196 Presidential Addresses 



AT THE BANQUET OF THE CHAMBER OF COM 

 MERCE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, 

 AT NEW YORK, NOVEMBER n, 1902 



Mr. President, Gentlemen, and you, the Guests, 

 whom we welcome here this evening: 

 I do not wish to speak to you in the language 

 of idle compliment, and yet it is but a bare state 

 ment of fact to say that nowhere in our country 

 could there be gathered an audience which would 

 stand as more typically characteristic than this of 

 all those qualities and attributes which have given 

 us of the United States our commanding position in 

 the industrial world. There is no need of my preach 

 ing to this gathering the need of combining effi 

 ciency with upright dealing, for as an American and 

 as a citizen of New York I am proud to feel that the 

 name of your organization carries with it a guar 

 antee of both; and your practice counts for more 

 than any preaching could possibly count. New York 

 is a city of national importance, because its position 

 toward the Nation is unique, and the Chamber of 

 Commerce of New York must of necessity be an 

 element of weight in the commercial and industrial 

 welfare of the entire people. New York is the 

 great port of entry for our country the port in 

 which centres the bulk of the foreign commerce of 

 the country and her welfare is therefore no matter 

 of mere local or municipal, but of national, concern. 

 The conduct of the Government in dealing with all 

 matters affecting the financial and commercial rela- 



