Putnam patriot. [volume], April 24, 1908, Image 1

About Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962

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A WEEKLY FAMILY PAPER - TEN PAGES.
OL. XXXVI.
Eater?** at th#- Putnam Pf»*t
a» second cl**- matter.
PUTNAM. CONN- FRIDAY, APRIL 24 1908
NO 17
Business .lien’s Banquet
[ ‘ie Bam poet which was ei'.en Wed
~d*v evening, allhough an improm|s
laflair. will be ever rememi.ered us
ne of the most splendid demons! ra
of publie spirit ever recorded in
[«. annals of this town. Its intent and
urpose was to manifest a desire to
^nie our citizens in a fraternal spirit
nler they might organic? for work
the same spirit to prosper and ele
aie the character of the city on a higli
. p|a„e, that it might be .eider recog
Led as a progressive center of indus
tti!h u wide-awake citizenship, and
i an inviting home to a class of peo
who appreciate the advantages it
Losses for education, religious priv
leces. industrial opjwrtunities, health
illness and beautiful surroundings.
[The lian'iuel accomplished its pur
lc,se It was a royal entertainment
htellectually and fraternally in addl
l,„ w the participation of a bountiful
j.read of everything to giatify a fasti
kaa taste Mid a hearty appetite. It
Casa real love feast which every one
Loved—not excepting the speakers.
•xpranedtttteir gladness at being
■umiiered among such a company and
tat t!u-v were invited to contribute to
p. bniiutnl success.
We print several of the speeches in
L■. others in part. Mr. Hammond
fad his speech prepared, but made but
I „ remarks and closed, recognizing
[ie lateness of the hour.
[T. H Abbe, of New Britain, Ihe i
nt • the State Business Men’s As
• ■iation. who expected to lie present
11 speak, was not able to come, but
It ate Secretary K. S. Valentine, of the
p:ne Association, came in hi> stead.
, remarks w ill be found among those
printed.
VVonls are inadequate to describe or j
inn\c> a fully appreciation of lLie en- !
irv event. Only those wltose hearts
|a.J a new glow of pleasure from the •
eautiful spirit the occasion aroused, ;
It its full appreciation.
When future generations delve into
in search of !
• archives of the city
ents and landmtuks of the city's
‘•gress, the Business Men’s Banquet, :
Lj»ri 1 -Jd. liHis, will he found a promi
t ut boundary mark. It will he found
,11:i k the end of a decade ol inactiv
|\ ol the one side, and to usher in an
Ii.i oi activity on the other. The Ban
lint was an awakening from a lelliar
tou long continued. It was a pann
es for small differences ami animosi
M. Wheeloek
■isc < 'hampeau
K. Joy
u. Wheaton
F. Russell
Philip Benoit
A. l'adv
Never in the history of the city has]
n event taken place that accoinplish
(•I mi much for good, and casl a shadow
L prophecy of such unlimited possi
pi Hies.
THK HH K1-TIOX.
Promptly at 7:;'.U, the hour set for the
■ception, tile guests i«egati to arrive,
oi were received by the following Ke
eption t'ommittee:
E. L. Kelley
H. J. Tliaxer
K. Sliaw
(i. 11. Uilpatric
B. < hamplin
Samuel Rich
J. B. Tatem, J r.
John Byrne
Before s o’clock ttie A. <). H.hall was
1 ed with a chatting throng of rep re
e business men. It was a ver
ove-fenst. There were warm
i-ps. kindly greetings, with
: encouragement and o nnmen
>r the purpo.se of the gathering.
1; seemed a-though all had come de
r l ined to forget all ditferenees and
s-i i. :!l suspicions, which have so
di .ided the city into factions and
i and to unite upon a common
Hi •• in The Welfare of the < it>
At s o’cloekli line was formed. The
'listmaster, -[leakers, and members of
it pres- preceding, all marched inlo
khl Fellows Hail, where the:banquet
l|s .
ton
► a- served.
HaH - Orchestra was playing a li'e
air a- the procession entered the ban'
|i*et hall, and continue<l to furnish ex
eat music throughout the evening.
The speakers' table ran from east to
rest at the north end or the hall, and
aree others extended the full length
I the hall at right-angles to it.
