The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-04-15

it's own members, of the town or dis trict to which the society belongs, and of the community in general, by repre- senting and urging in the legislature the views of other members in mercan- tile affairs by collecting statistics bear ing upon the trade of the district, in some places acting as court of arbl- tration In mercantile questions and by obtaining by united efforts advantages in trade which might be beyond the reach of individual enterprise.
 ORIGIN OF CHAMBERS OF CON- MERGE.
 These institutions are of Continental origin. The oldest chamber is that of Marseilles, France, which dates at the end of the fourteenth century. This chamber shared in municipal jurisdic- tion, and administered justice in mer- cantile questions. The function of these chambers in France is to give the government advice and information on industrial and commercial subjects, to suggest the means of increasing the in- dustries and commerce of their respec- tive districts, of improving commercial legislation and taxation, to suggest the execution of works requisite to the construction of harbors, deepening of rivers, and formation of railways. On these and similar subjects the advice of the chamber of commerce, when not volunteered, is demanded by the gov ernment, and constitutes a part of the general counsel of commerce under the minister of the Interior.
 | The chamber of commerce in Glas- | gow, although the oldest in Great Britain, antedates the chamber of com merce of New Haven but eleven years, having been instituted in 17S3. The as- sociations of chambers of commerce in England have done much to promote the business interest of that country by bringing together delegates from all the trading centers of England, her col onies, and other countries, realizing more emphatically than we the impor- tance of associating and becoming ac- quainted with the merchants and buy CTS of the world.
 THE RELATION TO NATIONAL, l STATE AND CITY GOVERNMENTS
 THEY SHOULD OCCUPY.
 The mayor of Boston last year com manded the services of a group of men known as the Merchants Municipal committee, without official authority, rendering valuable advice. This com mittee was made up of representatives from the principal commercial organi- zations of Boston, including the presi- dent of the chamber of commerce, president of the Clearing House associ- ation, president of the board of trade, president of the Merchants association, president of the Shoe and Leather asso- ciation, president of the Real Estate Exchange.
 This year application has been made to revise the charter of the city of Boston, giving this council a recog- pal corporation. ".
 The discussion that has attained some importance in this country during the past year of the proposition that a new office in the cabinet of the president be created, to be known as secretary of trade, commerce and manufactures, with a view of assisting in acquiring and promoting foreign trade and set ding disputes between employers and employees, should be encouraged, and this would be a proper subject for dis cussion and action upon by this and others chambers of commerce through out the country. In creating such an office this government would follow the lead of older governments, who have a most useful department of this charac- ter.
 THE WORK OF THIS CHAMBER
 VIII, pA GIT VEtAp
 Several of the recommendations made in the last annual address of the presi- 
 Continued on Sixth Page).