Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-19
THE BOARD OF TRADE
Immense Amount of Business
Transacted Last Night.
COMMERCIAL SECRETARY
Project to Employ One Definitely
Abandoned.
COMMITTEE REPORTS ADOPTED
Many Subjects Which Have Been
Hanging Fire for Months Dis
cussed and Settled.
)MMITTEE REPORTS ADOPTED

sacted an immense amount of business last
evening in the adoption of many reports
| that have been before the board from its
| committees for a long time. Among other
| things that were done was the final aban-
donment of the effort to secure q CONNER
| cial secretary for the Board of Trade in
| conformity with the recommendations of
| the committee on manufactures Mr.. r.
N Harper. chairman Of that committee,
announced that OF more than seven hun
bred circulars sent to members of the board
| asking subscriptions to pay the expenses Of
commercial secretary there have been re-
ceived twenty-three answers, of which
number eleven were accompanied by sub
scrlptions aggregating $40. and twelve
| merely declined to give a subscription. This
was dscouraging to the committee that
| it recommended that the matter be dropped
| and the board approved it's action.
| Gen. John Nj. Wilson. president. made a
record as presiding officer in the dis
patch of business. Gen. George II. Harries
| was present as secretary. and Mr.. Wm
Shuster as assistant secretary.
Reports Adopted.
Reports adopted by the board last even
| ing were those of the special legal COM
| mittee on conventions, special committee
| ON hall for public conventions, special COM
| mittee on history of the District Of Column
| ba, special committee municipal art
| special committee on universities, on water
| supply. on sewerage. on streets and ave-
| nueS, on taxation and assessment, on trans
portation and on manufactures. Some of
| these reports had been before the board
| since last October but the immense amount
of time that had been consumed in dis
cussing the report of the committee on
| manufactures had prevented consideration
of other matters that would ordinarily have
been disposed of early in the winter
Mr. Harper, in bringing in the report of
the committee on manufactures, stated that
he did SO in accordance with the instruc-
lions of the board at its last meeting to the
effect that the committee should reconsider
its effort to secure money for a commercial
secretary and should endeavor to secure
contributions for that purpose. He said
that the committee had sent out circulars
to the more than 100 members of the
board. receiving twenty-three replies and
but $11O. From this, he said, the commit
tee was persuaded that an overwhelming
majority of the board was opposed in
different to the project for d commercial
secretary. He said that from all sources
the committee had obtained pladges for
but $500, which not sufficient to pay
the salary of a commercial secretary and
his expenses and, therefore, the commit
tee deemed it best to drop the matter. Mr..
Harper reviewed the purposes that had
been sought by advocates of the appoint
ment of commercial secretary. He was
as much convinced as ever that the inter
ests of Greater Washington could best be
served In that way. He felt that the time
would come when others would take the
same view, and could not believe that pres
ent conditions of Indifference to the plans
of the committee on manufactures would
long continue. But they were convinced
that in view of the present attitude Of the
board toward this project. 1t would be use
less to give further consideration to the
comprehensive plan adopted by the board
in February, 1906
Mr.. Parker's Remarks.
Mr.. f. Southland Parker spoke at some
length on this project to show that while
the people of the District are not inclined
to invest in manufacturing projects, there
is line of investment that is attractive
to them. They readily support such prof.
ects as are involved in the establishment
of trust companies. banks. real estate
bureaus and things of that kind.
He declared that the future of Washing
ton is dependent upon, and will keep pace
with the development of the United States
world power.
Our country" he said has had a won
derful growth in the last quarter of a CEN
fury. And Washington has kept pace with
it. And it has been clearly demonstrated
that as the country grows so grows the
Capital. This is in defiance of the fact
that we are not commercial city nor a
manufacturing city.
washington is great city because it Is
the capital Of the greatest nation in the
world. 1t will be greater tomorrow and
as the country increases in business. in
population. in education and in material
development it will be greater still. There
Is no denying that there Is a deep-seated,
underlying opposition toward the tendency
to make the capital city a manufacturing
city. and there Is a strong disposition on
the part Of many to have outside people
undertake the experiment rather than to
engage in the business themselves. The
conditions here may be favorable for manu-
featuring, but there are few indeed who
are thus impressed and who are willing to
show their faith by their works
Business men of Washington are enter
prising, liberal and energetic enough to en-
gage in any branch that promises adequate
and fair return.
'.Our training has not been along the lines
of manufacturing, and 1t would be a hope
less task to induce Washington capital to
enter into 1t. We have been taught in other
ways, but II we can, by the employment
Of commercial secretary, induce outside
men and money to build a shoe factory, the
business would walk right along, and to
establish a match factory would be a big
strike in the right direction, or q powder
mill would give us blast of no uncertain
sound.
"Washingtonians turn and have turned
their efforts toward financial institutions.
and looking over this audience 1 believe /
could pick out thirty men who could and
would organize Of the opportunity presented
itselO trust company of one million dol
number of men who would furnish the cap
ltal for bank of two hundred thousand
dollars; or to invest in apartment house
Or a proposition to buy a tract of land and
subdivide. would be promptly considered;
or the purchase of another tract by a syn
dictate, have the promoters drop out and
the holders of the syndicate certificates
wait patiently and uncomplainingly for the
dawn of better day. These are the enter
prises that We are accustomed to tackle.
and offer to the business men Of Washing.
ton the surest reward and the most attrac-
tive returns. and were We to attempt to
raise one hundred thousand dollars for a
manufacturing enterprise we would be
doomed to failure"
Mr.. John L. Weaver made a plea for the
establishment of manufacturing industries
In the District in order that young men
may not be obliged to leave the city in
order to secure desirable employment
Mr.. Harper told of clothing manufac-
turing establishment recently started here
that now employs twenty-eight women. who
are making Sc or So a week, whereas thav
previously had been able to earn nothine
at all. e
Mr.. Conrad Syme asked a question of Mr.
Harper, which brought out the information
that the advocates of Washington as a
manufacturing city were inclined to he
heve that their project could only be push