Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
MAY BE CHANGE IN POLICY
Omen Letter Addressed to the Board
Membership.
MATTER TO BE DECIDED MOND AY
Effect Pointed Out of the Adoption OF
Committees recommendation
Interest Aroused.

The meeting of the Board of Trade next
Monday evening at the New Willard prom
Uses to he the most important held by the
organization in many years, and from the
interest shown will likely be the largest at
tended The great interest arises from the
fact that at this meeting will be consld-
cred the report of the committee on COM
merce and manufactures recommending the
employment of commercial secretary at
a salary of 81. 900 per annum, with an ad-
ditionaI allowance for clerk hire, travelling
and office expenses
The present income Of the Board Of Trade
is considered to he between $4,000 ana
So 600 annually, and it will be easily seem
therefore. that the proposal, if adopted
means an entire change of purpose and
method in the board and also necessarily
raising of the dues of members. With the
futur. character of the Board of Trade to
be decided at the meeting Monday nlSht, IL
is not surprising that the membership is IN
dulsinE i'll a great deal OF tdih ItS'' , utilS
the subject to be considered and voted
upon and the meeting promises TO be a
very lively one.
Open Letter to Members.
An omen letter in regard to the meeting
and subject for consideration signed by a
large number of the members of the board
has been issued. This letter is as follows:
ITO the Members of the Washington Board
of Trade: -,
Article / of the bylaws of this board
provides.
Its object shall be the consideration OF
and acting upon. matters concerning the
commerce, prosperity and advancement Oh
the material interests of the nauonai cpl
tai and the dissemination of information
relating thereto. 1t shall give speclal at
tention to the promotion OF public improve
ments. ~
Ever since its inception over sixteen
years ago. this board has strven for these
objects. especially the promotion OF puohc
improvements and has accomplished much
with a single view to the beneht OF the
capitaI and all its citizens. Its record OF
achievement is admirably summarized in
the recent annual report of President Will
son.
Commerce and Manufactures.
'The committee on commerce and manu-
features. one of its twenty-five standing
committees. has made a report which will
come up for action at a meeting of the
whole board Monday, January Il, 1907, in
which it recommends the employment of an
expert special secretary of "A high order of
ability TO promote the establishment of
manufacturing establishments and jCbbng
houses, to be known as the commercial
secretary at salary of 5000 per annum,
with an additional allowance for clerk hire,
travelling and office expenses.
The present revenues of the board are
between 5000 and $4,000. which sum meets
the current expenses OF the organiza ton,
and leaves a small surplus to meet the
more urgent needs of the boards twenty
two standing committees.
1.-The adoption of this recommendation
of the committee on commerce and manu-
features would absorb in the work of one
committee the boards total revenues, and
would compel lasge increase in the dues
of the members and the restrainment Of
the energies of the board to branch
of its activities. and that not a promotion
of public improvements.
One of the Results
1.-The inevitable effect of the adoption
OF this recommendation would be to change
the whole character of the Washing ton
Board of Trade from what it is. and always
has been. a general citizens organization
representing all classes and aiming to pro-
mote the welfare of the entire community
to a purely commercial body.
The question is whether the board will
remain a representative citizens orgati-
zation. especially working for the promo
ton of public improvements, with a very
large and widely diversified membership
paying small annual dues. or will become
purely commercial body. much smaller
In membership. paying much larger dues,
and working primarily for the benefit of
the manufactures and trade of commercial
Washington.
The purpose of this paper is to earnest
ly urge you to be present at the meeting
on January IA. 1907. and express by your
vote your best judgment as to whether
such a change in the character of the
board should take place"