Evening star., 1894-11-22


elsewhere the chamber of commerce or
the merchants exchange or other body or
similar character, that ever went out OF ltS
way to pass resolutions laudatory of civil
service reform or to urge It's extension
upon the public authorities. we Will
say again that the board of trade cannot
recommend the proposed extension or rules
either as essential to the reform of the
District service a trade measure in
the interest of local business conditions,
without seriously compromising its dig
nifty, without committing gross inpro-
priety or without laying itself open to out
side criticism, of which. in and out OF
Congress- it and the citizens of Wash
ington. together with 1t, would not hear
the last for years. Washington Post
Last Tuesday evening the greatest COM
mercial organization on this hemisphere
the New York Chamber of Commerce
met to celebrate a civil service reform vic
tory such as this country had never known
prior to the election-day just gone by;
reform in which the Chamber of Commerce
the prime mover and for which II de-
serves and is receiving merited and un-
measured commendation. OF course, ac-
cording to the Post, this was an undignifed
performance throughout-this straighten-
ing out of municipal affairs and then re-
joicing at the successful manner in which
the difficult and disagreeable duty was
done-but 1t has, nevertheless, received
q
gree.
There were some deeply S4nteresting
speeches made on the occasion referred to
which was, by the way, the one hundred
and twenty-sixth anniversary of the or
ganizations corporate existence-and 1t may
be that word or two dropped then and re-
produced now will carry conviction to even
the hardest of hearts. Imagine, IL imagina-
ton can go so far, the horror that woulG
rack The Post II the president of our
board of trade were to say in open meeting
as did President Orr of the New York
Chamber OF Commerce, that
THE paramount menace of the present
day to the growth, prosperity and happi-
ness of this fair land of ours comes not
from strikes, or social disorder, or financial
embarrassment, or tarih complications-bad
as they all are in their way-but from a
growing tendency to venal and Incompetent
legislation, both national, state and munich
pal which tends to paralyze with it's
whitening touch the moral forces of the ma
ton"
Then think Oh the poIdness and impropri-
ETY. of that same President Orr in announc-
ing that the Chamber of Commerce had
more than once fearlessly assisted in
bringing TO the bar of public opinion de-
psrtment of state or municipal government
which, through venal or incompetent ad-
ministration. inturing the commercial
when further forbearance on your part
ceased to be a virtue, you were instru-
mental In obtaining from the last legisla-
ture committee to investigate some of the
departments of this city. and especially
that of police, whose administrations were
menace to all good government, and
therefore, a hindrance to all commercial
enterprise. The legislature, at your sug-
gestion, provided the ways and means for
this investigation. but 1t failed of becoming
law, and IL was feared the movement
would become lamentable failure. This,
however, was not your intention. True to
your traditions of commercial guardianship,
you promptly took the place of the vetoed
appIr oriation and provided the necessary
funds"
Then In reply some criticisms In the
direct line of those made by the Post he
went on to say:
Now, In all these actions you have been
more or less unjustly criticised, sometimes
charged with Interior motives and some
times ridiculed-but what of that, Would
you not, under similar circumstances, do
the very same things again? If, then from
our standpoint of commercial guardianship,
We have deemed II our Imperative duty TO
ask for the investigation of departments
OF civic government whose administrations
were immoral, incompetent and bad, Is IL
not also our bounden duty to examine into
the causes that have produced these evils,
and, In our corporate capacity, demand
their reform? Is IL not true that down
In the secret places of all our hearts-that
place where conscience Is enthroned and
from which, either by our own act or any
other influence ii cannot be evicted-we
feel and know that IL Is political domina-
ton in municipal affairs that lies at the
root of all this wrong? And do we not also
feel and know that (nothwit hstanding the
glorious victory of few days ago) there
cannot be any permanent improvement till
municipal government is lifted out of the
arena OF politics and political organiza-
tons, and administered solely on business
UrtnCiDlpSI re-
ciation to be debarred from the consider
alton, and IL needs he from taking part in
the determination of these important ques-
tons, so vital to the commercial prosper
ity of this fair city. because 1t is claimed
from political standpoint, that municipal
government Is combination of political
interests, and not, as we believe, an aggre-
CATION of just and equitable business prin-
ciples-that its control is a prize to be con-
tended for by political parties-that its
places of trust are the valid spoils Of po-
htical victories-and that commerce,
through its representative associations To-
Gated within Its Jurisdiction, has no rights
or suggestion or protest that political par
tisans are In any way bound to respect?
While / hope the time will never come
when political discussions will be tolerated
for a single moment within the walls of
this time-honored Chamber 1 also hope
that We will be true to the obligations of
sur chartered birthrisht and repudiate all
onch political sophisms."
Proceeding to define n-political matters,
President Orr said:
"Clean streets. good schools, an efficient
police force. well-equipped departments Of
fire and health, and the hundred and one
other things that contribute to the comfort,
protection and happiness of the people are
not in any way whatever political Ques-
tions, but are in every sense of the term
items OF decent business administration.
New York Is the commercial metropolis of
these United States, and whatever affects
her commercial welfare comes lawfully
within the province of our supervision. II
she is to maintain that proud position her
citizens, and especially this chamber. must
be vigilant in promoting and upholding her
good name and fair fame. and In times of
municipal emergency come fearlessly to the
front and demand for her that form Of up
right government that has integrity, ca
pscity, independence and patriotism for its
cornerstones. and under which every legiti-
mate interest, whether 1t be religious edu-
cational professional. commercial, without
let or hindrance of any kind whatever
shall be welcomed, encouraged and pro-
tected.
Ex-President Charles Stewart Smith also
made 1t plain that the Chamber of Com
merce did and is doing no more than 1t
ought He declared 1t to be the bounden
DUTY of the organization to reconstruct the
VArl~ ola,