Omaha daily bee., 1907-11-15
,ORTELYOU ASKS GOODNESS
Calls on Business Men of Nation 70
Exercise Good Sense.
TIME FOR DIsPAss1oNATE ACTION
Secretary of Treasury Makes Address
Before the Merchants AssOeiR-
tiOn of the Me-
trOpOlis.

NEW YORK, Nov. 1i.-Secretary OF the
Treasury George B. Cortelyou made an ex-
tended speech today at a celebration OF
the Merchants association of New York.
He said in part:
Message from President.
Il am commissioned to deliver to you
message Of hearty congratulations and best
wishes, coupled with a renewed assurance
OF appreciation of your cooperation I'm
many matters of public moment. That
message is from the president OF the United
States
I'VE have learned some things by expert
ence, recently, by very trying experience
for many of you, but one from which
hope you are even now rapidly recovering
Among other things, we have learned what
It means to stand steady in times of storm
and stress. We have learned too. more
fully perhaps than heretofore. the value
of credit in the business world and have
had brought home to us anew the fact that
1t is most delicate part Of a most delicate
mechanism. We have learned where weak
places were, where improper practices OBJ
tained. We have learned again the value
OF cooperation.
I'm some directions what was weak has
portant, II any man has been guilty of a
violation OF trust that makes him amenable
to the law, we may feel confident that Its
processes, in orderly manner and regard
less Of sensational incitement, for or against
him will be evoked In the interest of the
public.
Financial storm subsidinE.
Now that the financial storm appears 70
be subsidng, we should turn our attention
more and more to the relief of the coun-
try at large. One of the most gratifying
Incidents OF our recent trouble has been
the prompt and patriotic response of man.
OF our great labor organizations to TIM
appeal OF employers for their cooperation
1T is time when every citizen should
assume his share Of the burden. Tht
boarded money should be put back in tht
banks and the exactions OF bankers ant
merchants should be proportioned only t.
actual business necessities To do other
wise is not only unpatriotic, but unwise.
believe that IL this money of the country
wherever boarded were at once put bac,
to fullhll its functions In the channels ol
trade, there would be within twenty-fou..
hours, an almost complete resumption o.
| business operations
The various plans advocated for currency
reform must be subjected to rigid scrutin,
| to the end that the citizens of every sec
! ton shall be fairly treated their needs and
requirements consulted and, above all, tha
! whatever action is finally taken, il shall be
50 sound and wholesomme as to enhanc,
our commercial standing among the ra
tions OF the world. ,-y.
Time for DIsDaSNiOnate Action.
| "As a people we have this and many othe
| grave problems before US. Their solution,
will not be a thing of month or a yeaI.
! We must approach them with the determi-
nation TO exercise dispassionate tudgmen,
and to- seek. as our ultimate aim, Justice
as between man and man.
I'VE must not allow any temporary set
back 20 stay our. progress or prosperity.
We may well say we are recovering from
this one. what a great president OF the
past has said:
'' Rescuscitation will not be promoted by
recrimination. The distrust of the present
will not be relieved by a distrust of the
future. A patriot makes a better citizen
than a pessimist The country is not go
ing backward, but forward American
energy has not been destroyed by ithe
storms of the past. 1t will yet triumph
through wise and beneficial legislation
I'VE will recall too, this wise counsel from
his successor whose message of congratuia-
tions and good will ! delivered to you but
a few months ago:
Let us so on with the work of the
material upbuilding Of this country; and
at the same time remember that vital
though 1t is have a good foundation OF
material well being, yet it il only the foun-
dstion, and upon Il must he built the su-
perstructure OF the moral and spiritual
higher life Of the nation
And finally we may well recall, as pecu-
liarly applicable to present conditions. the
sensible words of a recent editorial in one
OF our great newspapers;
This Is not the time to assail credit, but
to give It conhdence not the time to hold
other men less worthy and less patriotic
than ourselves. The need OF the hour is e
sink prejudice in men, confidence IN meth,
ods confidence in business That mean,
prosperity"