l64 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



has been attacked until it is sore. I might talk about it, pro- 

 vided you would allow me to proceed along the lines adopted 

 by two men in the campaign of '96, when the silver question 

 was to the front. These two men were discussing that ques- 

 tion and one said to the other: "You do not know any- 

 thing about silver and neither do I, so let me explain it to 

 you." (Laughter.) I find it is the easiest not to have a 

 subject in an after-dinner speech. 



I have been Mayor of Hartford almost two years, and 

 in that time I have developed a profound respect for the city 

 of Hartford. I always had a profound respect for it, but my 

 respect for the city has greatly increased since I have had 

 almost two years' experience in the Mayor's office. I have 

 gotten an experience that I could not have gotten in any col- 

 lege or any school in the country, and something which has 

 been very valuable to me, especially so in view of the fact 

 that I am a comparatively young man in spite of my gray 

 hair. I have developed an equally profound respect for as- 

 sociations such as this. Year in and year out during my 

 term I have had the opportunity of meeting groups of peo- 

 ple such as this who have happened for the time being to be 

 in Hartford. Groups of people who were united to study, 

 devise and work out different ways of meeting what they 

 have happened to have a common interest in, and what im- 

 pressed me, to a very considerable extent, is the vastness of 

 the field, and the number of such associations. A great deal 

 of good for the advancement of useful industries is un- 

 doubtedly done by such associations as this, and T think any 

 man ought to have a profound respect for them for that rea- 

 son. Within the jurisdiction that you have taken as the ju- 

 risdiction of your common interest, as the Connecticut Po- 

 mological Society, }ou, are, so far as Connecticut is con- 

 cerned, first of all, the makers of public opinion on that sub- 

 ject. The best and most quickly expressed public opinion 

 on that subject that you have a common interest in can be 

 initiated by your body, and the rest of Connecticut will look 

 to you for the initiation of it. If that is true, your position 



