Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-27

VENERABLE FREDERICK FRALEY STILL PREsIDEs
OVER THE EoDY-ExHAUsTIvE REPORT OF THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESENTED.
The national board of trade convened today
at the Shoreham for the twenty-second an
! nual meeting. For three days the board will
be in session and during that time will cou-
slider many matters of importance. Among
these may be mentioned perrnanence in the
statistical work of the government, uniformity
Of commercial laws, improvements of public
highways. currency, coinage, revenue taxa
ton. adulteration of food products, shipping,
Immigration and governmental control of COM
munication and transportation.
The delegates from the board of trade of this
city are NJ. NJ. Parker and Alexander d. Ander-
son.
THE BOARD CALLED TOGETHER.
The banquet hall of the Shoreham was well
filed at II o'clock, the hour fixed for the meet
ing OF the board. As the secretary of the board.
Mr.. Hamilton A. Hill of Boston. who has filed
that position for a long time with great ell
cheney, remarked as he looked over the gather
ing, This Is one Of the largest meetings we
have ever held"
The venerable president of the board. Mr..
FreSerlck Eraley, was present and was warmly
greeted by the members as they came in. Mr.
fTalcy has reached an advanced age. and has
been president of the board for the past twenty
three years-ln fact ever since the board was
orSa niEed. He WAS congratulated upon his APP
pearance OF health and vlgor After the board was
called to order credentials were presented and a
committee was appointed. to which the appli-
cations for membership were referred. Then
an opportunity was given by taking a recess
for the members to mingle together socially,
after which the meeting was resumed.
orr
The report Of the executive committee was
read by the secretary, Mr.. Hill, as follows:
The executive committee as required
by the constitution, begs to present
Its annual report. 1t is four years
this month since the national board of trade
met in Washington. During the interval We
have held meetings in the cities of Chicago,
Louisville and New Orleans. 1t is fitting that
the board should meet from time to time
1t may come into closer contact with the asso-
Citations which sustain it. 1t is well that it
should hold some of its meetings at the national
capital 30 that by its presence and procecd-
ings 1t nay make Its influence ielt among those
who are charged with the Legislative ami execu-
tive functions OF the general government.
AS we are so fortunate as to have with us at
the present meeting Representatives of several
boards OF trade ana chambers Of commerce not
hitherto III our membership. AMI as the per-
sonnet III most of the delegations change more
or less from year to year it may
be well to report today what has al
ready been said in our annual reports
in reference 20 the aims AMI objects of our
organization. and even to these of US to whom
the statement is not new Its repetition may
prove useful in reviewing and strengthening
our purpose and III confirming our confidence
In tie work we have undertaken.
OBJECT OF TIE FORMATION OF THE BOARD.
The main object for which the national
board of trade was formed nearly quarter of
century ago was to secure the proper con-
sideration of questions pertaining to the
financial, commercial and industrial inter-
membership of the board consists
not OF individual business men, but of COM
mercial associations which send their repre-
sentdtiTes 20 It's meetings, not to advance local
or special interests, much less those which are
private. but the interests of the country at
large. individuals and communities and
classes can he trusted to look out for them
selves respectively, but the welfare of
tie country generally, of the public
as a whole, Of the great multitude
mouthpiece, Is not so sure always to be pro-
tected and promoted. the desire of Con-
gress should be and We will assume
that it is, to promote the general
good-the greatest good of the greatest number.
but it Is not always easy to ascertain Just
what this is and by what methods it NAV be
reached. 1t would seem to be a thoroughly
reasonable thing, therefore, for represen-
tative men from various parts Of the
country and from various branches
of trade and industry to come together for de-
liberation. to compare views. to present facts,
to harmonic Or abate differences and, so
far as practicable, to reach conclusions
and to arrange plans for united
issues in which they have q common concern
and III which the country at large is concerned
also. Thus public opinion is not only formed,
but finds suitable emphatic and, in a sense,
authoritative expression. The meetings OF the
national board OF trade are briefly conferences
We agree with substantial unanimity upon
certain resolutions as the outcome of our de-
llberatons, but these resolutions have no d.
rect legal effective cannot enact them into
laws They have moral force, however.
rs the careful utterances OF intcil.-
gent and philosophical citizens, and
they cannot but influence, we may say as a
matter OF fact they DO influence. those upon
whom the responsibilities of legislation finally
rest.
NO PAETT POLITICS
The fact should be once more emphasized as
we come back TO the seat OF government that
this board knows nothing of party politics. In
this respect it is precisely like the local asso-
ciatlons OF which it is constituted and
all OF which comprehend within their
respective membership men of all
parties and OF no party. We have never heard
it charged, we have never heard it whispered,
that the national board OF trade has been AMI
mated by partisan considerations in any action
il has taken, or in any recommendation
to Congress or the executive il has
made. Senator's and Representatives in Congress.
members of both the great political parties Of
our coun,ry. have in frequent instances served
as accredited delegates 10 our meetings but
they have come on this floor not as representa-
tives ola party, noteven as members of Congress.
but As influential citizens OF the communities
in which they have their homes TO contribute
to our proceedings the benefit of the ex-
perlence they have acquired in the halls
OF legislation and which they have
added to their previous Knowledge Of affairs
as practical men. He need not say that the
pressure Of such members Of Congress among
as may be very useful to the board.
1t has been most advantageous to
associations of chambers of commerce of Great
Britain that from the first from a dozen to
twenty OF the leading mon have been members
OF the house OF commons-business men repre-
senting business communities.
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE.
There Is one measure to which this board
gave much time and thought in its earlier
years, the importance of which it has sought