New-York tribune., 1902-10-07
rHFcHAMBER COMMERCE
pRrFF RECORD OF IT'S HISTORY AND
ACHIEvEMENTS-B S-BENEFACTlONS
OF ITS MEMBERS

.s-,rIe and fued AZ with their finest treas
-as of painting and sculpture The compile
,,- NJ the new home OF the Chamber of Com
-,s-oa is an expression Of the obligation OF the
--s--bants 20 the genius OF commerce. which
IN ~ most vorthily installed within SIS walls,
s.r gives occasion for some reflections upon
-. ,-,-.n u commerce and the part which the
.--rsnt has taken IN the progress Of the
.,-Ia II agriculture was the earliest occupa-
80, ~ man. commerce must be reckoned as
.,,rs f1- - began with the first exchange
I. me proaucrs %; the earth, and IT has LEFT its
-v mon every stage OF the development ~
me human race.
great thinker has said that commerce has
.lvsvs LED the historic march Of civilization.
The merchant in pursuit Of trade has been the
riopeer m India China, Africa and other re-
mote quarters OF the globe. He has opened the
way for the missionary and the man OF science
and has been largely instrumental IN founding
and sustaining the school. the university. the
library. the hospital and the museums OF art
and science and uniformly has been the friend
OF liberty OF thought and speech
N1-ey wrote regarGius the Middle Ages
"rhe genius OF liberty conducted by the spirit
of commerce descenGs al last 70 awaken man
kind from ITS sIoth and cowardIy stuPor II was
rHe principle OF mercantile associations n the
Middle Ages which protected the infant steps
violence and wrong" The history OF the trade
guilds ot Europe 5usrides this statement
The republics OF Italy were largely enriched
by merchants. They established trade with
the Orient and made Venice ~Jhe bride a the
sea-" The Medlci family of Florence were per
haps the most Distinguished of the worlds
families OF merchants certainly rrcn the four
teenth 70 the sixteenth century. They realized
immense fortunes IN trade. which they spent
learning, science and ART They established
banks In many cities IN Europe, and SET Up
printing presses Immediately after Gutenburg's
invention OF movable types and foUnded many
Libraries. They became rulers Of -he republic.
and, though their rule was often tyrannical.
vet commerce and public works hourished un-
der their patronage al that period as never be
fore. The Me5tci family furnished two Popes
f1r Rome several cardinals and grand dukes.
and gave queen 70 France. Their mopuments
and arr treasures are to-day among the chief
attractions OF Italy.
Nearly two hundred years ago an eminent
English poet who was d statesman and an
Tnder Secretary of state, 8Ir. Addison, after a
visit 10 the Royal Exchange IN London, wrote
Factors IA The commercial world are what am
hassadors are In the political world They
negotiate affairs. conclude treaties and maintain
a correspondence between wealthy societies ~
men thai are divided from one another by seas
and oceans Consequently there are no more
useful members Of commonwealth than uer-
chants. They knit mankind together In a
mutual Intercourse OF good Offices They dis
tribute the gifts OF nature, hnd work for the
ro0r and add wealth 70 the nations"
Whea her late majesty Queen Victoria whom
history w.u place or a pedestal beside her
predecessor. Elizabeth, and Isabella or spain,
assumed the title ~ Empress OF India she
owed the right 70 this tte 90 a company Of
merchants VINO laid the foundation Of the
magnificent British Empire IN India, and. in-
deed of the entire influence Of the English 4
#eaylnE race IN the Orient The history OF the
I-st India Company IS most interesting. The
Dutch Ii 1893 had hrnly established their trade
IN The East The DU-chrlen arbitrarily raised
rhe price of pepper in the English market from
"s 10 Co. Sd The merchants Of London held
meeting on December 81, 1000 ar which the
Lord Mayor presided and agreed 70 form an as
sociation for trading directly with India. The
company received rne royal charter under the
ute The Governor and Merchants Of London
Trading 10 the East Indies" The original capi-
tal was El0ooo This small company OF British
merchants directed by men Of genius IKE Give
and Hastings. governed the millions OF natives
untD The British Government dissolved The East
Incia Company. In ls5s. and assumed the SOW
eieiglty cf The peninsula.
distinguished English statesman. ar
chamberlain. lu reply 90 some severe crit.-
cisms uDon bis Official acts said recently Ia tl-
mouse OF commons that DE could NOT claim
inherited wealth ~ Iotty descent but that his
FAMILY Tor three generations had borne a repu-
ta'ion Tor commercial integrity, and that his
.a1ner his grandfather and his great grand
-atAer h-1 been industrious merchants. The
right honorable gentleman might have added
concerning some former members OF that House
lAai sr Robert Peel was calico printer John
Bright and Richard Golden were merchants and
man-1lcture~s and thar Gladstone was rhe son
of Liverpool merchant
The CITY or New-Yorz had less than $4,000
nha6'tants when company of twenty naer-
Ihants on april 3 176s met IN Fraunces' !
laFern ar The corner OF Pearl and Broad SITS
.'ne building ls sim standing). and there 4
founded the Chamber OF Commerce. The names I
NJ these merchants vvera.
5ohu Cruger. Thomas White.