Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-11-09


BRIB--Matinee and evening exhlbitiep on the
corner Of lin street and Louisiana avenue
METZrRorT HALL.-Last night Of Tom
Thumb and his wife. Commodore Mutt, and
the dimin utive Miss Minnie Warren
ODD FRLLows' HALL.-The Tableaux at the
FAR OF Rebekah Degree Association, last night
were very fair, and the Old Folks concert to.
nient VIII add very much to the interest OF the
entertainment.
Meeting of the Board Of Trade.
THE QUESTION OF CONSOLIDATION OF TIE DIS
e-..eo s54-rr- TRICT CITIES. 5000. -
Last evening an adjoprasd meeting of the
Board Of Trade was held at the rooms Penn.
sylvania avsn ue, nesr Ninth street. Mr.. Ei.
vans took the chair, which was subsequently
hlled by Mr. S1muei Bacon, second vice pres.
/ ideut and MT. N. Sardo was secretary. =.
A com unication was received from Mr. l.
L. Parkhurst, secretary OF the Georgetown
Board Of Common Council, enclosing a reso.
lntion. adopted by that body, looking to the
aooiisbment or modification Of the present
usury laws by Congress, and asking The CO.
pose. -
Mr.. X. b. Mohun moved :hat the resolution
De referred to the comnittee of the Board to
represent the intere. .ts OF the Board before Con-
ere:s, with instructions TO act In accordance
with the resoiution; which was agreed to.
Messrs. Starkweltber and Plowman were
elected to membership.
b: en- taken on the resolutions offered by him in
relation to a repeal of the municipal charters.
Mr Owen Thorn explained that committee
on the subject.
Mr.. Walker said that he introduced the res
olutions, and hoped some action would be
taken on the subject. The appointment of a
commit, to get up q mass-meeting does not
dispose OF the resolution. 1t was due that the
subject should be agitated, for the present
charter OF Washington will expire on the 10th
q N tfc II tGaAs :.
least be asked for.
Mr.. X. Il. Mohun explained that the resolu.
tlons were laid over informally, and thought
That they should not be adopted, as a commit.
tee had been appointed 10 Al range for a mass
meeting on the subje ct. He was opposed to
any particular bill. and thought that 1T was
hardly fstr for the few members Of the Board
OF Trade to adopt bill and present II as the
views Of the people OF the city.
Mr.. VIM. Orme remarked tbat he was sorry
to say tina. he thought the board was going be.
gono tneir powers, and did not think 1t right
fer them to attempt to Iegislate for the l25 600
people OF the city. Shall the Board OF Trade
mere nsndIull OF men-say TO the people that
hsn the peonIe PpaseH 20 ie{sa,e for them
remarks Of Mr.. Walker with surprise The
CITY was never so pro Eperous As now, the pop
niauon having increased from $4,000 in 1850 10
l25,oOO now. Can we say to Congr, IS that we
repre- sent tbs population What right has
the Board of Trade to attempt such a thing as
the resolutions contemplate They have al
Po~ed that they would 20 into politics NEXT
When Congress meets il would be time 70 take
action on the subject of the commercial in
telests OF the DisuIcr, but not its political in
Mr. II. b. Sweepy asked what would be the
result II the District was put under the gov
ernmenr OF commissioner Why, we wouId
nave ITEM fTom California, from the Rio
Grasde, from Msine-men VINO had no inter
ests here, who would dictate and override our
Ieople Ii was dangerous precedent for the
Boaro--a body not incorpoI aled and an ire,
sponsible body-to take steps in relation to =
natl which wholly belonged to Congress
How Will this thing sound throughout the
- board OF trade, commercial or
saDzalion, urging political measure Wby
we will be the laughing stock OF the nation
Jalk about wisdom. There is as mn en- in the
CD er we are now working under as in auy
other. Put in your six cCmmiss:oners and
you'll want them out in Iess tn an six months
He was not ready yet TO legislats everything
0os o o, ms power. If you give six men the
power cf the corporations, you Will find lust
Is much corruption as now; they will become
arbitrary. He had no faith I'm the doetriue thar
saangers could spend their money to BET er
say that no man should be a commissioner
unless DE r. sided here ten years and knew
something about the wants Of tre District. He
Woulu ike TO see affairs administered better
Dut II they were not, IL was not the fault of the
eharter He was not opposed to Consolidation.
