The Washington times., 1901-11-11
ITS MISSION A FAILURE.
National Board of Trade Threat
ened With Extinction.
Doubt if Usual january Session in
This City VIII Be HeId-sfemOriaIs
to Congress Produced Little I'm
pression-Members Falling Away.

The National Board of Trade. vener-
able landmark in the history of American
commercial bodies, and also in the history
Of Washington as a convention city is
threatened with extinction. Rumor has it
that the last melting of the organization
has been held. The National Board has
been in the habit of meeting in Washing
ton in January of every yea= and settling
affairs of state, besides blazing the way
for Congress to travel in the many and
confusing paths of legislation. The Ma
tional Board of Trade is composed of
delegates from the various commercial
bodies of the United States. For many
years Moses Fraley, of Philadelphia, was
its president, and latterly the prime object
of the annual convocation was to pass
resolutions in honor of the old gentleman
on his reelection.
The occasions were laehrymose in the
extreme.
The routine proceedings included resolu-
tions and memorials to Congress recon-
mcnding the passage of Isthmian Canal
appropriations, the establishment Of an
eighth executive department Department
of Commerce, petition for national
bankruptcy laws. advice anent the con-
struction of a ship canal connecting the
Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean and few
more questions of passing interest.
Nobody in or out Of Congress ever paid
the slightest attention TO the National
Board OF Trade or its action. Its resolu-
tions and memorials to Congress went the
way of the hundreds of thousands of sim
liar documents that flood every session
of the National Legislature an1 cucumber
the machinery Of the Capitol. ,-he annual
recurrence of the meetings gives an eX-
cuse for a lot of takers in local eX-
changes to make pilgrimages TO Washing
ton every winter at the expense # their
fellow members. Possibly their associates
We're willing to pay for much needed re-
lief from their presence for a season. On
no other theory except that and the force
of a fixed habit can the appropriations
for the junket be accounted for.
Mr.. Fraley having been called to his
fathers during the year there is less eX-
cuse than ever for the annual meetings.
and some of the local exchanges are
moving TO abolish the utterly useless ses-
slons. With its usual brutal directneSs
the Chicago Board OF Trade takes the in
itiatiye in the matter by refusing to ap-
point delegates. This act, it is rumored.
is likely to prove the death knen of the
organization.
No information of a positive nature
could be obtained Saturday from people
in this city supposed to have an interest
in the body. The Washington Board of
Trade each year appoints delegates to the
national body. and they always attend
the congress, but it is not recorded that
any of these local delegates has ever
been forceful enough to overcome the in
ertia of the occasion and make himself
conspicuous outside the assembly hall.
The impression gathered in the interviews
obtained was that no one In this city, with
the possible exception OF the hotel men,
will weep any tears over the threatened /
demise