Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-13
ROOSEVELT AND
CLEVELAND SPEAK
President and Ex-Presi-
dent Talk at Dedica.
cation of N. Y. Chamo
Der of Commerce.

welt arrived at Jersey City at 6:45 O'Clock
this morning over the Pennsylvania rail-
road.
President Roosevelt was met at Jersey
City by Cornelius Bliss, who accompanied
him to this city. There was no demon
stration at Jersey City, but a consider
able crowd had gathered at the west
Twenty-third street station in this city,
and when the president appeared IN MS
, carriage, he was greeted with choers.
With the president at breakfast were
Dr. N NJ. Butler, president Of Columbia
university, and several other friends.
After breakfast President Roosevelt visit
ed his sister, Mrs. d. Robinson, and then
repaired to the Union League club, where
he rested until time to go to the new
chamber Of commerce for the dedication
ceremonies.
The proceedings were opened with a
prayer of dedication by the Rev. Morgan
Dix, rector of Trinity church. An adj
dress of welcome by Morris X. Jessup.
president of the chamber. followed, and
then the grafton of the day was delivered
by former President Grover Cleveland.
Former President Cleveland said In
part:
ut need not surprise us If the popular
| estimate Of this business Organization
| should fail to take into account all that
| il has done to promote high and patriotic
purposes not always related, in narrow
| sense to commerce. No associated BODY
of our citizens felt more deeply and ef-
fectively the throbbing of patriotism and
devotion to country when our govern
ment was threatened by armed rebellion;
| its protest and aid was Immediately forth
/ coming when afterwards, an insidtous at
| tack was made upon financial integrity
through an attempted debasement OF our
currency, from no country has more
/ earnest and insistent demand been heard
,F int
putes by arbitration. Its espousal Of the
! cause of business education among our
people has been hearty and practical, II
has advocated enlarged reciprocity or
business relations between nations and
| the removal Of their vexatious hind
RANGES; and last, but by no means least,
| IL has promptly and with an open hand
relieved distress and alleviated disaster.
Such incidents as those illustrate the or
ganization's beneficent accomplishments
| in the advancement Of civilization and
/ in furtherance of the improvement Of
humanity.
IF we justly appreciate what these
things mean, we shall realize that com
merce has done an immense service 70
humanity by charging within its wide
/ inflbence the acceptance Of the laws of
honbsE analinN anaonR civilized oo1n1nAlni-
ties, ana by curling mans besetting sins
| of selfishness and greed.
1--WE shall thereupon be led to appre-
bend the especial benefits in a moral
sense that have accrued to our own
| countrymen from the work and example
of the chamber of commerce Of the state
of New York and Of kindred institutions
| scattered throughout the land.
''They have brought together a vast
number of our citizens and made the
American merchant, who too great to be
mean, has by bold enterprise and brave
49,. -frs-eH s,r. Of
/ the world Equally as important as this
/ in its moral complexion and significance,
/ they have, by the adoption and enforce
ment of rules for their government, illus
/ trated to a people, apt TO chafe under en-
forced restraint, how usefully they them
selves may voluntarily restrain and reg
ulate their conduct and beyond all they
have directly and by example leavened
the mass of our citizenship with love
of scrupulous honor and largely contrib
uted TO the preservation OF true devotion
| to fair play.
what 1 have said must not be under
stood as in the least intimating that COM
merce should be an altrustic and benev-
client AFFAIR, managed on lines Of amfa-
bility and concession. Such conception
would be absurdly at fault Commerce Is
/ born of enterprise, and enterprise IN this
busy, hustling age, is born of struggle and
competition. But the struggle and COM
/ petition need not to be to the death. Earn
| estness and keenness in securing BUSH
ness opportunities does not by any means
import unmindfulness Of all else save ruth
| fulness and Favenous snatching.
Gas the pioneer of colonization and ex-
pansion sordidly undertaken in its inter-
ests commerce has In other days had just
| " laid at its door cruel aggression and
ruthless disregard of human rights in
regions where, to use the language Of an
apologist the welfare of the inhabitants
of these possessions is subordinate to the
strategic or commercial purpose for which
they were held; IL any measure of resti-
tuition or compensation has fallen due
from commerce to humanity on this score
we know that its full acquittance has
been made or is forthcoming and we GER
tainly should have no cause to fear that
a like guilty responsibility will again be
| incurred.
These enterprises. recalling so forci-
| bly, the growth Of American commerce in
worldwide influence abroad and in USE
fitness and beneicence at home, cannot
| fail to be Of interest to all our country
men: but the citizens of the greatest Of
our states and our imperiality, with all
| they have TO make them proud and happy
| must especially congratulate the fame and
honor which have been wrought out by the
chamber Of commerce Of the state of New
YorS."
President Roosevelt Speaks.
When Mr.. Cleveland rose to speak he
was greeted with loud cheers from the
| assemblage and several times in his
speech he was interrupted by applause.
At the conclusion Of his address, Morris
X Jessup, president of the chamber Of
commerce, announced that President
Roosevelt, although reservfng his address
for the banquet this evening, had con-
scented to say a few words. AS Presi-
dent Roosevelt stepped forward to adj
dress the chamber, the whole assemblage
arose and cheered. He spoke as follows:
''Mr. President and Gentlemen: AS }
am to speak to you this evening I shall
simply say word of greeting to you and
to your guests. I have been asked here
as the chief executive Of the nation and
so 1 can speak not merely on your be-
half, but on behalf of our people as
whole. in greeting and thanking for their
presence here the representatives of for
eign countries who have done US the
honor and pleasure of being present to-
day. (Applause.)
Il greet the ambassador turning to Mr..
Cambon), whose approaching departure
we sincerely regret. the ambassador to
whom on his advent we extended so
hearty a greeting. especially those great
friendly civilized nations -gith whom we
Continued on Page Two.