The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-17

scored brilliant success as master of
ceremonies. having the rare gift of
saying well the right thing at the right
time. He said in part:
The committee in charge of ar
rangements desire to state their re-
grets at not being able to take all the
visitors in the auto ride in the after
noon. We have a factory here that
turns out the famous Smith machine
at very rapid rate, but the crowd
that poured in here today exceeded
even this great plants supply. If you
will place your orders now for cars
will guarantee that they are filled
when you come to Topeka to the sec
ond annual banquet Of the country
merchants. The committee also re-
great that they could not properly en-
tertain the commercial travellers. and
I want to say right here that when
commercial proposition you have but
little left.
you must break bread and eat salt
with people before you can get thor
oughly acquainted with them. You
may do business with men and think
you know them, but you really know
little about each other after all. Why
there are men here tonight who met
for the first time.S and yet they have
done business with each other for the
past twelve years.
You are invited here by the To-
peka 1obbers and manufacturers. This
sthe last act in the programme Of the
week of getting acquainted
Now, I am not responsible for the
toasts on this printed programme. I
can merely announce the subjects to
you. Neither were any particular du-
ties assigned to me or form Of pro-
cedure, so will assume that I am to
talk as long and often as I please all
through this programme. Mayor
Green is down for the first number on
the programme. He will speak on
the subject, The Glad Hand"
Mayor Green's Talk Pleased.
The mayor said in part. IT am pos
sessed with the conviction that I am
not public speaker. I have learned
from sad experience that my thoughts
are elusive while standing on my feet.
But on an occasion like this I appre-
ciate the fact that my name was
placed on the list of speakers. I want
to talk to you, even II can not make
a speech, for I am retail merchant
myself. The retail merchant is the
man in the community that makes the
wheels go around. In any scheme
projected for the good of the city he
is the man depended upon to make it
a success. He furnishes the money,
the sinews of war; puts his shoulder
to the wheel. his hand deep down in
his pocket. The country merchant has
come to be a power in politics now
that the primary law is in force. The
country store in little towns is the
forum for political discussion and the
merchant attends all these meetings.
II am glad, as mayor of Topeka, and
in behalf of the citizens of Topeka, to
extend a hearty welcome to you all I
know the Topeka jobbers and manu-
facturers personally and have done
business with them for great many
years; they are all splendid men. the
ers; they make hay every day and
sow continually for tomorrow's har-
vest.
Business. stripped of sociability and
sentiment is cold-blooded PROPOSE
ton. I am glad to note that our
wholesalers have stopped for moment
in their chase along the highway after
dollars to smell the fragrance of tho
rose. Again 1 say I am glad to well
come you to our city. If you see any,
thing you want, ask me-"
Judge Dana introduced Governor
Hoch by stating that after long cor
respondence with the Redpath lyceum
bureau the committee had finally Sc
cured the distinguished Marion editor
for toast that evening While other
people pay 5000 for the privilege Of
hearing the governor speak," said the
POSTMASTER, 1--WE can hear him tonight
for nothing. His subject in Kansas for
Kansans, the slogan of this merchants
week"
The Governors Eloquence.
IONeTnOI W. f1OCn- Inc lOdSt-
master has given the correct price for
this speech, and before 1 am through
you will agree with me that it is too
high. But 1 shall be brief for there
are many speakers to follow me, and
even the patience of the people Of Kan
sas has its limits. Josh Billings said
he did not care how long a speech was,
just so 1t was brief. This gathering of
the best merchants of the best towns
of the best state in the best capital city
in the Union-why don't you applaud
that?- CHEERS and laughter) is the
greatest commercial event in the his
tory Of Kansas. 1t means more state
pride. Now a Kansan who is not
proud of his state ought to leave 1t.
The Omnipotent artist never painted
fairer skies or more enhancing land
scapes than those Of Kansas. The
Giver of all Good never endowed a
state so richly as He has the Sunf1ower
state. I cannot repeat 1t too often
when I say that Kansas Is the best
state in the Union. 1t is a state of
superlatives. 1t does everything on a
big scale. Now Uncle Sam is strictly
impartial to his nieces in the sister
hood Of states, yet he informed me the
other day that Kansas leads all the