The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-16
to.aov cormono tho respect and conf.

to-day command tho respect and cohiA-
tencc of the whole country.
I'VE have not lost our ability TO pro-
ducc men capable of great enterprises
and worthy of unhounded confidence IN
their integrity and faithfulness TO duty,
by the help Of your energy, experiences
wisdom and generous support, we conf 1,
IDENTIFY expect continued improvement III
tho condition of all our people. nnd l
trust that the day has arrived when the
beneficence OF the work you accomplish
is recognized and appreciated foy aii
thoughtful and just persons.
ALLOW me, in conclusion, to say now
highly nonored sIn to bring lSour
honorable body the cordial welcome OIL INC
brave. kind, generous and hospitable peo-
ple in whose name l welcome you 10
day to this city, 10
The addresses Of the Mayor anu "
Colonel Purcell were both warmly re-.
ceiyed by the association, and VIII ne
nr;nted in full in the records Of the con-
vention.
Delightful Response.
Mr.. Carter r. Bishop, Of Petersburg,
on behalf OF the visitors made the re-
sponsc to the welcoming addresses III a
speech which was reminiscent, humorous
and practical, and on tho "hoie "
popular nature. In the course Oh MS
address Mr.. Bishop said IN part:
"The state Of Virginia is proycrbial for
its hospitality, and in Its capital city
we find this virtue reaches its climax.
NV pleasant experience has been that
MI bankers are cordial with each other.
So when the Virginia bankers meet IN
Richmond we find a consummatloh lha'
connot be nut into words, however much
1t is to be desired.
but there are mitigating circunVthnces
that come to my relief IN the stress Oh
my environment One of these IS mat
I am not wholly a stranger within your
gates. Some forty years ago ! lived III
Richmond, and learned something OF It's
ways. My citizenship here was not en-
tirely voluntary. Now, do not msunder-
stand me, and take 1t for granted that
was here in the State penitcntiary, for
l was not, though In those strenuous
DAYS many of our best people were in
similar Institutions. You will remember
that ut that time q number OF men
with marked Partially for blue clothes
were largely in evidence In this state
These men were no doubt well raised
in some respects, but their parents had
never broken them of the bad habit OF
playing with fire AS result of this
carelessness the barracks of the Virginia
Military Institute at Lexington were
burned and the cadets were brought down
to Richmond. Here they were received
with much orntory, an ovation of smiles
from pretty girls and hearty meal.
I mention these things in inverse order
Of their appreciation at that time. Rich
mond has always been duly proud OF
her every achievement, and at that time
she was Wanting herself somewhat for
having just finished her new almshouse
on Shockoe Hill. Here the corps was
quartered and the boys taught to be
soldiers, and, for fear there might be
some point in the education not made
clear by books and lectures, we were
with welcomed frequency taken to the
front and allowed to take n hand in
what modern slang would denominate
the real thing
"a disputed point in the corps at that
time was which was the smaller boy.
Tom Martin or myself; but, fortunately
for Virginia, there has for many years
been no shadow OF doubt as to which
is the bigger man. BY the way Mr..
President nothing so emphasizes the
progress that our State has made as the
fact that such men as Tom Martin, John
Purcell, Tom Rutherford and others OF
us in this bankers convention were forty
years ago inmates Of the poorhouses.
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