Kev K. I). Sargent invoked thedi
Srte olessing.
V- suon as all were seated, Landlord
^wyerof the Chickering House, served
he to I wing menu:
Meau
< ousoinme la Champlaingo
fillet of .stole Halibut
Potato (Jroustard Green Peas
t Venuont Turkey and Cranberry ijauce
Kscalloped Oysters
Mashed Potato Green Peas
■een Olives Heinz Pickles Celery
-draw Irerry
ite and Vanilla Ice Cream
er House Rolls Ladies' Fingers
V-orted Cake Coffee
Cracker- Cigars
the wail, at the north end of the
w as a large cloth sign bearing tire
< 'ho
I
d
••■'TOP 1 R KIKF..V.
>- 10 o'clock when cigars were
and the toastmaster, Stste -
rirty Charles K. Sear Is, rap|ied for
' 1 Mr. >earls said in part:
A e have enjoyed the first part of the ,
cuing, and now retnaius for us the
trteitoetuai part—the most enjoyable
Mrt of all. For each one of you, I am
'hive, cals to live but does not li\e
> eat.
Perhaps you will wonder how I wa>
seleeleii to act a> toastmaster. not being
a resident of Putnam. I assure you
the honor is both gratifying and pleas
ing to me. Then it occurred to me that
while in a sense I live in Thom(*jon—
ami Thompson is my mother—yet I
have practiced law in Putnam ever
since 1 have practiced law at all. Then i
why isn't Putnam my mother-in-law' '
A person may have several, but they
are not alw ays friendly; but in this case
I love both my mother and my moth
er-in-law—and I hope L shall always1
stay here.
We have met here for a purpose. All
understand that an individual, or a
town, or a city cannot stay motionless;
it must advance, progress, broaden—it !
| cannot stand still. There is a feeling
I among us that this town, with the il
| luslrious name it hears, has come to a
island still, and we want to start its
! progress again, and to do this we must
get together.
I noticed m a pajier a very amusing
rhyme, which I will repeat, and then
apply it to our present e mdilioiis:
“The lightning bug is brilliant, but it
hasn’t any mind,
It struggles through existence with its
headlight on behind.”
Putnam's headlight is a hit crooked
and we want to straighten it.
There are a number ot speakers from
Hon. Cha«. K Searls, Toastmaster
this ami other Stales. I wilt first tisk
the committee what they expect of n«
I will call on Mr. Shaw, chairman of
the Banquet Committee.
in response. Mr. Shaw sai<i:
Mi. Toastmaster—fientleinen : Mv
forte is w ork—not talk. But just a word
in reply toi|iiestions 1 have been asked
on the street.
The committee was self-appointed.
They were not fathered by any organi
zation, political or religions. They got
together and talked over w hat w as Ic
ing done in other cities—cities repre
sented here tonight,—and discussed
Hieir methods.
The cardinal principle of flic commit
tee is to always have a good word for
Putnam. We will not admit of other
cities that they surpass us in business
or as a place to live in. In all places
that have some form of business men's
organization to promote the welfare of
then cities, there is always a good feel
' ing among its citizens. Then w hy is
1 not such an organization good for Pul
liam? If similar good is accomplished
here, the committee will fee! amply re
warded.
The loastmastcr llien said:
We have with u< a citizen o Massa
chusetts and one dime citizen o: < *n
necticut. He w as a member of the Put
nam High .-school. He left ii- to ire
come a dUiing lished aw.ver and a good
citizen of Worcester, and now returns
here at our ropiest. He never dodges,
and has never dodged any issues, al
though his name is “I* xige. I intro
duce to you Hon. K-B- Ihrdge, of Wor
cester, who will s|>eak to you on
Business Combination.
The speaker said in part:
Mr. Toastmaster—Gentlemen:
I was in lio|>es some others might
precede me in order to tind out what
Kind of a speech you like—whether i*>
litical, governmental or religious.
I have discussed them all while May
or of Worcester. I never w as complete
ly stumped but once, and that was
when the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Cnion asked me to address the
State body • I was at a loss how to be
gin. I said I supposed I was invited
as a “horrible example” of drink. I do
not know whether they thought I was
joking or not.
