New-York tribune., 1876-06-28
THE NATIONAL BOARD or TRADE.

tellectual development
TIE NATIONAL BOARD or TRADE
The National Board of Trade commenced
its eighth annual session in this city yester-
day. The proceedings show that the number
of commercial bodies represented by deiegateS
in the Board is increasing, and that steps
have been taken with gratifying success To
promote unity of feeling, and OF action Tor
the common good, between the commercial or
ganizations of this and other countries. Inc
annual report Of the Executive Council also
shows that the efforts of the Board have not
been fuitlcss, in so far as they have been
directed to securing modification of laws or gov
crnmcnra rcgulations affecting the modes OF
transacting business. Many valuable suggestions
cmanating from this organization respecting
tLCse matters upon which practical business
men are best informed have received merited
attention. On fbc other hand, the report shows
ms clearly that the efforts of the Board to IN
hucnce legislation upon the questions which
involve political controversy have not been
crowned with success.
II is not unnatural that body of picked
business men, representing commercial organl-
cations iD all parts OF the country, should ieel
some disappointment because their recon-
mcndations respecting the currency, taxation,
reciprocity with foreign countries. the estaD-
lishment of Il buroau of commerce, and ether
such matters. urcn which they suppose them
selves peculiarly qualified to advise, have not
been followed 10y fayoring legislation. Ihe
opinions Of the Board undoubtedly deserve
respect On the currency question its influence
has always been cast on the side of sound
finance and public honor. But there are two
reasons for the comparative failure of the
Board to influence results These we COM
mend to its consideration in the hope that It's
deliberations may be rendered more useful.
The Chamber OF Commerce Of New-f0rk is
? very dIgbiicd, able, and useful body. Bat 1t
does not "rlu" ward meetings, Eor control
elections, IN this city. Hence TIE men who get
elected care not very much what the Chamber
Of Commerce thinks. The members OF that
body vote each with his party. Until they
cease 10 be partisaEs, and become indcpen-
Gcut.. the opinion Of the Chamber Of Com
mercc viii not control even It's own votes, and
until ils members acquire habit of
partcipgting actively in politics, they
will not control the votes of others.
For thc same reason the National Board OF
Trade DOES not control results. Members of
Congress .oak for the opinion Of the men who
make them. They fail TO find those men in
the National Bolrd, or represented there.
Hence it is that whenever the Board undcr-
takes 20 touch questions OF political coBtro-
vcrsy, il comes in contact with forces which
pay little respect to it's opinions. Unless pre-
pared 10 make It's influence felt. the Board
- 4 :. a.. -,
possible.
Bat i also happens that tie recommends
tons OF business men are usually either too
general and Yague to have great force, or
they are shaped 20 considerable degree by
conceptions OF their individual interests. Or
dinarily the yagueness and emptiness result
from the inability OF such men, whose direct
pccuniaIy interests are unlike, tn agree upon
any practical methods. There is, however,
with all men who have much com
mc,cial or financial experience, curi
| ous conservatism which consists mainly in be-
ing afraid to do anything " lest il may disturb
business When the business OF the country
i, going 20 the bad, the ono thing it needs is to
be disturbed. When vigorous remedies are
needed as they always are if great evils exist.
.c average DuSlUcSS llllI lS usually llic itSt lD
advise them. He fears that they VIII "dlstuib
business" BY that he means that he can
perceive, in his individual relations, ways in
which any vigorous remedies might possibly
occasion personal loss. Hence he is % con-
scryatiye," as il is called; he tries to stand
still when motion in some direction is inev-
liable. AS result, the commercial bodies usu-
ally fail TO recommend any practical measures,
or. if they recommend any, devise some sort
of financial brcadpill so innocuous, so slow
in operation, that it is q shade worse than no
plan at all.
If the Board of Trade wishes to exercise
much influence upon questions involved in
political controversy, it must, first, contrye tn
mature some definite, positive, vigorous plan OF
acton which men can advocate who are in dead
earnest, and mean to get something done.
Then ii must be prepared to make its inilu-
cncc felt in conventions and at the polls. II
il does not seek this sphere of activity, it will
wisely devote its attention manly to those
practical. non-poitical questions, upon which
its influence is already recognized. In that
sphere il has done much good, and may do
vastly more good in the future.
"Iacrtcs" correspondent of The Grdphio has