The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-20
Great New York Lawyer De-
liyers Address Before
Association.
SHOULD. KEEP OUT OF
DOMAIN OF BUSINESS.
Patcrnalisrn, Though Apparently
Helpful When Friendly, Very
Harmful When Hostile.
Other Good Speeches
and a Brilliant
Banquet.
Lsp.eis, 70 rh. TIme,- pI,pateh. ]

Special to The Times -DBpatch.l
| -. OF SPRINGS, Va, June 10
This was a day OF great In
/ terest in the annual meeting
/ II OF the Virginia Bankers AS
1 sociation being held at the
/ Homestead Hotel.
/! An able and most entertaining i'd
! dress by Martin w. Littleton, the elo-
| ,auent New York lawyer, whose defense
! Of Harry Thaw added to his reputa-
| tion and gave him worldwide fame. an
| exceedingly clever address on Some
Lessons OF the Late Panic" by Mr.. W.
| Meade Addison, cashier OF the National
Bank OF Virginia; Secretary George Z.
| Aliens address on the American 1nsti-
| tute Of Banking" and the annual BAN
! quet tonight were the features that
combined to make the day one Of both
| enjoyment and profit.
! And the bankers Gevinced as much
| interest in the ball game at Recreation
| Park this afternoon as they did In the
| financial discussions. Nearly all of
| them attended the game. and they were
surprised at the excellent exhibition
| given. The local team defeated Ron
| ceverte by the score OF 2 to ..
The address of Mr.. Addison on the
recent panic was an excellent one.
very thoughtful. and was followed
CloSeiy py t1e THeHDeTs. IHe poputdE
Richmond banker was literally ap-
plauded.
! MFR. Littleton's Address.
Although the thermometer regis
| tered June weather Martin Littleton
| held HIS audience spellbound for two
| hours.
His was a notable speech. and the
bankers enjoyed It. The speaker was
| given tremendous ovation
Mr.. .Littleton's theme was "Pater-
nalisn-Friendly and 4Unfriendy-But
| Paternaiism.'' He said the Federal and
! State governments for a great many
years did everything they could to en-
courage men who had money and nerve
in the development OF the country, in
| cluding mining. rairoading and bank
| ing. The Federal government gave
/ those who built factories tag SO
they might be able to sell their goods
higher and keep them up. Both Fed
| eral and State governments gave part
Of their public domain to railroads.
| Altogether this patron government
Of ours said Mr.. Littleton. "was a
Very indulgent and friendly parent to
all OF US. OF course. people grew
very wealthy and people began to ask
where and how they got 1T. Suddenly
| the government, both State and ma
tional swept down on them and began
a crusade, In which every man who
had been captain of Industry was
| suddenly crook, and every man who
| had been regarded as an adventurer
anxious to develop the country was put
| under suspicion.
Neither the national nor State gov
/ ernment should ever undertake to hurt
| or to help any particular industry. The
| government ought to keep its land 8
i n naft hor fr{
~ and allow the individual and his
| enterprse to work out the Industrial,
| destiny of this country. Friendly pa
ternalism as long as 1t remains friend
! ~ seems a great blessing. but when 1t
becomes hostile 1t seems to be a grea
\ curse" =
Followed Government Example.
Touching on the subject OF railroad
discrimination. Mr.. Littleton said.
! Railroad companies followed the ex-
ample OF the government, and prac-
tlced discrimination In their tariff rates.
/ II the government could in justice af-
ford to make one part Of the commu-
nifty pay toward the wealth Of another,
In the name of the prosperity OF the
whole. why might not railroad make
one shipper pay heavier In order to
build up the industry OF another? once
the government set up this policy and
enforced 1t as an example Of justice.
1t was not to be wondered at that dis
examination in rates entered into and
formed part of the practice OF rail-
roads and Industrial enterprises"
Railroad companies, not only unre-
strained but encouraged by law. ac-
i quired vast interests outside of strict
4! ~ railroad business. The period OF
combination had arrived, ana business
enterprises fell together and melted
into each other under the warm and
approving smile Of the government.
The demand of the Individual was for
cheap commodities and employment
for labor The public demand was for
commercial and business development.
The man who could produce these re-
I suits was hailed as a captain OF in
dustry, and The party that could main
tain this condition was welcomed as
the party of prosperity.
Not For Government.
"That there were great evils which
demanded treatment, no honest man
can dispute" Mr.. Llttleton continued,
''but that those evils Justify the WIDE
spread encroachment by both State
and national governments upon the
domain OF economic liberty claim the
privilege to doubt, That wrongs had
grown up which required the enforce
ment of the law against larceny ana
breach Of trust, no intelligent man will
deny; but that 1t was necessary or wise
on this account to tie up ali forms OF
d svelopment in arbitrary statutes and
make economic Initiative and activity
an economic crime ! reserve the right
to dispute,
THAT ontrages against honest COM
merceS We're committed, Of such grave
I character is to, arouse the righteous
indlgnatlon of all right shrinking peo-
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