Following the genial toastmaster, I
will say. 1 went t<> the Putnam High
•School under Principal Burnett, w ho
made his pupils step lively,"and I there
fore conclude that Putnam is my step
mother.
I remember the great landmarks of |
this place—the Cargill Fails and the
Long Bridge oxer the rixer.
It is pleasing to meet a body of in- >
teiUgent men and diseuss nuestion* that :
occur to ah thinking men. We have a
rejco ,:ean g-otrnmenl the like oi
which has never Iceu seen, with a lu
ture that is unknown bhl fuii of pro
phecy- 0
1 hesitate to sjieak in pi. lie, as In
n,v mature years 1 have come to apeak
somewhat frankly. Too often 1 baxe ,
noticed that the old vigor that used to
attend public act* and public enter- |
prise has to a largeextent, disappeared.
The follow mg is an epitaph 1 noticed
The Banquet of Our Business Men
Large Attendance and Unanimity of Effective Purpose
Enjoyable Reception and Able Addresses
j on an old tombstone in a Southern ee
| metery:
•'Here lies the tsidy of
John We»lev Webb,
who lived a firm believer in the
I.oid Je>us Christ
and a Jeffersonian Democrat M
He must have heen a power in hi.» day,
and was just the kind of a man you
would select to settle you? estate » hen
you hail passed away.
Conditions which will develop must
lie unknown. They must lie dealt w ith
as far as phiiosopliytenn foresee, but can
go no further. Oftentimes we tind our
selves confronted with a condition that
has arisen in affairs of life—all kinds
of business, statesmanship, and human
existence. There are some here a> oid
as myself who can recollect when scat
tered all through tlie .•'late were little
shops and factories, including almost
every branch of industry. All individ
uals were engaged in some kind of bu
siness where their product went either
direct to the consumer or to the large
markets. We had a multiplicity of
employers. From this training went
tortli the must successful business men
ever know n, to the large cities, like an
un|iolluted stream Rowing from the
hillside, which furnished the sinews
and nerve to the great centers.
As time progressed tilings advanced
until the shops di.sapireared, and there
grew up large industries that sucked
the life from hamlet anil village. Then
the railroad was built from town to
town, and from city to city; and as
these increased it became so that, to
succeed in business, it must !>e on a
large scale, while the individual pris
Ills were small they were large in the
aggregate. A woolen mill would l>e
glad to give a contract for their output
at a protit of 1 cent |>er yard, net, or a
shoe-shop at a profit of 5 cents |ier pair.
This idea ol cheapness hn< got a hold
on the inass of lieople who have lo>t
-ighl of the individuals. Ami then
there came a lime when even a targe
factory became too small, ami combi
nations must la- organized on the theo
ry of cutting >’ll exjienses by reducing
the number of salesmen, overseers ami
superintendenls, so that the cost could
t>e still further reduced. Then came
the greatest of all—the transportation
companies. Miles aud .miles ol road
were built ami scores of systems adop
ted, and there was more consolidation,
as goods could be transported cheaper
under one line. Keonomy of produe
< --. '4
Hon R B. l>odge of Worcester
lion wax the uttermost thought in the
mind of tiie public. To reduce cost to
the lowest amount brought on the con
sent of the public to thene combina
tions, until they now govern prices and
production. Not a man lives who is
good enough, honest enough, or unsel
fish enough, to fix the price that you
and I shall pay; and when you consid
er the effect, buying your ware* a half
a cent cheaper will never coin|>ensate
for the loss of choosing him from whom
you will make your purchase. The
public is to blame for demanding a less
cost.
The social aspect of it is demonstra
ted where', er you go. Thirty years ago
ayoungman might embark in business
with a fair prospect of becoming a pro
prietor. There was a time when lire
interest of the shop was the interest of
every workman, lieprived of tire |hj*
sibiiily of ever, becoming a proprietor
w hat is the condition of mind w hen he
know* he must always »tay a- he -tarts,'
II i>, a hostile oik, eo longer the inter
„f the pri.jin • t. Thi- lead- to la
bor organization, which i- able to meet
:. | ,-t,, . -it i grie. afij
iii~ attention i- not fagfuwed with a 1
i condition where lie may ik He known i
be cannot compete with a ten million j
dollar organization, ami he settles dow n
to a plane that is bl-a-trous to coming
generation-.
i don't helieveln government control
more than i» net*—ary. Arbitrary lix
I jug <rf price- ha- been an entire failure.
