The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-09
LET Us HAVE A BOARD OF TRAIE

LET US HAVE A BOARD OF TRAII
At the meeting Of the Merchants Exchang
few days ago the comm. ttee Of solicitors re
,orted the subscription of an amount suttic
mt to guarantee the expenses Of the institu
ion for one year, and thereupon an executiv
committee was chosen to procure the build
| ng and conduct the management of the Ex
'hange until permanent organization coul,
,e effected SO that We are safe in congratu
ating our merchants upon the establishment
t an institution which has long been needle,
this city.
| There is another want which should be sur
lied ut an early date and the gentlemen who
ave SO eners etically con ucted the presen
movement should give it their attention. W.
,ilude 10 the formation Of Board OF Trade t.
look after the general interests OF the city
1t should be composed Of all who have any
properly interest in the community-mer-
;hants b,nkers, capitalists, real estate own
rs, manufacturers, ship and steamboat own
ers, professional gen,lemen-it should, in
fact, represent every commercial interest-all
20 NIB ned in a harmonious compact for the
general good. To those who have no direct
interest in an Exchange. which is simply a
rendezvous for buyers and sellers Of staple ar
ticles. the Board Of Trade will afford means
Of extending their trade, by looking after and
creating commercial connections with all
other points. encouraging railroad en-
terprises OF proper character, in
huencing Government aid when rea-
sonably needed, maintaining careful!
8 .rutiny Of our Representatives in Congress,
directing them in the general interests Of the
ity, and encouraging the investment here Of
capital from abroad. All these things are the
legi .inate province Of a Board OF Trade
not Of an Exchange. The confusion OF the
two bodies, whose purposes are so closely con-
Dected, while at ths same time they are so
dissimiar, has been to our merchants who
are not SO familiar as they should be with such
,. ambitions, fruitful cause Of trouble in
previous efforts at etfecting legislative COM
OF them will make the way to
'uccess easier and surer.
The Board Of Trade, as it exists in New
York, Chicago, st. Louis, Cincinnati and
'ther cities is the natural outgrowth Of the
Merchants Exchange, which is the orig nal
The Exchange, at first organized
or the local convenience Of Wholesale buy |
rs and sci ers Of staple articles, brought the
merchants t gether, and soon revealed the
trength of a unity of commercial interests
at the Exchange was tor actual business
and soon manufacturers, capt.
,lists-those who represented large interests,
$ dealers in dry goods, boots and shoes, hard
ARE, etc.-und Others whose interests We're
OF involved in the Exchange. united WITT
hose who were, and, together, formed the
'oard Of Trade, representing all the interests
the community. What has been accom-
llsh is apparent to all who have watched
course OF the large Western and Northern
ties during the last decade.
Above I'LL things the Board Of Trade should
g utterly devoid Of any political character Or
ltent for that would paralyze its usefulness,
last all its efforts and reduce it to the level OF
1r present Chamber Of Commerce
What could we not have accomplished the
ast few years, in spite Of our political mis-
rtunes, had we possessed Board OF Trade
OF live men, practical men, ignor ny
olitical combinations and working solely for
e commercial and financial interests OF the
The St Philip Canal, the steamship con.
,ction with Mexico and South America, the
abroad to Texas would not all these enter
ICES in which we ar. SO vitality interested
we been more successful if they had been
cked up by Board Of Trade such as We
II and ought to have iii this city. We think
ey would. /
Tnen Why is snch an organization delayed $
should be commenced ut once and we I
list We shhll soon Oe called upon 10 chronicle :
( initial steps