MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN,--I hardly know what reply to make to the
remarks of the gentleman who has just taken his seat. In fact, I think I
had better let them go, and allow you to judge for yourselves after I
have said what I propose to say. I may say, in the first place, that
this is my first appearance upon this stand as a speaker; and, when
called upon to speak after such gentlemen as you have listened to
to-night, I trust you will make all due allowance for any mistakes that
I may make. But I claim the right as a citizen of Boston, as a
tax-payer of Boston, to express my opinion upon this subject, as upon
all others in which I take an interest. The necessity of parks has been
made apparent to every gentleman here by those who are better qualified
than I am to do so. I believe that there is no man here who does not
believe that we are to have parks. I have not heard from such; and I do
not believe that there is such a man, unless it is one who does not
expect to enjoy them himself, and is unwilling that posterity should.
Taking it for granted that that question is settled, the only question
which seems to be before the people is, whether this is the proper time;
and I propose to address myself to the consideration of that question. I
propose to speak of it as of a private enterprise, and as an individual
business-man. It has been explained to you in regard to the condition of
the labor-market, and I think that I may say fairly and squarely that
labor of the character to be used about parks has not been so cheap for
twenty years. Money is cheap; labor is required; parks are wanted; and
it is better to keep the men at work, and retain them in the city, than
to sustain them and their families at the public cost. It is not like
sending out of the country to import something for which we must pay our
money. All the money is to be paid to our own citizens; and, unless some
show of enterprise is made, we shall lose business-men from this city.
They will not stay here, and do nothing, unless the city government
makes some show of enterprise. I have had some experience myself in the
city government, having been a member of it, whether that is an honor or
not; though I hold that the honor or dishonor of any society depends
upon one's own conduct. There is always some doubt about making a move
in the city government; and, in a matter like the park question, such a
meeting as this will be a great encouragement to action. The public
feeling on this question is so great, that the parks must be
established. The project has been fought no harder than the Water Board
was; and where would the city of Boston be, if the friends of that
enterprise had not succeeded? Act here to-night, and then let the city
government do its part. Objections may be made by some gentlemen, made
conscientiously; but, five years from now, these gentlemen will not
remember that they raised any objection.
This meeting is called for the purpose of giving the city government to
understand that the business-men, the working-men, of the city, mean
what they say, when they say that they want public parks; and there is
no question that an impulse will be given to the action of the city
government by this meeting. We are the city of Boston; and the members
of the city government act for us.
Gentlemen, it is getting late, and there are those to follow who will
entertain you better than I can. But I propose to close with a little
story which I heard; and it was in church that I heard it, in an
excellent sermon. Just after the war of 1812, our laboring men stood, as
they stand to-day, idling about the wharves and public places. That was
the case in a little town to the east of Boston. They had enterprising
men, as we have now; and one day a gentleman stepped into a bank, and
said to the president, "Mr. President, I am going to build a
ship."--"What do you know about shipbuilding?" asked the president.
"Nothing. But I can do the business; and there are men here who can do
the work. We have the money, and there are the men. I will build the
ship, and sell it; you will get your money back; and the profit will be
divided among the men." The idea was a novel one; but the president
wanted to set the wheels of business in motion; and so he said that he
would give an answer the next day. The gentleman called promptly the
next morning; and the president informed him that the directors had
agreed to advance the money. The gentleman then went out among the idle
men, and said, "I am going to build a ship, and I want you to do the
work. I will pay you enough to live on; and, when the ship is built, we
will divide the profit." So they went to work as co-partners, and built
the ship, this gentleman generously attending to the business. The ship
was built and launched and sold, the money was paid to the bank, and the
profits divided. That was the first ship built on the Merrimack in
Newburyport, which has since become one of the largest shipbuilding
places in Massachusetts.
So we want something to set the wheels in motion. The city of Boston
can borrow the money, and buy the land, for these parks, more cheaply
now than ever again; and the men are ready to do the work. I know of
nothing more that I can say. I am glad to see this hall filled to-night.
There are men here to-night who have at heart the interests and
prosperity of the city of Boston. That is what we are acting for; and I
trust that that hundred men will go up to City Hall, and, if the city
government will move in the matter, every true man will deem it his duty
to stand behind and encourage them.
THE PRESIDENT. My friends, the best things and the most enthusiastic
meetings must come to an end; but those who wait till the last generally
get the best. I have now the pleasure of introducing to you the closing
speaker, the Hon. P. A. COLLINS.