The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-23

NeullpIS VI tnC great pOll.lCul i)lIAleS
will find It desirable to met in the South.
II we are not prepared to give these
bodies q suitable hall for their dellbera-
tions,- we will get an advertisement that
will work ncAlcnlable injury. This Is
the unanswerable argument for building
IN auditorium adequate to, such needs
What It Has Accomplished.
For two years committee Of the
chamber, headed by Mr.. Jno. C. Free
man. has been earnestly working to Sc
cure this auditorium.
I might detain you here for Il month
rectins what the chamber has accom-
plished for Richmond. without giving an
or u just conception Of its absolute neces-
sty. not only for progress, but to main
tain what we have acquired. For fur-
ther information l will ask every man
here to read a report prepared by q
special committee of fifteen leading clti-
zcns, giving their estimate OF the value
of the Chamber of Commerce to-. the
city of Richmond. Their nanres are
vestigation. i can personally testify that
no committee ever conducted a more
rs subj ti "' 4 number of Sessions were
Two Of Of their conclusions I : viii state
here-one is that the annual money
value Of the Ichambcr to Richmond, Is
not less than five hundred thousand dol
lars, 1nDtner IL CIat the Guy cOuld W.
ter afford to pay fifty thousand dollars
annually for tha maintenance Ut the
chamber than to allow It to go down"
This Is the crushing answer to 'lnn-
contribution to criticism. There remains
the comforting reflection, however,. that
criticism is nbt always the embodiment
Of wisdom. is some PEOPLES way Of
apo1ogiaing ,foNno doing her duty. such
the the atty city could not i've without the fight
made in its Behalf by the Chan,lnr of
Commerce The en.ey,rdblc conditions
II trade 10 Gay. the 'nw " cnn''na.hal
of cities and nations under the compell-
ing force Of competition, simply dlsman-
ties city. puts It out Of business. so to
speak. if its residents arc not compactly
organized to protect its interests. The
forces that control In this matter are
Worldwide In their scope an dthey par
take of the character of physical truths.
Germany set the pace and the tremen-
dons Industrial and transportation
achievements of those people since the es-
Establishment Of the empire Is felt in every
community that undertakes to .manufac-
ture an article used by mon or beast
A Triple Purpose.
1t would be interesting to trace TO thei
source the subtle cconoGric laws that
control tho destines Of cities, but what
most concerns us now is not 10 disregard
tnC1ll, SldlulcS may .Cc 'ipii'Tu 81" '''~
yiolator go unpunished-not 50 with eco
nomic law.
we delight to talk of or natural adj
vantages. They are undoubtedly great;
largely by reason of them we have pros
pered. james River serves the triple
purpose of supplying cheap power for
manufacturing, u hiGhW..y lor 'onmfllt
and natural regr,.tcr OF railroau rates.
Coal in abundance rs mn a!ilonal soGr,e
of mechanical energy, tog"the" with the
raw material on w!'!:h 10 oN.Innd th2t
energy, can be cheaply assembled here.
our railroad facilities afford easy access
to the markets of this country. while
the nearby ports Of Newport NHws !. at At
the very centre Of the Atlitntlc Coast
Line. with an ample marine service,
gives access TO the markets Of En:ope.
TO sum 1t all up, then, we orc,'ry 1, a
lie tremendous struggle now bling wHEed
in inf tho n realm of commerce. Able to manu-
facturc chcaply and distribute cllcaply'
we can have the world Tor = customer