Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-30
Emulsion

| most important committees of the board
| is that on the consular service. This COM
| mittee consists of Jonathan A. Laur Of
Boston, chairman; John A. Gano, Cincin-
| natl; q. c. Raymond, Detroit; John Field,
Philadelphia, and E. Waldo Smith. New
York. The report was very interesting as
presented by Chairman Lane. The report
| insisted on the Importance to our foreign
and domestic commerce of an efficient con-
Sular service.
The last business Of the session was a
vote indorsing the Torrey bankruptcy bill.
History OF the Board.
For more than quarter of century the
national board Of trade has carried on the
important work which 1t was organized to
accomplish. In 1865 representative men
from the various boards of trade and cham
bers of commerce of the eastern and west
ern cities met together in the city of De-
trot. The result of this big gathering was
so satisfactory that it was determined to
form permanent organization, by means
CT which the leading commercial bodies OF
the country could be able to confer and act
together at regular intervals upon current
questions in which they had a direct and
common interest without the inconvenience
and expense attending the meeting of such
| large numbers of men as had been as
sembled in Detroit The prelimnarieS for
the formation of the national board of
trade were arranged at a convention held
| in Boston in February, 1S6S, and a full or
ganiZation was completed in Philadelphia
in June Of the same year. At this latter
date th1rty-two commercial bodies partici-
pated in the proceedings. From the begin
| ming the objects Of the organization were
| general and national in their scope dis
| tinguished from what is special and local
| The objects of the board are, as stated in
| the constitution, to promote the efficiency
! and extend the usefulness of the various
| boards of trade, chambers of commerce and
| other chartered bodies organized for gen.
| eral commercial purposes; to attain unity
HARMONY action reference
mercial uSageS customs and laws, and to
secure the proper consideration Of queS-
! tons pertaining to the financial, commercial
| and industrial interests Of the country at
| large.
Department of Commerce.
! AS long ago as 1865, when the Detroit
convention was in session, its leading MEM
| bers, who since have been influential in the
| board, were agreed that there should be a
| national commercial organization. like that
| which came into existence in 1865, but also
| a separate department of The general gov
eminent. devoted to the commercial inter
| estS of the country similar 10 The minis
| tries of commerce which form SO important
part of the principal European govern
| ments. To this end the board has prepared
and presented bills from session TO session,
and has advocated them before committees
| OF Congress. but thus far without success.
| The board began by holding its annual
meetings in the various commercial cen
|
| 1870, Buffalo; 1871, ST. Louis; 1872. New
| York; 1873, Chicago; 1874, Baltimore; 1919.
| Philadelphia; 1876. New York; 1877, Mil
waukee. 1t then held its meetings in this
| city until 1855. when it again went to Chi
| cago, then to Louisville in 1889, and to
| New Orleans in 1880. Since that time the
meetings have been held in this city.
Frederick Fraley of Philadelphia was
chosen president of the board at its first
meeting, in 1865 He has held the office by
| annual election ever since, and he has been
present at every meeting except that held
| in New Orleans. The executive commit
| tee consists of the following: John A. liano.
Cincinnati; Ambrose Snow, New York;
Blanchard Randall, Baltimore; Jonathan
A. Lane. Boston; Henry +. Dousman. Chi
cage; Charles Parsons, st. Louis; A. c.
Raymond, Detroit; Robert r. Hefford, Buff
falo; A X Miller, New Orleans. Hamilton
A. Hill of Boston was chosen secretary and
treasurer in 1865, and resigned in 1873.
Charles Randolph of Chicago held the office
from 1873 to 1877, and, on his resigna ton,
Mr.. Hill was again elected, and has been
reelected annually to the present time.
The name of Edward =. Wilbur should be
| added to the list of delegates from the
Boston Merchants Association. Mr.. Wilbur
| is one of the civil service commissioners OF
Mas sac huSetts.