. I don't complain if a manufacturing
concern j*ay» a large dividend, nor if a
railroad does. (Jive us, instead of gov
ernment eon trot and the fixing of rates,
t'ompelitioa. It Is lm|K>sslble for tlte
government to find out exactly what
the railroads ought to charge for trans
portation. I would slop consolidation
without particular reason.
What is the use of franchising a
street railroad and then allowing the
steam road to control the trolley. They
say consolidation is nets led to stop fail
ures—the cause of more or less misfor
tune to individuals. This truly makes
.corporation*conservative. Until man
perceived that he might rise, the raoe
lived in triiui! savagery. When he lie
came spurred on Ut possess something
his fellows didn 't possess, then you had
invention and progress.
('nmbiuaUona produce a va»i amount
! of the goods consumed today, rile eoun
| try has not more than three months'
j protection from absolute starvation.1
Time was when there was a pork bar
rel in every .cellar. And small indtis- l
iries were scattered throughout the
country. Now tie up the railroads and
vv hat becomes of I he large cities? They
face hunger, and in that condition man
stupa at no human right. The French
Revolution staiiodliccau.se people were
hungry, and went to Lving Louis for
bread. L am not an alarmist. I have
faith in the government, but l would
like to take back to live |ieoplewhat
has been too freipienUy trausferreil to
i committee and centrallaed. To place
local rights in the hands of local |h>o
plc. lieing a rcspotLsitvle part they
would then cease to is' critics. We
should have mere proprietors and less
riu ployes.
I have trespassed on your time, but
meeting faces that I knew many years
ago, and seeing all of your intelligent
faces, and noting your purpose l could
not refrain.
The next speaker to be presented,the
tonslnmsler said, whs ii \\ indhnm
county boy, who needs no tnlroduc
lion in Putnam, the tion. Charles 1,.
Heart of Malden.
Senator Dean spoke ns follows:
l ack to My Native Heath
Mr. Toastmaster, Invited Guests,
Friends and Citizens of 1’utnatn:
lit acknowlcdginK the courteous in
citation of your Committee, through
Mr Vrnokl, to be here this evening,
I stated that 1 am not a public speaker
and would only say a lew words, but
reading last week that I was on the
list of speakers 1 concluded to write
nut what I have to say and read same,
hardly daring to trust myself to say it
all without doing so.
hirst. I desire to extend my most
sincere thanks for this invitation and
assure you that I hold same in high
appreciation It i- a great pleasure to
meet so many with whom I had very
pleasant and friendly associations
years ago when I was a frequent visi
tor here, ,md wl. -ro I have met occa
siim.illy all of tl: -e years past, and
friendships formed to remain ro the
end
At the -tart 1 de-ire to most heartily
congraltiUie you on the object of this*
meeting I am not familiar with how
many organizations of this nature you 1
have in l"tin. client that you are about |
to form here 111 I'utnum 1 lilld in the |
Common weal tit ■ ■( Massachusetts!
there are ft tty. I ny eight in the la-t
Annual Report is'tnd October. !</>;,
and one organized and one revived
since Of these forty are in cities !
(nearly twenty of which represent j
Trade Associations in Boston) and |
ten in towns in the State. 1 think l
that in every one of the places where J
an Association lias been organized a 1
good degree of sin i ess and prosperity |
has followed and I congratulate you
my friends that you are about to form
I such an association here Take the
Massachusetts cities and towns all of
these years past, you will find where
they have a Board of Trade it has
been a strong factor in its growth and
progress I will refer especially to
only one and that at »pringtiel<l, wtitcn
had for its able and efficient secretary
for some years Mr Frederick S Sibley,
son of our friend, Sheriff Sibley of this
County, and it has been very instru
mental in developing the city and its
| business interests, and as many of you
know, Springfield has had a large de
gree of success and prosperi'y all of
these years past, and it has had the
strong and hearty support of its bust
ness men and this is very necessary for
the same to be successful in any com
tnunity.
