The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-02-18
BANQUET
Given by Board of Trade
Attended by Over
One Hundred
TWO ADDRESSES

The annual banquet of the Mas
slllon Board of Trade was held Mon
day evening In the Trades and Labor
Assembly hall. Covers were laid for
one hundred, twenty eight tables be-
ing occupied. The tables, each oc-
cupied by four, were arranged
throughout the large north hall. At
the east end of the room was arranged
the chairman's table, at which sat
President Merwin, Of the Board, and
the two speakers of the evening. John
G. Welty, Esq, of Canton, and Will
liam A. Ulman, of New York City.
The menu was large and varied and
kept the participants at the table for
over an hour. Throughout the ban
quet music was furnished by
Schworm's orchestra.
At the conclusion of the banquet the
company adjourned to the large as
ssmbly room. President Merwin pre-
sided. The first to speak, Mr.. Ulman,
was introduced by Mr.. Merwin, as an
old time Massfllon citizen who had
sought other fields of endeayor. Mfr.
Ulman had left Massillon twenty years
ago and has spent the subsequent time
poration Legislation"
what this country needs" said Mr..
Ulnaan, is rest from rabid and
promiscuous legislation. There has
recently been an epidemic of legisla-
ton of overzealous reform propagan-
dists who have flooded the state and
national legislatures with needless
and childish acts, which are aimed at
the bad corporations, but which affect
in no good way tho good corpora
tions." Mr.. Ulman leading up 10 his
in no good way the good corpora
tion and generalizing. The common
acceptance of a corporation, according
to Mr.. Ulman, was "a gang of good
for nothings banded together to do
somebody" There are, however, good
and bad corporations and the good
greatly outnumber the bad. The
floods of legislation rightfully aimed
at the bad, however, in numerous
small ways injure the good. In look
ing into the future Mr.. Ulman was of
the opinion that under Mr.. Taft there
would be different policy pursued in
carrying out the same policies as pro-
pagated by the present President. The
difference he says will be due to the
diyersant temperament of the Presi-
dent and the President-elect.
The next speaker was John O.
Welty, of Canton, who spoke on the
subject of Good Roads" In Mr.
WeIty's mind good roads is one Of the
big questions confronting the people
today. He spoke at length on the ex-
pansion Of the steam and electric
roads and the waterways which are
coming into general use at the present
time. "The public highway" he said,
"is the pioneer of roads, and 1t comes
in for the least consideration of ALL"
According to Mr.. Welty the place to
begin the good roads agitation is with
the legislature. In order to organize
the system the highway commission
ers shall be appointed and not elected
and furthermore they must be men
we'll fitted for the place.
Heretofore, said Mr.. Welty, the men
who were elected to look after the
public highways were men whose sole
qualification was that they were not
qualified for anything else. 1t is how
ever, to be said to their credit that
they had small funds at their dis
posal. More funds should be placed
at the disposal Of the commissioners
for roads.
In speaking OF the gas question,
which occurred incidentally, Mr.
Welty said: Il see that gas in Mas
sillon, although it costs thirty cents
per thousand, still burns, and l want
to congratulate the citizens of Massil-
Ion that they have kept themselves
out of the gas fight"