66 



here; he has asked me to say to you that Springfield hopes 

 you will come again. 



The topic assigned to me by Mr. Jenks for thirty-sec- 

 onds' speaking is "Superior Springfield's Welcome.". It 

 would be presumptuous of me to talk of Superior Spring- 

 field. What Springfield is, what Springfield offers, what 

 Springfield means, is not for Springfield to say, but for you, 

 who view Springfield from the proper perspective, to deter- 

 mine. I would be content myself, for the Mayor and for 

 Springfield, if I could paraphrase that subject, and deliver 

 to you Springfield's Superior Welcome, a welcome which 

 you would recognize as being sincere, as coming from the 

 heart of Springfield as a city and as a civic community, a 

 welcome that meant something, and a welcome that, more 

 than all, would mean your presence with us again. I thank 

 you. (Applause) 



PROF. SEARS. I am sure that we already feel that we 

 are welcome here, but our welcome is to be made a little 

 broader by receiving a welcome from Western Massachu- 

 setts, which is to be delivered by Mr. F. J. Hillman, Director 

 cf the Board of Trade, instead of Mr. J. L. Brooks, their 

 President, who was to deliver it. We are very glad indeed 

 to have Mr. Hillman with us, (Applause) 



WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS' WELCOME 



Mr. F. J. Hillman, Director of the Board of Trade. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Massachu- 

 setts Fruit Growers' Association: I had supposed that I 

 v/as asked to speak to you upon this occasion, and to bring 

 to you the welcome of the business men of Western Massa- 

 chusetts, because of my absolute lack of knowledge of any- 

 thing pertaining to the fruit growers' industry or of horti- 

 culture in any of its branches, but as I have been sitting 

 here this evening awaiting my turn, my attention has been 

 drawn to this exhibit of fruit upon the table, and it reminds 

 me that I was born and raised upon a farm in Western Mass- 

 achusetts, and that the one thing that I do remember having 

 been taught in my youth was the necessity of perserving 



