Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-14

| SM\NMM thousands and hotel
| .W.\ - acd other accommo-
| cations secured fer them, and while it is
very desirable that suitable ARRANGEMENTS
| should be made for the proper reception
OF the visitors on their arrival in the city
and their entertainment during their stay,
yet none of these things is possible unless
there is money on hand to defray the ex-
penses of the mammoth undertaking.
A realization of this self-evident truth
| led the committee of '96, in charge of the
arrangements for the convention, early to
pay especial attention to the matter Of
| raising funds. In fact. before the COM
| mittee Of 0G was formed. when the PROPOSE
| ton of inviting the convention to Wash
| lnston was being discussed, the question
| Of guarantee fund was pretty thorough
| ly talked over, with the result that when
| the committee On Invitation went before
the trustees Of the United Society Of Chris
tan Endeavor ard asked them to select
Washington as their meeting place in 1896,
one OF the main arguments used in urging
the CLAIMS OF the nations capital was the
substantial support offeie ed by the business
ana professional men of the city The
committee went fortified with a list of
LOO names of citizens, representing the
| substantial interests of the city, who in
| the spring of 81 signed an agreement 10
cooperate with the local union in the mat
! ter OF raising fund toward defrayng the
expenses of the convention.
Under the plan of organization those who
are charged with the duty of dealing with
TINS important branch of convention work
are banded together in a main body of
twenty-five, supplemented by an auxiliary
| committee, consisting of one representative
from each Christian Erdeavor Society in
the local union. The central committee is
composed of the following members: W. b.
Robson, chairman; w. W. Everett secre-
tary; Geo. a. Birch, C. o. Bohrer, Rufus
P. Clarke, Edward McC. Hall, w. c.
Henry. A. r. Holden, E. Hilton Jackson.
Jerome F. Johnson: J. H: Lichliter. J. A.
MacEiwee. Join Mitchell. jr., Chas. S.
Muir. Geo. F. Muth. w. H. Ronsaville, j.
A. Runyon, H. X. Simpson. r. L. l..
Smith, A. D. Spangler, Arson S. Taylor,
Andrew Wilson, Samuel G. Wise, Geo. +.
Williams. DR.. f. J. Woodman; ex-ofticiis,
| w. II. II. Smith, Percy S. Foster.
Citizens Advisory Committee.
There has also heen appointed a citizens
advisory finance committee, whose counsel
and business judgment and experience are of
valuabl assistance. This committee is
composed of the following wel-known citi-
zens: VIM. Ballantyne, Chas. Baum, Chas.
J. Bell, Justice D. J. Brewer, Chas. G.
Conn Geo T. Dunlop. John Joy Edison.
Gen. John w. Foster, Albert F. Fox, w b.
Guriey. 7. A. Harding. Justice J. NJ. Har-
Ian, John B. Larner. Theo. w. Noyes, Ny
ron NJ. Parker, e. S. Parker, Commissioner
John w. Ross, Isador Saks Secretary Hoke
Smith. Commissioner George Truesdeli, b.
II. Warner, II. A. Willard, Beriah Wilkins
Marshal 4. A. Wilson and S. w. Woodward.
william b. Robson, chairman of the
finance committee, is native of Ohio. He
EaS been WashinStonian, however, since
he was nine years of age. His education
was received in the public schools of this
city. graduating from the High School in
the class of rs. Afterward he studied law
| and received his diploma from Columbian
University in 1886. and the same yaar was
admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court
of the District.
| of the marshal of the District, a position
he resigned in December 80, to accept he
secretaryship of the Washington Loan and
Trust Company, then newly organized. He
remained in that position more than FIVE
years. when he again entered the mar
shars office, and is now chief deputy United
States marshal for the District.
Mr.. Robson is an elder in the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, and besides
his Christian Endeavor duties takes an
active interest in mission work, being SUI
perintendent of the Bethany Mission, ut the
corner of 18th and G streets.
His business experience, coupled with his
wide acquaintance among the business men
of the city. peculiarly fits him for the re-
sronsible position he holds. His commit
tee is an energetic body Of capable work
ers, most of whom are men of practica. eX-
perience in business affairs.
What 1t Will Cost.
1t is estimated that the cost of the con-
vention will be in the neignborhood of ST.
GOO. This sum is made up from actual
items Of costs already ascertained and
from expenses incurred at Boston and
ether prior conventions. The items Of the
expense account are as follows: Rem. Of
two tents, $1,000; one new tent and fix
lures, $2,375; freight on tents, s125; putting
Up, care of and taking down tents, 81, 900;
seats and platforms in tents and public
comfort arrangements, $1,000; rent of halls,
literature tables. booths. ETC., 81 600; speak
ers' and trustees expenses, $1,000; badges
5000: lighting tents and grounds, $1,000;
decorating tents and meeting places, 81. 500;
printing and committee expenses, s., 900;
registration, $500; programs. 5000: stamps
and sundries, $1,O0O; in all, $2ti.S0O.
To meet these expenses it was decided, at
ter long and earnest discussion, to raise
two-fifths Of the sum from the Endeavorers
of Washington, and to ask the merchants
and others who would be immensely bene-
fitted in business way by the presence
in the city of so many visitors to contrib
ute the remaining three-fifths. The mem
bers of the societies have responded we'll
and already more than $1,000 out of the
total Of $4,000 expected from this source
has been subscribed. The responses from
the business interests a canvass of which
Is now in progress. are encouraging, and
give promise of satisfactory results.
In order to encourage contributions from
the seven thousand Endeavorers GncludinR
juniors) in the District, the finance COM
mittee decided upon a plan of installment
contributions Of varying amounts, extend
Ing over period of twelve months, so that
even the small sum of SID could be sub
scribed and paid at the rate Of ten cents
per month. Two rewards were held out
as inducements 20 subscribers, the first
being, using the language of the commit
tee in Its circular. 'the dividends of bless
ings to be derived from the convention"
and the second handsomely engraved
bond, signed by every member of the COM
mittee Of '96, suitable for framing as q
souvenir of the occasion and of the interest
and support of the contributor
In accordance with this plan the MEM
bers Of the auxiliary finance committee
enlisted contributors in the various So
cieties, who agreed to subscribe for the
bonds, which were arranged in series from
A to L, with amounts varying from 500
payable five dollars monthly, to $1.2O. or
ten cents Fer month. AS a result more
than 5000 has been subscribed, and of
this sum about $500 in cash is already in
hand.
Canvass Among the Citizens.
Now that the plans for raising a large
proportion Of the total expense fund from
the Endeavorers themselves are fairly
under way and have brought such excellent