put ne opposed any attempt to take from the
PeEIple ins,r privilege OF voting for their own
tne propriety OF the Board interfering ia such
grave matters az this " hen it was its province
20 ieglsiate and make suggestions only as TO
mr. Walker replied, that the remarks p,t
MIN In mind OF come people who still Continue
70 vote for Gen. jackson, and that the resolu
cbafter; bur that charter will expire on the 16tb
OF may pext, and, unless something is done il
nay De that there Will not be q charter under
which 10 work. He desired the Board and tha
people to advocate a radical change i'm the mn.
nicipal government. The District should he
inaaagi q by busin- - men, instead OF Doii.
ttcIans; ia ne proposed that the taxes 20 be paid
except special taxes for Improvements along
We hhes OF pr0peruss) should be but one per
cent, and the Government to pay the bal .nce
OF lne expenses. Ii was TO the interest of every
PiopeIty noider, IN MS opinion, that The entire
Disuict should be governed by one body
Mr. Sweeny askr J, If the pre- sent charter ex.
poo, II II did not rem ain In force uniil q new
Mr. Walker explained that the charter ppder
whlch. washington was now working was
srah'eo In 1s4s, and remains in force for twenty
y;tafs, unless sooner repealed; that previous to
! aS the corporation worked eight years under
no cnarter, and in the act of ISIS the Ordinances
Ci tne corporation up to that date were made
ieeai. ae believed the Board had the power
ana rlgnt 10 take this action ConRress s iooked
10 the Board tor suggestions -. ~'o-'~
Mr. Elvans said that he had been listening
70 q pleasant account of the land of Utopia,
Sn neue axes were TO be but one per cent. Ii
-
press his fears that the commissioners would
pc a loto broken down political hacks. hut
ne tnought that the Board was NO place 10
oiscuss matters having political or govern.
mental aspect. He was satisfied thar the reso.
luuon was nor germane to the objects of the
board, and the matter Was not in its proyince'
IL was organlzed for the purpose Of giving
ehape TO inerchan.iie enterprises, and for mat.
!efs relating to the commercial interests of the
~ metropolis. His political views were veH 1
known, ana he was glad that thus Far there
WIS one association l(the Board OF Tradel in |
Wnlcn ne could meet with his fr,ends. and on
equal terms with, his political enemies. II
politlcs continued to be eschewed the Board |
would continue: but Il not, their lin a uence
would be LOST and the Board rsrish. These
resolutions would be proper before a mas |
meeting, but not here fhe Roard ana its
members represenced ths CONNIE rcial in teresfss
d lae District cities alone, -, Z
Mr. Walker asked II there wa anything |
n tne lesoiuttons In reSerence to his poiiiicSl |!
Mr.. Elvans said il he was before a mas.
q ret. ing he weujd anawer the qnenEicn. but /
me Eoard was not the proper place -7-'-- "a
AmottUn Was made 10 YeieP the resolrt,o "a Il
ne Ocusmittee on the Mass Meeting. ~ =
r.Orme asked who would be the Chairman
,f that meeunk md Whom II 10 assem h1Sf. IL 4
90 politician would Not u csil4d Ia shat
:Rh. AZ 6r the tNfnspee oS a 8oar6. -
houEht that the Councita nav had Iors a. Il
uente win Con grses. 1t ehould te borne n i
mind thai Tiers were new memSers ~ ~.
NOuUei1h p -SsIr~ II