1 do not know when the first Asso
ciation was organized in Massachu
setts, but the Massachusetts State
Hoard of Trade had its 17th Annual
Meeting in October, 1007. and 1 con
elude largely in the past zc years and
let me predict they w'T- increase all
over as year- pass on, and more rap
dUv than in the past
y. ti ca;, see the results in the en
t, rprising Borough of Oanirlson a!
ready apparent by it* new industrial
v,. bu>im i/l
tere-t. that have come since. and this
all in a few years. Those of you who
i,a\. served in your State Legislature
or are familiar with -amt, well know
that when attv h gi-lalion i» pending
the iufittence that come* from a buu
nevs men's as-'-eiatnn i» a strong
factor m -haping same
I have known more or less of iut
nam from nt> boyhood days in my
native town of Ashford, when it was
first called f’omfret Depot; later of the
effort* to make it a town, and which
were successful in l&5$. and my first
time coming here was in then t<>
years of age I remember m\ first
visit here as it hut. yesterday You
hail then, say J.xOO people, ami l >up
pose to via> with city anti town com .
bined, approaching <),ooo t»r icyaoa l
nuntiiMi these tic tires without any
data. You have goinl reason to be
proud of Putnam trom the 'Uil .as a
town in 1855 to tlie present tuue. a
period of nearly 53 years, and 1 be
lieve. continued -ucce>s and prosperity j
will come to you in the tuture even in
a larger way
Your business interests are vveU es
tablished on a hrm and solid basis and
are here to remain You have ad
mirable railroad facilities,, both steam
and electric, and I hope that you will
have more electric tinea in the near
future Your two banks, both Na
tion.il and Sav ings, are very strong and
v on can well he proud of same Your
schools are excellent and have a high
standing, good, strong’ churches two j
good excellent weekly papers, both ol J
which come to my home in Malden 1
everv week, and »>ne from its start in j
January. 1873. being one of the ti 1 st !
subscribers; large stores in an excel
Hun. Charles !.. Dean of Malden
__________
Knt mercantile center and .t large -ec
tion uf country tributary to I'utnain.
and .1 well established reputation as a
good place to trade and with stores
that would In- an honor to even a
larger city, and I can go on at eon
sidcrablc length but refer to these
facts to demonstrate in) position that
you have a good strong town and city
and on a very firm and substantial
basis, and w hat has been accomplished
and so well done has not got to be
done rivet again
l ake a rule Over the so called Nor
with and Worcester Railroad from
Worcester to Norwich and where do
you tind a more thrifty class of towns
than all along the Ime? People desir
mg a new home or change of location
do not make any mistake in coining
here either to engage in business or
place of resident <*.
< )rir matter that perhaps I ought to
refer to and that only m a general .
way. in my own several years experi j
cnee of municipal life in Malden, as
Councilman, Alderman and Mayor, I
very soon learned that it we were to
have a city that would attract bllsi
ness interests and people who dc
sired to locate among us as resident*,
that we had to keep up with lilt
provometit‘ I an. very glad to note
that you are doing tin* in Putnam,
and you art* to lie congratulated that
this is being done and that you have
kept your tax rate, tow n and i ity
combined, not far from $fboo per
thousand I think your Connecticut
cities and towns do not assess over
75 per cent of the value, so you really
have a low tax rate
In several cities that I have re
ferred to in their rapid growth the
past forty years, including Hartford,
your State Capital, have not these im
provements been a strong factor itt
their growth?
Take the city of Worcester, which
our honored friend. Mayor Dodge, ha*
been so active in its affairs for many
years. From my first going there in
1865 in a business way, a city of per
haps ,15,000, they have to-day possibly
140.000. and see thr expenditure they
arc about to make toward* a new
railroad station The city ha* taken
the progressive side in all its affairs,
and ha* not this progressive spirit
been a strong factor in it* growth?
