The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-21
George Ward Makes Short
Speech Which Is Enthu-
siastically Received
ALL SPEAKERS ARE
VERY OPTIMISTIC
Harding Says Currency Bill Will Be
Beneficial-Many Tributes Are
Paid to Travelling Men-Must
Have High Ideals
Bx RALPU II. SILVER

over 400 of the ''men who boost Bir-
mingham" held their annual ''boostfest"
under the caption of the Third Annual
Birmingham Travelling Mems Dinner, last
night at the Hotel Hillman. The Cham
Der of Commerce was the host of the
evening.
The occasion was symbolcal of those
who attended tit was magnetic, en-
ergetic. enthusiastic and optimistic boost
of Birmingham. past. present and flu
ture
President George Ward of the city COM
mission, in spite of the fact that he in
sists he is not a public speaker, made
the hit of the evening. President Ward
was greeted with a round of cheers that
has seldom been equaled in the Hotel
Hillman banquet hall. 1t was strongly
reminiscent of the wonderful demonstra-
tion given in that same hall some few
weeks ago to another of Birmingham S
great men. When Mr.. Ward sat down
the cheering broke out anew and finally
ended in 400 enthusiastic throats singing
in unison For he's a jolly good fell
low"
Harding Is Toastmaster
President w. p. G. Harding of the
Chamber of Commerce presided as toast
master Harry Jones, chairman of the
committee which arranged the dinner,
saw that everybody got some turkey. All
the speakers were present except L. Sc
vier, who is said to have left Washing
ton Friday evening for Birmingham.
The keynote of the evening was optl-
mism and Birmingham. Different speak
ers emphasized the Importance of fell
lowship and comradeship and social re-
lations, however, over civic and social
life based on the dollar The speakers
of the evening were Mr.. Harding. Mr..
Ward, Frank Means, j. D. Moore, w. A.
Johnston and V. S. Gage.
Mr.. Harding cited the great agricul-
tural yields Of the south and of Ala
bama this year, the greatest he said in
history. He mentioned the fact that a
financial panic had been predicted for
1918, but added that if there was to be
one it would have to hurry up.
There are many things which have
occurred to puzzle the banker" he said
But the present currency and banking
bill is a good, practical working scheme
and we will soon be reaping the bene-
fits from 1t. The men of New York, as
well as others of the country, have real
ized that ii has been wrong for that one
city to have the great, pulsating, living
heart of the financial affairs of the ma
ton and in talking to some of them re-
Gently l found that they actually feel
relief at the prospects of the change
which is to come. Under this new bill
there are to be eight regional reserve
banks. L do not say it is probable but
| do say it is possible Birmingham will
get one and that is going to give us a
currency system that will aid all the
people and tend to prevent the very pan
les which the money market in New York
now produces. | venture to predict that
there is not a man in this room who
will live to see another financial panic
in this country"
Have Assisted Birmingham
, Mr.. Harding stated that the travel
ing man was a natural optimist and
that the travelling men of Birmingham
have been of great assistance to the city
in the progress she had made. "Bir-
mingham has many resources he said
"but none are greater than the 400 or 500
optimists who radiate out from her every
day in the year and are constantly talk
ing Birmingham to the people they meet
in all sections-the travelling men, our
guests
Birmingham has the best body of tray
cling men of any city in the SOUTH" said
President George Ward. "They have done