Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-07
Government and Trade Conventions

Secretary Cortelyou, it Is reported, hopes
to persuade Congress to provide such
building for the new executive department
that there will be space for hall as
meeting place for the large commercial
bodies which assemble in Washington for
their periodical conventions. This plan is
in consonance with his belief that the de-
partment should keep in close touch with
all such organizations and encourage them
in their tendency to meet at the seat of
government. Doubtless the mere fact that
the commercial interests of the country
have been recognized in the organization
Of this department will of itself draw
hither larger numbers of the men who rep
resent the prosperity of the country in the
form of works, and the position of Wash
ington as the pre-eminent convention city
will be materially advanced within the next
few years. Provision should be made as
early as possible for this greater influx of
organized visitors, and under what better
or more appropriate auspices than the gov
eminent itself, which has thus distinctly
provided for a conservation Of the coun-
try's commercial welfare?
A properly appointed convention hall
would attract here thousands Of delegates,
the men who are at the important task of
keeping the industrial wheels of the coun-
try in motion. Those men, above all others,
workers as well as capitalists, are the
ones with whom it Is desirable the govern
| ment's new department should keep in close
communion. They would be as so many
special agents of investigation. bringing
their views and facts at first hand to the
officials whose duty it will be to colate
such and to deduce principles from them.
Commissioner Garfield well said the other
night in addressing the lumbermen in con-
vention
ut is one of the signs Of the times In
America that so many great trade associa-
tons are coming here every year and get
ting In touch with government movements
in Washington as well as bringing the
government experts in touch with national
trade plans. 1t is by such conferences and
not by opposition, that we will reach bet
ter understanding"
The scheme. therefore, is not 80 much
the mere provision Of building as 1t is
step in the direction of closer relations be-
tween the government and the people who
are doing things in the country. But the
building Is necessary part Of the PLAN
At present the city's facilities for the en-
tertainment of such large assemblages are
| limited. Only one great hall is available,
and that Is lacking in many Of the neces-
sary qualifications. 1t is Of dubious COM
mercial advantage for private capital to
invest in such an enterprise, although under
| the circumstances enough of these organi-
cations might come to Washington an
nually to keep privately erected conven-
ton building fairly well occupied and rea-
sonably remunerative. While capital is
hesitating in the premises the organiza-
lions are going to other cities when they
should be coming here, and perhaps in the
last analysis it will rest with the govern
ment, actuated by the desire to establish
the close relations between it's new de-
partment and the interests which 1t is to
conserve, to move and make provision
which will result in an immediate and con-
tinuing increase Of the convention tide
toward the capital