And the city will keep right on
growing
Your own improvements at your
beautiful railroad station are in the
same line here in 1’utnam A city
located as yours is. 6a miles from
Boston, and on a line to tide water,
and about four or five hour* ride to
Yew York City, ha* a great asset in
its favot
We have noticed within a day nr
two the opening of the railroad from
Rockville to Stafford Springs. in<1
last year the building of the new plant,
I the Rhode Island Worsted Co , by
far the largest factory in the town,
and here comes the influence of the
Business Men’s -X **ociation and much
credit can he (riven to the Stafford
Spring* Association for these two
matters.
A word as to your hospital ■ am
we of the incorporators and a tr-i••
the Malden Hospital, a member of
• he finance committee from the start
! and chairman of same these later
I vearc The hospital i* well endowed
I by Malden’s (treat benefactor, the late j
Hon Kfisha S Converse 1 have
I watched with much interest the *ttc
; ci ** of the Putnam Hospital all <>•
j these years since it was erected and
i never pass on the car* but look over
j that way. and desire to congratulate
i you and the people of the surrounding !
town* on the strong support that you ;
sue 'amc N onr May Breakfasts >o
-uceessfiilly carnet! out hate pwvnl
.1 itreat wcce*» and winch shows the
' stnmt* wmtmttK m the hos
pitul in this community
Coiumcncmc u>\ clerkship davs in
the then Westfonl tilass Company
-tore at VVesttord. kpril 1st. lUtio, then
nearnui yeaj- ot a^v. I rtcw up
with the irtai" «orlo there, and in
lHo>, then -'t year* ot aijc. coin
meneetl -cllintr the product on the
road, ami me knowledge ol the cities
and town- of Connecticut comes
larsctv from that time ami the larRc
Kiowth they have had since
In I Hi 15 you had seven cities and
to-day eighteen and with -cveral
' town- fast approaching the clitltbilitv
to become cities Norwich has made
irood proirreits, New London nearly
don Met I its population, Hartford anti
Ne« llaten more than doubled.
Pridtreport safely n imilriple of three,
\\ aterhtiry a multiple of four and
MWdletowa a «ood increase I have
not the Injures for airy dearer of ae
enraet hit; ant on the conservative
title in mi estimates
Meriden and Now Britain. then I
town-i of !r^> than rtVJOX Vrtsonia. !
iVfby. Danbury. Norw a IV and South
Norwalk. Stamford, ami |
\\ ifHmaiVlic nearby, am! «ith yom j
own town have alf hat! a large growth |
ami development of thetr bwriwra* in |
terests, ami in m\ \J or t,t years
«' in< out on the road part ot the
time each year, my observation
cover* a large section of eonntrv in
*e\eral States with a correspondingly
large increase and growth
Connecticut is an enterprising am!
wt l? governed State ami with ■» bright
future If l am correctly informed.
I you have not had a State lax t«»r I
ve.irv practically out of debt. and |
look at it-* increase of public build
ings, commencing with the erection j
of \our S’.ite Capitol to years ago.
and all of these improvements are
paid for It is a record the people of
am State can well be proud of I
have not tin* figures but think that
your several cities are nil on a verv
sound basis and in excellent financial
condition ! predict for this associa
tion that it will have a strong in
Huenrr in the growth and develop
tnent of your city and bring good re
sults in years to come S<* much for
your town. t itv and State
I have already taken too much time
and must soon dose, but I wan! to
make a little reference to several of
your honored citizens in the earlier
'years of my coming to I'utnam. all of
whom have now passed away, and
tv o of same recently f filbert \V
Phillips. Richmond Mullock, your
first representative: James \V Man
tiing, Harrison Johnson, Prescott
May, Charles II Osgood, M W
W agner and Or I 1 Mradley, who
practiced his profession at \shford
and Kastford in my earlier years:
Major Seward, John A < arpenter,
William II Pearson, and I can ex
tend the list to considerable length,
and will never forget the many com
t« -ies received from these honored
citizens, alt «»f whom did their life
work so well and a great honor to
an) community, and the world is bet
ter f«»r Intxing had such men in it
\ word for tin* town or city we
reside in It* success and prosperity
depend* much on tin1 support of its
own people I have been going in
and out of Malden since 1H76, nine
vrars of same retaining a legal resi
deuce in \shford, and •'.! years a resi
dent of the city In 1876 it had about
Q.ooo people and to day safely 40,000
people It became a city in 1884 with
tj.ooo or t t.ooo Its lirst Mayor was
the late lion I'.lisha S Converse,
whom I have previously referred to,
whose early life was spent in a
neighboring town and who always
had very hind words for this section
Deacon Conver-e was Malden's great
benefactor, and in many w ivs ]
have bad in a small way these later
•.ears more or Ira to do with Ma!
