The Washington herald., 1908-05-10

| TWO important steps were taken during
the week looking to the permanent ad-
vancement of trade and industry in
Washington.
The board Of directors of the Chamber
! Of Commerce on Wednesday afternoon
authorized the appointment Of a commit
I tee to make inquiry into the availability
/ Of the applicants for the position OF per
/ manent secretary Of the chamber, TO pass
/ upon those qualifications. and report its
conclusions 10 the board on May %.
/ The board of directors had been previ-
ously instructed by the chamber to hire
! the secretary upon such terms as might
! be thought fit, and It Is now practically
/ assured that the position Of secretary 10
the chamber will be filled within a few
weeks by a man who viii be able 10 de-
vote his whole time to the bodys inter
ests and to serve the various committees
whose work has been handicapped for
want of such an officer.
Retail Trade Organized.
The second step taken was the perma-
| nent organization Of the retail trade COM
mittee of the chamber on Thursday night
the adoption of a plan Of work, and the
appointment Of several subcommittee to
give the execution OF the plan effect
1t is expected that the employment OF
the permanent secretary of the chamber
will serve to give direction to the work
Of the retail trade committee, as we'll as
that of the committee on wholesale trade
and Of other standing committees Of the
body.
The effect Of the action taken is to
place on a working basis the forces Of
the Chamber OF Commerce interested in
the expansion Of the retail trade Of the
city. The committee representing that
branch Of activity has effected a special
organization under the constitution Of the
chamber and is TO all intentS and pur-
poses a separate trade body within the
chamber. The committee has adopted
plan of action which has for its object
the bringing to the city of trade from
outside and further extending the patron
age Of the local stores.
Committees Ready TO Act.
Subcommittees on ways and means, IN
Guiding the raising Of funds for adver-
tising and necessary expenses attached
TO the movement: on railroad privileges.
which will be charged with getting re-
duced rates of traffic where possible, or
ganizing special excursions to the city,
and the like; advertising. which viii have
charge of the means and character OF
the advertising used for the purposes Of
publicity. and on refund which will have
charge Of the amount and manner OF the
refund to outside patrons Of the percent
ages of their purchases at the local
stores
This brief review Of the plan as pro-
posed shows that the field of retail trade
In Washington is covered by an active
and energetic committee which has al
ready carried out one OF the successful
efforts of the local tradesmen to bring
larger business to our city.
Dependent upon the employment Of the
permanent secretary is the forming of
plans and their execution for enlarglng
the wholesale trade Of the city. The com
mittee having this branch of the work of
the Chamber Of Commerce in hand has
rested in its labors for the want Of an
efficient executive man connected with
the chamber to carry out certain plans
having for its object bringing to Wash
ington merchants from the neighboring
States to buy goods for their general
stores.
1t is understood that this committee
has several ideas capable of being worked