The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-07
on, the chamber had for the first time
complete organization.
MIR. r. NJ. CARRINGTON
INSPIRED BY FINE EXAMPLES

I hive received orders that I must
in five minutes, give resume of my
work during the term that I was
president of the chamber of corn
merce:
Well the fact is that / was given
too much work to do in that time to
tell about it in FIVE minutes, 1t was,
however, two years of hard work for
had with me very active vice presi-
dents and board of directors. and in
addition the initiative proclivities of
the manager~ofwt the traffic bureau.
and. further, the fertile and restless
brain of our able business manager;
and, gentlemen. these factors of the
chamber kept me busy. and the only
way mat I WAS abfe To come back
was to push everything they put up
to me lust little harder and little
further than they thought the sub
ject in hand could stand Somehow.
by main strength and awkwardness.
l Numbered through.
To be serious, however. there were
many large propositions initiated dur
ing my administration, the chief Of
which was the creation of the trade
extension bureau, which has become a
vital factor in the commercial wort&
of our cityt taking the initiative In
the establishment of the Federal Re-
serve bank, and opening the way for
a larger city by annexation; and MANY
other things that we tried but did
not entirely carry through.
! had the good fortune to have ~
my intimate friends several Of the
older ex-presidents, among them the
iamented John r. Purcell the per-
sonal exponent OF courage, fearless
ness and absolute truthfuiness When
knew that | was to he offered the
presidency of the chamber and fully
approaching it's obligations and re-
sponsihilities, | considered the sterling
men who had preceded me, Several
of them had been baptized In the ire
OF carnage and battle. in the defense
of their state, and 1t was the inspira~
tion that drew from the lives cf
these men that helped me to carry
on the work Of the chamber. for
these gentlemen showed the same
spirit OF patriotism and self -denial and
self sacrifice in times of peace inst
they did in war, and II was this
spirit, 80 signally personified by them.
that. in my opinion. has been the
foundation stone OF the Richmond
chambers position~-the absolute self
ahnegation and seif-sacrfnce o. time
and pleasure for the consideration Of
the city's welfare and It's commercial
interest
In the dark days Of war they
learned the lesson OF duty and of the
discharge of every obligation to the
fullest extent. and these same prin-
cipies and same ideals they brought
with them in the work of the cham
Der, and. in fact, patriotism Fl. it's
last analysis In but the consideration
of the welfare and the good or the
city, or the welfare and the good OF
others. to the absolute forgetfulness
OF self aud I believe that 1t is these
principles that have pnrrneated
through the very fber OF the chasn-
ber's body. and thus through every
interest of the city that In these times
which try mems souls. have made our
city and its people measure UP TO the
fullest extent to every obligation aud
no financial. or business supremacy In
TO be compared with the great pa
triofic wave that swept over our city
IN these times OF stress, and the way
she has measured up % the liberty
loan, III" Red Cross. and the manner
in whtch her young sinen hav. VOL
unteered to protect our country from
the harharities Of the most horripie
"nemy this world ever saw should
indeed make our hearts beat with
pride, and all honor TO these grand
veterans Of the Confederacy who have
oeen such an important factor in
Installing us with these principles
The chambers growth and inn
portance has ever bern onward and
The foundation stone Of the
chambers work must be an absolutely
unsetfish devotion TO the good Of thu
and safeguard 1t against
everything that mdy smack OF por-
sonal interest. and the CHIEF aim OF
my administration was to make every
effort possible to make the members
OF the board feel that they had a
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