den, both in a public and a business
way, and I feel aery proud of its pen
pie for tlteir strong loyalty to their
own city anti tb*-ir efforts to make it
a good strong city, and we feel that
we have otic tif the better of the
suburban cities around Boston, and
so much for the hearty eo operation of
all our people, all of whom have stood
hv it s,i well In the city of Malden
f have been highly honored am! in
return , have moat earnestly endeav
ored to give the very best citizenship
in my power, ami shall continue to do
so until the end
A few personal words and I will
close 1 was elected by the l.cgisla
tnre in t8t»> County Commissioner of
this county, then 25 years of age, and
possibly the youngest man who has
ever held the position in Connecticut,
although not certain. Kr elected in
1872, holding the office six years, the
terms then being three instead <>i
four as at present My father was
elected from this district to the Sen
ate in 1876 foe two year*, the district
then including Pomfret. anti for the
strong support from this and the sur
rounding towns given both to myself
and father I have always held same
in grateful appreciation anti most
friendly remembrance, and see friend*
here to night who rendered excellent
assistance in those days, especially
the campaign of 1876. including my
valued friend, your honored toast
master Many of the friends of those
dav* have been taken away.
I have had a friendly interest in my
native town of Ashford all of these
years of my absence, where three
generation* of my name have repre
sented it in the Connecticut I.egisla
ture. my grandfather in 18.43. father
j in t8ro and '59 and the Senate in 1877
and ’78 and myself in the House in
iK£f and 'ft*. ! have kept the oh!
home at Wntf«r<) anil hope to spend
more or Ir-- tune there Summer* in
year* to come,
I should have liked to have said a
few- word* for the three cities that
comprise my Senatorial District. the
Fourth, Middlesex. Malden. Melrose
Fv rett, being the original town
f Malden in iKso with a population
| i 2if* and with the State C.-n*u* of
too and today safely K’ooo
pe vie and a fine di*trirf to represent,
and to my mind one of the fw-st in
the State It t« ne>t necessary for me
to tell yon that Mtoarhinon is one
of the best States in the Union
Friends and citizens of Putnam, let
me again thank you for this kind in
vitation and your cordial and friendly
(greeting to-night. ! wish for your
i Association and for yntrr cty 1(4
| t*'«n and each otir of yon personally
i a large mriMire of itccnu ami pros
perity <n the tmo«< walk* of li(r, and
| il in Malden at any time shall be very
. triad to 'co von at im home, also at
nn place of business in Boston, whore
! I am now nearing t? years, and iliir
init the pre-will session ot the Massa
chusetts 1 cirislatnre at ihe Slate
llo*se. and you will hnd the door*
most cordially open and a hearty wel
come
Tile toastmaster then alluded to the
nliaeupeof Mayor Tlia.ver of Norwich
who wan unavoidably alww-nt, but who
went a roniinuntcalioo expressing hie
nereis and wishing the enter prise aue
ivscs.
State Hasten* Mca's AssmUMm
Y»Uiitm«*. iw'isUr.v of the
suit' ItuteiwuM Man’s A«is'iailon was
tht* nr\t speaker. IU rr|>mralnl tbs
IMwHmi.T. Howard A*)!*, who was
iinabl* to t* |iiw«ii mi Mvmmt of III
iw«. Mr. Valrnllnr iNrCaml his ra
mark* with someshortstories,and Mid
In part: This u toy maiden appear*
«mv l*iofv an (mlk-iKV of this kind.
