The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-09-19
WHAT THE HOARD or TRADE ~
EAIl

When soliciting substantial MD 10 M
institution like the Board of Trade,
where II direct benefit TO the masses IL
not plainly visible, we are frequently
met with the inquiry, "Of what use Is
u Board Of 'rradc? ats benefits are
only for cotton and grain merchants"
when tho facts are that every business
man IN any community derives great
advantage, directly or indirectly, from
such an organization and should be
alive to liz interests aud support.
A Board of'rrade, or some organiza-
ton with like functions, If not IN in
evitable outgrowth, IL an Indispensable
adjunct Of commercial Importance. As
interests expand in volume and varie-
ty they demand more imperatively the
supervision and regulation of some CEN
trail power, created by voluntary con-
currence, enforced to voluntary sub
mission, which shall harmonize the re-
latlons and evert the conflicts which
must occur where each is not well in-
formed of the condition and need of
the others.
In the absense of such knowledge
they may unwittingly cripple each
other, while with II they can always
cooperate In schemes of general advan-
tage in carrying on an honorable COM
petition. Men always work to the
best advantage who fully understand
the conditions under which they work,
which Is saying no more than that
knowledge is better than ignorance.
This reciprocal familiarity il possi-
BILE only through the intervention of n
board Of trade, representing all classes
of business, and charging itself with
the duty of collecting and distributing
information of the progress of each to
the other, and to the commercial
world Every interest Is benefited by
the healthy development of every
other, aud more or less directly inn
paired by the failure or feebleness of
every other Self interest, therefore,
dictates such cooperation as n board of
trade facilitates, If not creates. 1t adj
vances commercial character and pro-
notes manufacturing interests by en-
abling each separate interest to make
a full display of its Importance in a
way most likely to attract business.
Just and equitable principles of trade,
and uniformity of usages are only sure
of general enforcement where there is
a general cooperation, and no amount
of acquired or natural advantages can
dispense with them. The perception
of these truths becomes clearer with
the growing Importance of the interests
affected, and that perception is the
motive power to such organizations.
But a Board OF Trade subserves the
interests Of city quite as effectually
by its periodical exhibits of the prog
ress OF its commerce and industries as
by the constant familiarity of each 1
with the other which it promotes, and
the observance of just and uniform
principles which it enforces. 1t is not
enough to Inform other portions of the
county, where capital is waiting for in
vestment, and enterprise for opportu-
nifty, that city has now 80 many
and SO large an aggre-
gate of trade, with such u mass of pop
ulation, and such and so many facili-
ties for transportation. Men inter-
ested enough to examine closely want
to know what relation the present sit
nation bears to previous conditions.
They say: ''rhis is all very well for
this year, but what was 1t last year, the
year before, and veyears ago? What
Is the rate of progress, or is there any
1t all?'
Numerous publications have distrib-
tied a rich Knowledge of the general |
of Dallas, its general prog
ess, its general inducements to settle