The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-07
MIR. s. w TRAXERS TELLS
OF WORK IN \ LETTER

Mr. s. w Travers who was out Of
the city, sent letter expressing hts
regret at his absence and reviewing.
the chambers work during his term
of office. He said
I was honored with the presidency
in January. 1898, and reelected in
January. 1899.
/ had for some years served as
vice president and as chairman of the
committee on inland trade. That was
before the days of regulation Of the
railroads by state and interstate COM
merce commissions, and our mer
chants had numerous complaints to
refer to the chamber. which were all
referred TO the committee on inland
trade. That was before the days OF
the traffic bureau. Ours was hard
worked committee
can recall no big thing done dur
ing my administration. The Spanish
war came on the first year. and Re
member the Maine" Manila Bay"
and Santiago were the things most
talked about, and to keep up interest
in the chamber. and the traffic
bureaus support was our care, Then,
too. the active work ofSthe chamber
was somewhat shared by the Young
Mems business association. which
fiourished in those days, 1t did good
work while il lasted: but the cham
her pursued the even tenor Of its
way" and. | trust. upheld it's tradi-
lions,
Just here let me refer TO an event
which occurred. | recall. during Judg =
Christians administration. 7 think it
was The force bill' was pending
in congress and the South was up in
arms about II. The Atlanta cham
Der of commerce met and hastily d.
clared n boycott against statesmen
from any state in the Union whose
representatives in congress voted for
the bill, and called on the South to
do likewise, our chamber met and
f.fteta-s.-ftt III ttf~~tfr-trrr- declared that
boycott was beneath the dignity Of
the cham Der. a few days later At
lanta rescinded its action--thus show
ing that the South still looked TO
Richmond for leadership.
During my administration recall
the ill-starred Trigg ship Yards were
in operation and that President Nc
kinney and his entire cabinet came
down to Richmond to witness the
launching of the Shubrick Commit
tees of the chamber the city Of Rich
moud. and the Civic association had
been to Washington to invite them.
The president stated he had Just re-
turned from Il six weeks trip to the
Pacific slope that congress wouii
meet in a LITTLE over a month. and he
had intended not to leave Washing
ton again before that time. hut he
could not resist our appeal
/ always tclt that what Influenced
him most was n thought presented To
him by tho committee that he. dur
ing his administration. had done
much to promote good feeling be-
tween the North and the South, ana
If the presid eht of the Emitted States
would come 10 Richmond. the capital
OF the late Southern Coufederacy, to
witness the launching or federal
warship, it would show to all the
world that the war was over
He came and brought every metn-
Der of his cabinet except the sttnr-
ney-Eeneral. and he was represented
by his first assistant, and we had a
great day. | remember that we also
had big trade parade and I was
honored by being made it's chief mar
shall
But since my administration - We
have gone on to bigger things and a
broader view has taken hold OF our
people ard It's easier now TO raise
800 than il was TO raise $40 for
civic good.
7 thought 7 saw il coming when |
surrendered my ofice in 1892 Then
/ predicted in my last report TO the
chamber that the coming decade
would be ire most prosperous in the
history OF Richmond That pred,c-
tion was fully realized, and is stu
going on with Increasing momentum.