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ment League, probably. It is the Board of Trade that made 

 it possible ; it is the active men in the Board of Trade who 

 are, in large measure, the active men in the League. I cite 

 that to show you the interest that the business men of West- 

 cm Massachusetts have in your work. 



I assure you that you are welcome; that the business 

 men of Western Massachusetts receive you with open arms. 

 No prodigal was ever received with a more sincere and cor- 

 dial welcome than that which I am permitted to extend to 

 you tonight, and we expect much from your organization 

 and others like it. We are depending upon you to bring 

 about the time when the rugged hills of Western Massachu- 

 setts will be painted with the soft colors and tints of the 

 foliage and the sun-kissed fruit of prolific orchards. More 

 than that, we are depending upon you to bring to us the time 

 when we can hold out to the world the noblest fruit that the 

 Creator has given to mankind — a perfect Massachusetts 

 apple. 



You are indeed welcome. You have done us an honor 

 ic coming here, and we hope that you will stay as long as 

 possible, and when and if you must go, be assured of the 

 sincerity of our invitation to return soon. I thank you. 

 (Applause) 



PROF. SEARS. I am going to call on our good Secre- 

 tary, Mr. F. Howard Brown of Marlboro, to answer these 

 welcoming addresses. (Applause) 



ADDRESS OF MR. F. HOWARD BROWN. 



Secretary of the Association. 



Mr. President, Representatives of the City Government 

 and the Board of Trade of Springfield: We certainly ap- 

 preciate the words of welcome and the acts of welcome that 

 we have received, not only since we have been here at this 

 time, but at previous times. 



The first appearance we made here in looking up this 

 meeting was along in October, I think, when the President 

 of the Association and I came to the city and happened to 

 strike the meeting of the Hampden County Improvement 

 League at the luncheon at the Cooley House. Nobody from 



