The Washington times., 1907-03-19
Five ThOuSand-Dollar a
Year Secretary Dis
CuSSed.
Of Membership of 725
Only Eleven Sent
Subscriptions.
Speakers Plead for Boys
at Meeting in New
Willard.

The $5,OOO-a-year commercial secretary
proposition to boom Washington was
laid on the shelf at the meeting OF the
Board Of Trade, held in the red room
at the New Willard last night
The death knell of the project was
sounded in the report Of r. n. Harper.
acting chairman of the committee on
commerce and manufactures, which
admitted that the proposition was a
failure
In his report. Mr.. Harper said:
'Analyzing the results of the circular
letter TO the members Of the board. the
committee observes that out OF a full
membership Of 725, only % replies were
received. OF these eleven contained
subscriptions aggregating the sum of
$llO and the writer's of the remaining
twelve either declined to subscribe or
held the matter in allegiance. From this
it win be perceived that an overwhelm-
ing majority OF the members Of our
organization are either opposed or in
different to the project. Notwithstanding
the fact that by the unanimous vote of
the board the plan submitted by your
committee for the creation and nainte-
nance of commercial secretary was ap-
proved and adopted.
From all sources the subscriptions
obtained by the committee total some
thing over $500 sum quite made
quate, in our Judgment. to secure a
competent man for the work that was
contemplated, and provide him with
sufficient means with which to prose
cute H.
E. S. Parker Speaks.
The report Of the committee. asking
for its discharge from the further con-
sideration of the proposition. was
adopted. but not until z. s. Parker had
explained what was the matter with
Washington The speaker declared that
the community was divided into two
faciOns-one opposed manufacturing
here, and the other favored il.
'One class only favors outside men
and money coming here.
Most of our people prefer trust
companies, national banks. build
ing apartment houses. and subdividlng
tracts Of land 20 manufacturing.
If / were to go from Chevy Chase
TO the navy yard 1 could not get 100000
subscribed for a manufacturing com
pany but there are fifty gentlemen
here who would quickly subscribe
S1.WOOOO TO a trust company or 500 600
for national bank
Young Blood Leaving City.
John l.. Weaver declared that the
young and best blood Of the city was
leaving for other fields, for no oppor-
tunity existed here TO challenge their
efforts.
r. NJ Harper spoke of a Brooklyn firm
that had located here TO manufacture
women's and children's clothing. They
employed twenty-eight people, women
OH Do Toll
learned and when competent the work
ers could earn from IS to SO a week
The firm was shortly 10 put fifty hands
at work.
The speaker declared that the Board
Of Trade alone could not obtain the sup
pert necessary for the employment OF a
high-salaried commercial secretary. II
he was employed at all a community OF
action on the part OF the three CONNER
cial organizations would be required.
Capital Timid Here.
Thomas w. Smith complained that
Washington capital was timid. 1t was
piled up in the banks far beyond local
needs and the excess sent 20 New York,
where it only earned 2 per cent interest.
we need to provide for our boys"
declared Mr.. Smith. They must be
given employment. II is all right to ad-
vertise this place as a winter resort
which will attract more people here to
deposit their money in our banks and
trust companies. but we must induce the
location of manufacturing interests
here.
10 Have Usual Shadbake.
The reports of the various committees
which have been under discussion at
the previous metings of the board were
discussed at length and finally adopted.
Amid much merriment it was decided
to continue the annual custom Of hold
ing shadbake excursion, though Presi-
dent Wilson declared the receipts were
under the most favUrlng circumstances,
usually 500 less than the expenditures.