The evening times., 1897-01-28

The executive council OF tie National
Board of Trade met at the Secretary's
rooms at the shoreham at $50 O'Clock
today and organized for the ensuing year.
The council consists of all the vice presi-
dents, as published by the Morning Times
yesterday
In a short session, it was decided to set
the date OF meeting a little earlier, in order
20 have better opportunity to put the results
OF their deliberations before Congress 1t
has heretofore met in January, usually
late in the month, and in the short sessions
OF Congress legislation has then usually
been nearly all initiated and much OF it
practically settled. The date OF the be
ginning OF the next meeting was fixed as
the second Tuesday in December next.
The secretary and treasurer, William R.
Tucker, the Bourse, room 24s, Phnadel-
phia, was reelected. The executive COM
ulitUec as chosen shows only one change, the
Buffalo member IL is as follows: John A.
Gano, Cincinnati, Chair irmah; G. Waldo Smith,
New York; Blanchard Randall, Baltimore;
Jonathan A Lane, Boston; II. f. Dousman,
Chicago: L. o. Stanard, st. Louis: Alonzo
r. James, Buffalo; A. X. Miller, New Or
eans, aud DcniSon B. Smith, Toledo.
The hoard was called to order by ex-
Coy. Stanard at 10 O'Clock. Mr nousman
moved that the committee on financial
problems be authorized To put before Con
gress the plan for a monetary commission
as approved by the board, and To- cooperate
with the committee Of the Indianapolis
ruoDatar,- ,r,nfp-pnpp "a fIta Ry-.r.l-
Mr.. Finley Acker, OF the Philadelphia
Trades League, reported from the standing
committee on postal reforms. 1t especially
called attention to the inequalities Of the
present rates of postage and the feasibility
and fairness OF cent letter postage. The
actual cost OF letter postage was shown to
be SO cents per pound; of fourth class, 1876
cents per pound; OF third class, 131 cents,
and OF second class, seventeen twentieths,
or little more than four fifths OF l cent.
The committee had held conferences with
Chairman Loud ofthe House Postoffice Com
mittee and others Mr. Loud had agreed
that it was nothing short OF al outrage that
The people crthe country should be charged
$4,000 900 a year more than the cost of
handling theirletter mail. He said he would
bring forward a measure for I-cent letter
postage as soon as practicable. Mr.. Acker
concluded with resolutions favoring the
Loud bill, which was adopted.
The committee was continued and di-
rected TO meet Saturday with the Senate
committee in charge of the Loud bin All
other postal propositions were referred
to this committee.
Mr.. +. b. Thurber made the report on
transportation. He quoted the Inter
state Commerce Commissions statements
that the railroad business OF the country
has suffered in the past year as never
before From the same source he pre-
Sented a statement from a witness that
in thirJy-fiye years experience in ship
ping he had seen uniform discrimina-
tion i'm favor OF farmers.
Mr.. Thurber introduced resolutions in
favor of foreciosing on the Union Pacific,
but deprecating government ownership;
also favoring pooling under supervision OF |
the Interstate Commerce Commission, and |
careful supervision OF railroads by the
government. J. J. Hooker presented a |
minority report, signed also by r. c. Greer (
and r. S. Lyon, opposing pooling amend 4
ment to the Interstate Commerce law till /
t can be wholly revised.
After debate upon the pooling, a vote |
showed % 10 "a in favor OF the minority |
report, but two-thirds majority being |
necessary, the question was left unde- |
cided.
Mr.. Haarstiok reported on waterways in |
favor of Congress making available appro- |
priations for improvements OF rivers, per /
fecting the jetty system at the mouth OF |
the Mississippi, and completing improve
ments on the ocean line i'm the interest Of /
Commerce and military defense, and the
report was approved.
Mr.. c. B. Murray read a report on crop /
reports by the Agricultural Department, /
and needed reforms, which was adopted.
The Board of Trade adjourned at /
o'clock.