Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-15

ing day and during the week it is
proposed to make a cali for addi-
tional members until practically all
those interested are enrolled under
the banner OF a bigger. broader
commercial community.
It Is the expectation of the joint commit
tee that the several citizens associations Of
the District VIII prove to be energetic allies
to the Jobbers and Shippers Association of
Washington, d. c., and that when their
meetings are resumed next fall they will
take decided action in favor of the boom
for more business for this city. Already
several members OF citizens associations
have stated their anxiety TO get into the
campaign.
THE movement. for a Greater Washing
ton has already become contagicn.' said
a member of the East Washington Citizens
Association. Il am gla: indeed that the
business men have awakened to the neces-
sity OF such spread of business as is con-
templated. This nlove-neE. should have
been inausuratcd years ago. While
Washington sill always remain a pic
turesque residential city there IS no
reason why it should not enjoy In Its down.
town district great increase of CONNER
cialism with the attendant financial inflow.
While the District, in my opinion, will never
become a great manufacturing center, yet
1 believe the future will it provided
with a great number of wholesale jobbIng
houses which will supply the small mer-
chants of Virginia Maryland and some
of the other southern states
Spirit of Enterprise
Mr.. W Seton Kent of the Southern Print
ers Supply Company. said last evening:
The spirit OF enterprise shown by MEM
bers of the Johbers and Shippers Associa-
ton is very commendabie and should show
good results in The way of bringing both
wholesale and manufacturing business to
Washington.
Mr.. Kent had no complaint against the
shipping facilities from here, except an oc-
casionai delay to points IN the valley of
Virginia and the slight delays that occur
at times In transferring freight at Alexan-
dria for southern points.
His general point of view was that WASH
ington was all right as business town.
either wholesale or retail and the Tner-
chants of this city would get the southern
trade by going after IT, and that trans
portation facilities and rates would be
properly regulated soon as the railroads
were given the tonnage that warrants.
Readjusting Freight Rates.
Another business man with whom a Star
reporter conversed last evening said he
felt sure that the railroad companies Will
meet the Jobbers and Shippers Association
half way in the matter Of readjusting
freight rates and giving this city just as
good facilities are afforded Baltimore
and other places when the companies see
that BY so doing they will be assisting
in opening another field of activ-
ity, which will give them increased BUSH
ness. He also said he believed the steam
boat companies would enter heartily into
the spirit of the movement
Several years ago the freight traffic on
the Potomac was large and Washington
wholesalers supplied many of the country
merchants OF the lower Virginia and Mary
land river counties with groceries dry
goods and other commodities. Even now
a local baker supplies dealers with bread
and other bakers products as far down the
Potomac as Leonardtown.
Gateway to the South.
Mr.. Charles E. Howe OF the American
Security and Trust Company Is a believer
of the statement that has now become a
maxim. that Washington Is 1.-The gateway
TO the south and has exceptional adj
antages as distributing point OF jobbing
emporium for the southern states. He
referred to a recent article In financial
publication, Ia which the statement was
made that there is no longer disposi-
ton from any source to look upon the
commercial Importance of the group of
southern states askance, or to question
their supremacy In raising cotton. The
south has advanced to a commanding DO
sition In the production OF cotton and to-
bacco. having in the former a monopoly
or practically So Mr.. Howe believes '.rhe
south has at length come to her own
though not by rapid or spectacular strides"
he declared. BEST OF ALL 1t has come IN
b. recognized that her prosperity rests
upon as secure a basis as that of any other
part of the country"
Mr.. Howe acquiesced in the view that
lin the field of textile industry the south
need not fear competition" In regard To
this city he said: This view of southern
sentiment and purpose Is not without in
terest. this city can claim the iInioua
distinction of being located on the dividing
line between the north and south and 81
possessing absolutely as much friendiiness
Tor one section as for the other This is
one of It's commercial assets. Its CONNER
ciai hopes and prospects lie in the main
to the southwark
What Washington Might Become.
All this is highly suggestive of what
Washington might become commercially "
he remarked. IF her business men would
act promptly and energeticaIy In the for
nation Of league for the promotion of
those interests The banding power and
manufacturing enterprises of the south. al
ready large. are growing apace, and the
opulence OF that section is going to enrich
other cities besides her own. The vast ac-
emulation of wealth, resultant from her
enormous cotton crops, will be shared In
some important measure by the whole
world. For sentimental as well as for eco
nemic reasons. as We have pointed out.
Washingtous natural position for sharing
the rapidly growing prosperity of the south
is second to that of no other city not es-
sentially southern city. This is to say
that IL large wholesale houses representing
leading lines OF merchandise would locate
here. southern merchants would prefer
entiaiiy make their purchases OF us. The
idea is not simply novel or ingenious that
Washington might easily become an i'm
portant wholesale and jobbing emporium
II Is prominently reasonable, resting upon
the basic fact of logical conclusion.
When rightly viewed, the opportunity of
Washington improving her advantages In
this respect might well inspire confidence,