New-York tribune., 1911-01-17
Former Governor Delights Them
by Attack on Politicians Who
ASSail Business.
MORGAN LEADS APPLAUSE
Speaker Tells Financiers They
Fall Short of Their Duty by
Their Hesitancy in An
sWering Attacks.

the dinner Of the bankers Of the CITY of
New York was heart and prolonged and
spontaneous enough to be interpreted as
a full Endorsement Of the biting and sa-
tiriCal arragnment Of all political dis
turbers of business tranquility that was
meted out by Ex-Governor Frank s
Black
When Mr.. Black said that the vast
majority Of American business was hon
estly done J. Pierpont Morgan started
the applause by rapping the table with
his fist and continued that expression
of his approval until the last handClaT
had died down.
The dinner, which was given ~ Group
| Of the New York state Bankers Asso-
| ciation, was representative Of the bank
! ing interests not only OF this city. but OF
the country as we'll Men connected with
! leading national and state banks and the
! trust companies Of New York were pres
/ ent and the guests table held some Of
the best known figures in the financial
! life OF the country.
Francis L. Hine. president Of the First
4
National Bank presided. Near him sat
Frank s. Black, j. Pierpont Morgan
President Jacob Gould Schurman of
| Cornell University, George F. Baker,
chairman of the board Of the First Ma
tional Bank; James c. Cannon. president
| Of the Fourth National Bank; Q. n.
| Cheney, State Superintendent of Banks;
! Richard Delaield. president Of the Ma
tional Park Bank Alexander Gilbert,
, president Of the Market and Fulton Ma
! tional Bank; William G.. Gilpin, Of the
| New York Clearing House; A. Barton
! Hepburn, president OF the Chamber OF
Commerce: Luther w Mott, president
of the New York State Bankers Asso-
citation. William A. Nash, president of
the Corn Exchange Bank: Frank o.
/ Watts, president of the American Bank
ers' Association; George S. Terry. for
mer Congressman j. Adam Bede and the
| Rev. Dr. William NJ. Grosvenor.
| Mr. Black said he attended the dinner
! through humane impulse because
! rankors had no friends He ascribed
/ that 10 the fact that they had failed in
accepting the admonitions offered Ia
! them in recent years. and remarked that
! the gentle and corrective methods witt
, which they had been blessed for some
time had worked only partial reform OF
none AZ all.
Black on the Constitution.
Taking up q small copy Of the Consti-
tuition that had been given as sou.
| vtnir. Mr.. Black continued: You have
Geain dragged in the Constitution. And
this Notwithstanding you have so otter
| lately seen ii dragged out. l have been
so much encouraged for a few years
! back that l hoped we had seen the last
| of that dcvcnarated instrument 1t has
| Leen known for many years that be-
tween friends the Constitution had no
place, and late years that it did not
count while in the righteous pursuit OF
| enemies.
But here it is again in brazen and
/ substantial form, not in secret, but un-
accompanied by apology or excuse, and
with its original and malien purpose
SO far as disclosed, Of hindering the free
will and early salvation Of an eager
people, Of checking cxtemporancous
craftsmanship and contemporaneous
statesmen. and resoldering the fetters
under which we have groaned since 1883
IF this is your purpose, those Of US
who are still true friends Of the people
must increase our vigor our adjectives
and our mileage; for the Constitution
must 60. II is too old TO be useful and
too good 10 be true. But. since it is
here, we may glance at It once as We
might say goodby to an old associate
who is too slow to keep up"
Timid Bankers and Lawyers.
! Mr. Black then spoke about the pro-
vision Of the Constitution that Congress
shall make no laws abridging the free
dom Of speech or Of the press. He said
that the press needed no encoura cement
tc take advantage Of that clause. but
citizens Of the less gifted type, includ
ing bankers and lawyers, were not 50
brave and keen The right 10 speak was
not all. he said and every high priv
ilege carried an obligation.
IT is as needful sometimes 10 sneak as
say. and in most cases if the speech is
in time there will he no fight. Few mis-
understandings ever arise which argu-
ment would not settle. but if through
Iaziness or fear there is no argument a
crisis may develop. The point Of wha,
I saw is that men with knowledge and
convictions are bound TO make them
known.
THE disturber is always active and his
audience is always large He takes ad
vantage Of his constitutional privilege 70
say what he likes and excite whom hs
will Having in mind only his own gain
and knowing envy Is the most respon
siye chord in the human disposition. he
alwavs plays that chord The trouble
following could be allayed If the truth
,rere told. but who will tell IT?
shall those whose business il is to
stir no discomfort be counted on to quit
their trade and smooth things down
Smoothing is an occupation sense and
thrift and industry must follow. Those
who have. desire 10 retain. Those who
,o,o not. seek 10 acquire. But all men
ricb or poor. possessed Of courage and
,atr,otism. should so act that they NAV
rent and the country, which have been