Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-21

II Is difficult to find good reason for the
action of District Assembly No. Co. knights
of Labor, in cond emning what 1t terms
the secret circular" sent recently to mem
hers of the board of trade by the president
of that body. From the hour or It's Or
yanization to the present time the wash
ington Board of Trade has toiled assid-
uousIy In behalf of the welfare OF the Dis
Sict of Columbia. and although 1t has not.
accomplished 1.-THE of what 1t set out 10
do, II Is nevertheless entitled to the graft
tude and confidence of this community.
Realizing that before Congress could be
persuaded to enact legislation that has
long been needed II must be thoroughly
Informed as to the Congressio' ALLY made
contract by which the taxpayers OF the
District and the general government are
bound to each Other. the board OF trade
some time ago haugurated campaign
of education-a campaign not by commit
tee. but by every member of the board
Coincident with the spread of knowledge
there was according to the broadly-framed
plan to be strenuous effort III the interest
of such bills as might properly be adVo-
Gated by the board of trade. The program
laid out for the present session mad es-
pecial reference to the appropriation OF
moneys sufficient to give life to praise
worthy propositions. by the practical APP
pIication of which the city would secure
things II is in dire need of, and employ
ment would be found for thousands OF
men who, most unfortunately, are COM
PEELED to idleness. The board of trade idea
was and is that citizens of the District
should do everything in their power to
bring about the erection of new municipal
building, the construction of memorial
bridge across the Potomac, the elevation
of railroad tracks within the city, an IN
crease I'm the number of school buildings,
the establishment of II free public library
and reading room. the building of new
bridge in place of the present unsightly
and dangerous Long bridge, the extension
of streets and avenues. the construction of
a sufficient sewer system, and many other
things for lack of which the District has
suffered more than a little. Not one OF the
propositions supported by the beard of
trade is without great merit and each of
them would. had it the force of law, bring
the light OF industrial reccmpense into
hundreds of Washington homes now
dark by reason of distressing absence OF
any and all kinds of employment
Could Congress be persuaded to comply
with the by no means unreasonable re-
quests OF the board of trade there need not
be an idle man within the limits of the
District, and yet a labor organization-the
object of which Is presumably to benefit it's
membership-assails the board of trade as
though that body of representative citizens
was bent upon the accomplishment of
crime. A sorrowfully-large proportion of
these who are within the Jurisdiction of
District Assembly No. 66 have nothing to
do, and 1t is possible that enforced inaction
has resulted in the birth of unfortunate,
unreasoning and Improbable discomfort;
II this Is then there is double reason
for regretting the assembly's unfairly
critical resolutions.
The secret circular of which so much
has been made never was a secret. A copy
was mailed to each member of the board,
unaccompanied by even intimation of any
thing like an injunction for secrecy. 1t is
a brief and entirely honest request. and
has doubtless been responded to in the
same spirit as actuated President Warner
in sending it out. The circular is as fol-
lows:
Washington Board of Trade,
Washington ID. c., Dec. g. 1894.
The Importance of the work to be under
taken by the board of trade during the
official year just begun makes it essential
that, as far as possible, every public man
OF the District to the general governme mt,
and of the absolute fairness and de5ir-
ability OF the measures proposed. In many
instances this can best be accomplished bv
the efforts of the individual members, and
to enable them to properly present the
facts in convincing form a circular will
soon be sent out giving comprehensive in
formation on the subject. VIII you kindly
reply to the secretary as early as possible
giving the names of any senators and
members with whom you have such per-
sonal acquaintance as will enable you to
speak with them regarding the interests of
the District, when IL Is especially import
ant that united action be taken. Yours
very truly,
BRAINARD H. WARNER, President.
If there is anything improper in that
document the members OF the board of
trade would like II have the improperly
pointed out to them. The circular to which
attention Is directed in 1t Is the very
Interesting pamphlet issued by the beard
of trade and unanimously commended by
citi1ons-a concise statement of the re-
lationship of the District of Columbia 10
the general government. The intent of the
board is to supplement the pamphlet by
earnest and concerted missionary work;
work that would, If it were successful,
put an end to the strir gency and to much
of the suffering today much too common
at the national capital 1t is but reason
able conjecture to imagine that when Dis
trict Assembly No. 66 realizes that in an
tagonizing the board of trade it is with
holding bread and butter from thousands
of hungry mouths it will reverse the ac-
ton 1t took last night.
0'bara vvar, about fOrtyDina mon ap,