok
as follows:
"Mr. President and Csentlemen:-As
am to speak to you this evening. sha
now simply say a word of greeting ,
you and your guests. have beer. .aslxe
here as the chief executive of the ne
ton and so can spea,-. not merely .
your behalf, but on behalf of o,r ner
pie as a whole in greeting and than<in
for their presence here these represents
tives of foreign countries who have dor
us the honor and pleasure of bein
present here today. (Applause)
Il greet the ambassador (turnine ,
M. Cambon) whose approaching depal
4ura we SO sincerely regret the 1,,ota,