1 came this evening Is'cause the presi
dent, Mr. Alvlx*. sick abed. Just be
fur dinner i received word that l must
mow to Pill Hum to assist tit forming a
business nten's asms'lattou. Ileingln •
SillH>1,||mite position, like a Ifooil aol
tiler I fell compelled tt> obey. I will
coniine myself to the State Itustnesa
Men's Association, and try anil Instill
Into your minds the essentiality of
combination. This kind of combina
tion can lie made good for the mcr—
chant, [the manufacturer) the profos
slonnl niait, ami (lie lalmrimt man aa
m il. liuxtncss men as a rule are dead
easy. They want to do the liusinews,
to sell the goods, and arc not apt to In
sist on itettimt their money fur fear of
losing a customer. M liat Is a custo
mer good for w hose name you have on
your lusiks unless he pays, We are
trying lo better our state laws. If they
are not rigid we want them right.
There are ,'t.ldO firms In the State As*o
elatlon, embracing rUHSi Individuals.
Hy organizing In Putnam with tlfty or
one hundred iiieiubera you will add
that miieh more strength. Individu
ally you can necninpllsh nothing. Or
ganUallon can accomplish something.
We lime had wage exemption reduced.
Formerly you could not attach for debt
a salary less than IM>. The leg!*lai n TO
passed a law coin|*'lllng manufactu
rers to make weekly payments,making
a farce of the fADexcmplhm and an op
|s>rlimlty fur the dead Isuit. Sims1 the
San Francisco catastrophe we have
had the Insurance rales Increased ‘JO
cents |st hundred In congested dls
Irlets. The Stale President at that
time called the directors together to
take some action on the matter, and It
was thoroughly discussed and a com
mittee Hp|Hilntcd. The mere ap|>oinl
nieiit of that committee was the means
of the Insurance companies removing
lilt' _'u cent* on [nit IIrr|>roof buildings,
lint not ii|ioii tin* good* comihIuni
therein. We were not satisfied with
thin mnl met the New Knglimd under
writers, hut got no satisfaction. So it
hill wits ilrnfteil to present the Icgtsln
lure. The ululerwriters then reijuest
eil no audience mnl uskeil the commit
tee not to present the till! nml they
woiilil tlike off tile cents on stocks.
The committee refused Is'cimse they
thought |« i pie would think the asso
clatlon was n lot of l*i,ys. it was how
J ever iiiinoums'd In the next morning's
| pajier* that the ‘JH cents hail Ison re
| moved. We presented the hill that no
I lire tnsiiriutee eouipmiy risking over
| si) |HT cent, of Us surplus should lie al
lowed lo do business m a congested
district. Companies eurryiiiK to
i<»0 I>er cent, nre a mere w lid cal spec
ulHtton. There wits never such a gath
ering of presidents of large Insurance
com panics ns when our hill was Intro
duced. It did not pass, mid we did
not pusti it, as tlie companies made the
concessions. These are little things in
iliemselvt!M,hut show on what llir-s lli«
association 1* working. It is not i tl
lisli. it take* in all classes. Aouila..*
hialter is the itinerant vendor who
«s>iiies in Just liefore Christmas with a
lot of limik/upt stuff, where you are
paying renL and lattes ft?5 doing busi
ness. These man coins in and take
your profits away. The asMoclalktn
lias iiad laws passed, that make* Uila
almost linpuaslble.
Tuking up th» gsusrat utility com-'
mission which ihas lawn ap|*>i tiled to
re|s>rt hack to the ratal General Assem
bly w liether they think it advisable Us
have a permanent commute* appoint
ed. Tltis should be thought of brands
!y. There are two sides to It. tteOW
things might be a detriment, whiio
others would do good. Watered stock:
Who is buying that? The merchant
and tlte tailoring man. A eommisMion
id this kind could Investigate and ilnd
• mt wticttier th<»»e thing* have the val
ue hack of them. I don't think any
one -hould tell me « hut t -hall net) my
good* for. 1 ihm't *ell my good* at a &
cent protH. It I* up to every buainom
man to lit ventilate tlu* thing and t0~
juirt to the ooiuini—ion.
I came here ev[a-eliug to o.—i -1 In or
j gnni/ing an anufkliuil, not to attend a
l tiuiMj'iet. Ail H»ni--iutioii In your city
I will i lure it-- your joulmtlrie*. A* won
: a* you <>ntiM«i/« and appoint a good
committee new Induotrie* will coni*
here and all ‘i^anehe- of hu-lnrx* wilt
tie Increased. I hope that tin hutlnam
own uf I'utnam will form an organ lx w