different political
opinions from myself, including Allen G. Thurman, George H. Pendleton
and, at that time, Henry B. Payne, and to the fact that whenever
the interests of the people of Ohio were concerned our political
differences disappeared and we were shoulder to shoulder as friends.
I said I thought this spirit ought to be observed by the representatives
of the people of Ohio and of the United States, that whenever the
interests of the people were under consideration party spirit should
sink into insignificance.

After hand-shaking all around I returned to my hotel. In the
evening I was invited to attend the board of trade, and, being
kindly introduced by President Miles, I, as usual, was called upon
for a speech. I first alluded to the remarkable growth of Columbus
to which the members of the board had contributed, and then discussed
briefly the silver question, about which they also felt an interest.
I then exploited into electricity, as follows:

"Gentlemen, you will be called upon hereafter to deal with forces
yet undiscovered. The developments of science have brought to your
aid things as mysterious as life, which no mind can penetrate.
You are now called upon to use electricity as a motive power and
as light. You must develop these secrets of nature, and you will
have no more fear of the exhaustion of gold, for these new powers
will contribute to the wealth and power of this country. The
business men must carry out these, and so I say, as I said in
Cincinnati, that if business men would carry their honest methods
into government, then the scale and grade of our politics would
rise higher and higher. We have had advancement under these
principles in everything except the government of the country.
What we want is honest government by honest men. The United States
will then be looked on no longer as an experiment, but it will
become the greatest of the great governments since Adam was created.

"If I can induce the young men, who have contributed so much to
the growth of this city, to see to this--if you will do this much
to promote honest government and honest methods, we won't care
whether you call yourself Democrat or Republican."

I closed with thanks for the honor done me. I was also invited to
visit the city council, and as soon as the reception in the board
of trade was over I accompanied a committee to the council chamber,
where I was again called upon for a speech.

Mr. Taylor, the presi