perous one and of advantage not only to yourselves, but to 

 all the people of this city and the people of the entire com- 

 monwealth. 



If during the week you can find occasion or a little 

 time within the next few days to visit City Hall I should 

 be pleased to extend you further courtesies, if possible. We 

 would like to show you the building and make your visit 

 here as pleasant and as agreeable as we possibly can. 



We all realize the good work that you are doing for 

 the people, that you are doing for the Commonwealth. A 

 gathering together of this kind is of great benefit not only 

 to yourselves individually, but to the entire community. 

 The exchange of ideas, co-operation one with the other, 

 tend not only to good fellowship, but tend to better citizen- 

 ship' and tend to the uplifting of the people in whom you 

 and I and all of us are interested. I did not come here to 

 make a speech to you gentlemen, because I could not intel- 

 ligently discuss with you the matters of the various sub- 

 jects that ^vill be under discussion during the next two 

 days; but I give to you simply and solely the greeting of 

 the city of Worcester and tell you how glad we are to have 

 you with us. You manifest the true spirit; you manifest 

 the old New England system, which is the best system the 

 sun ever shone upon ; you manifest a system that is for the 

 good of all, a patriotic system ; and I have no doubt that at 

 great expense and great inconvenience to yourselves, you 

 have come here today for bettering the cause which you 

 love so well and which you are all so anxious should be suc- 

 cessful. Now, nothing is better for a system of this kind 

 than unity of action. The raising of fruit is one of the 

 greatest, the most laudable objects I can think of, and I 

 trust that some time in the near future we may have here 

 in the heart of the Commonwealth a municipal market 

 where your fruit can be exhibited, where the curb man can 

 be eliminated and where the people can deal with you face 

 to face, examine your goods and buy them at a reduced 

 •cost, which would have a tendency to reduce the high cost 



