The Washington times., 1901-11-12
ITS ELEVENTH YEAR ENDED
The Washington Board of Trade
Holds Its Annual Meeting.
Local Business Conditions Reviewed
in President Edson's RepOrt-Elec-
tion of New Dircctors-Recomm
dations for City improvements.

The eleventh year of the Washington
! Board of Trade was brought to close
| at Rauscher's last night. over 200 mem
bers of the organization attended. and
| cast their ballots for members of the
| board of directors whose terms expired
! this year. The report of John Joy Edison
| President of the board, was submitted
| and was a comprehensive review of the
! movements for the Improvement of the
| city and business conditions to which the
| Board of Trade lent assistance during
| the year just closed. Numerous recon-
| mendations for various works of public
| character We're included in it's scope An
| elaborate buffet luncheon was served.
The president of the board to serve dur
| ing the ensuing year will be elected by
| the thirty members of the board Of direc-
| tors at a meeting next Monday afternoon.
| John JOY Edison has already served two
| terms, and the mantle of the presidency
will probably fall on the shoulders of
! Thomas w Smith.
It is customary for the first vice pres-
| dent to succeed to the presidency upon
the retirement of the head OF the board.
! Charles J. Bell, of the American Securi-
! ty and Trust Company, is the first vice
| president, but is unable to devote the nee
| essary time to the duties of the Office of
| president Thomas w Smith is the sec
ond vice president, and Will probably be
elected.
Mr.. Smith is the head of the large Ium-
Der 1irm which bears his name He is a
public-spirited man who has been closely
identified with movements for the i'm
prOvement of the District of Columbia
In every way he is deemed well qualified
to be placed at the helm OF the Washing
ton Board Of Trade. He is especially in
terested in the work of the Park Com
mission and Is President of the East
Washington Citizens Association. r
Ross Perry is mentioned as successor
to the office of first vice president No
candidate in particular is being groomed
for the position of second vice president
George IL. Harries. the present secretary
of the board, will probably be reelected
to that position.
The meeting last night was called to
order shortly after o'clock. Mr.. Edison
read his report. Ballots were then about
to be distributed when it was decided that
the secretary should cast the unanimous
vote of the board for the ten candidates
who had been placed in nomination. They
Were Henry L. Biscoe, John JOY Edison,
Abram p. Pardon. Archibald Greenlees
W luidtn L. van w lChle, CEoSbg D MY tSs
Myron NJ. Parker Ellis Spear. George II.
Harries James B. Lambie. With a sin
gle exception, that of William =. Van
Wicl1le the candidates were all former
members of the board. Mr.. Van Wickle
takes the place of A. T. Lambert.
Henry B. F. Macfarland. President of
the Board of Commissioners, and Major
BlddIe. Engineer Commissioner, We're
made of the regret of the board at the
retirement of Capt. Lansing II. Beach,
former Engineer Commissioner. but sat
isfaction was evidenced at the selection
of Major BiddIe as his successor.
The business meeting was then ad-
iourned. and the assemblage took posses
sion of the dining rooms on the floor be
low. where an excellent buffet luncheon
was served.
The secretary report was submitted
by George II. Harries, who combined it
with the report of the treasurer. The
latter showed that there was a cash bal
ance on hand of s596.24. The report Of
John joy Edison, President OF the board,
was quite exhaustive. but of extreme in
terest 80 the members of chat body.
AT this meeting, il opened, which
closes the fiscal year OF the Board of
Trade, we are again able to record year
Of important and effective work Meas
ures affecting the legitimate and material
interests of the District or Columbia have
been formulated, well considered. consist
entity urged and accomplished So much
good achieved is indeed gratifying, and is
ample compensation for the part taken
by this organization
The report of Mr.. Edison was made up
IN large part of the reports OF various
committees of the board. The first taken
up was that OF the CT mn ttee on bridges,
which, dusing .se Esat year, has seriously
and at length considered the project of
a Memorial Bridge. al.. Edison pointed
out its necessity, 2o.h from a traffic and
a patriotic view. The suggestion that the
funds appropriated f'c 4 Highway Bridge
should be made a rat of the Memorial
bridge fund was ia ably considered. a
new bridge to replace the Anacostia
Bridge urged.
Need for municipal hospital was re-
ferred to under the subject of charities
and corrections. The practice OF keeping
prisoners for long terms in the District
Jail without exercise was deplored. Fa-
NOrable mention was made OF the work of
the Washington Sanitary Improvement
Company, which furnished accommodate
tion for l62 families and which has in
vested since 1895 the sum of SlS7, ,S3S.6I in
this useful philanthropy. The Board of
Charities during the past year has accom-
plished great amount Of good in the ar
rangement for the hospital care of in
digent sick, and for the transportation OF
stranded poor people in Washington to
their homes at other places.
Mr.. Edison called attention to the admir-
able work Of the Central Relief Committee
and the Associated Charities, which have
prevented imposition upon the fSrbliC sys-
tematiZing the work of municipal and
semi-public charity.
There was scarce a more important sub
igct dealt with Mr. Edison TpDorf than
that Of the cudiiicatiOn Of the laws of the
District. Mir Edison stated that the code
which is to 30 into effect on January l.
1892. has been found by the Committee on
Legislation OF the District Bar Associa-
ton to need certain corrective amend
ments in order that II might better en-
brace all branches of the law. Mr.. Edison
recommended that the special committee
OF the board upon the code be continued,
and acknowledged the valuable services
Of II. Ross Perry as chairman Of that
committee. The movement to secure tho
code originated with the Board of Trade.
The report of the Committee on Com
mcrCe ana ManufaCtu caused Mr. Ed
son TO recommend an enquiry into the
conditions in the District of Columbia
affecting the establishment of munufac-
turing.
1T Should be the aim" said Mr.. Edison.
after informa ton is acquired, to add 20
the conditions which invite manufactor-
les. and to remove the conditions that
prevent them or cause them to leave after
they are once established.
The clause in the new code providing
for Superintendent OF Insurance in tho
District Mr.. Edison thinks, viii eliminate
the possibility of fraudulent companies 10
eating here. Mr. Edison also recommended
that the Committee on Mercantile Inter
ests should with the Committee on Tax
alton and AssessT, nts, consider the
question of the new tax law IN lieu Of
the persoT al tax law, which affects mer-
chants. and Is Objectionable.
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