The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-20
BUSINESS MEN As HOSTS
Annual Reception of the Washing
ton Board of Trade.
A Representative Gathering of the
Commercial Leaders of the Capital
mt the Arlington HOtel-The Adj
dresses Directed to Pointing Ont
the Main Needs of the City.

Every branch of commercial activity OF
the Capital City was represented at the
annual reception given last night by the
Washington Board of Trade in the parIors
OF the Arlington. More than three hundred
of the leading business men of the city,
who stand for nearly all that there is OF
Washington outside OF official life, were
gathered in the spacious drawing rooms
Of the hotel. where in social intercourse
they exchanged views and opinions and
listened to addresses by those upon whom
the National Capital is in large measure
dependent. for its greatness.
The principal speakers and their GUEST
were Members OF Congress, chiefly the
personnel of the District Committees and
number OF department officials. The
gorgeous decorations which we're fea-
tire of the Assembly ball. held on the
night before, were allowed TO remain. so
that the environments of the place were
worthy of the distinguished company
which was there gathered
John Joy Edison, President of the Board
of Trade presided, but before the pro-
graInme arranged for the evening was be-
gun, lueTe Was nhAI-HOuT more
informal reception, during which members
and guests mingled in social converse. Mr.
Edison, in his opening remarks before the
board, suggested to his associates and the
Congressional guests present plan for
the Improvement of the city by the enact
ment Of a measure which would permit an
advance of money from the Treasury to be
expended in constructing sewers. improv-
ing streets and parks. and constrcting
much-needed public buildings The Dis
trict he said would be willing to pay in
terest upon its one-half of the money so
advanced This method, he said. would be
somewhat similar to an issue of bonds, as
in other cities, but would have many adj
vantages over such a system
He introduced o. T. Crosby, who spoke
in general terms of the improvements
needed in Washington to make 1t not only
progressive city equipped with all mod
ern improvements and facilities, but to
aggrandize it and make it not only the
most beautiful city of America but the
most beautiful city of the world
George II. Harries exhibited upon
canvas steTeoptil al views of municipal
buildings, court houses, and other public
buildings in cities of Europe and America
speaking incidentally of their cost and
construction. and then in contrast showed
pictures of the municipal buildings of
Washington and pointedly called atten-
ton to the needs of the National Capital
in this respect.
Commissioner mcfarland was then in
troduced and spoke of the urgent neces-
sity for the erection of a suitable build
ing for the use of the District government.
Among other things, he said:
For thirty years the District of Column
bia has had government, but In all that
time the District government has never
had a home of is own. No other import
ant government in the civilized world is
thus homeless. For thirty years it has
boarded around in an undiginified and in
convenient manner. 1t has paid out in
rents for inadequate and unbecoming quar-
tiers money enough to construct a very re-
spectacle building. The Government OF
the National Capital is now housed in pri-
vate office buildings, for which it is pay
ing large rents and which are neither at
tractive. commodious nor ireproof The
priceless records of the District of CO.
lumbia, including the only data of the
underground constructions which must be
kept in the District building because they
are in daily and hourly use, are liable to
destruction any day
Representative Sims of Tennessee spoke
briefly in advocacy of the building of the
Memorial Bridge. Congress, he said. had
recently appropriated many millions for
expositions in two cities, neither of which
was even State capital, and In view of
this he believed that the National Capt.