Evening star., 1908-01-22
TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS
Reception to Delegates by President
of United States.
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS
Plans for Annual Banquet This
Evening-Discussi Of Matters
OF Public Interest.

Board Of Trade in the New Willard
Hotel today. Resolutions regarding the
extension Of the mcrican merchant ma
rine. the adoption Of q uniform bin OF
ladins. the administration az the customs
act, the conduct OF immigration and Gov
e.ing many other matters of public in
terest were adopted, and the program of
the convention Tor this afternoon and
tomorrow contains many other subjects
OF paramount Importance. One of the
features of the boards meeting here VIII
be the annual banquet at the New Viii
lard this evening. The delegates were
received at the White House this after
noon.
The meeting this morning was called
to order h. President La lame shortly
after 10 o'clock and reports OF commit
tees were called for in rapid succession.
h. r.. Wood, chairman OF the commit
tee inquirnG into tho question cf extern
sion of the American merchant marine,
was the first TO respond and ne presented
Il resume of the scope Of trade between
the United States and the South -Aineri-
can countries.
\. NJ. Read Of this city. chairman Of
the committee on uniform bill OF lad
ing. reviewed much of the recent agi
tation in the interests of ii uniform
bill of iading, and spoke of the action
mission following number OF hear
lnSs. at which a large number Of rail-
roads as well rs the National Roard of
Trade were represented.
Uniform Bill of Lading.
Mr. Reads report was concluded as
follows: The interstate commerce
commission has now IN hand the form
ulation of uniform bill OF lading to
take the place of all others now in use
by the railroad carriers OF the coun-
try, and it is deemed absolutely essen
tial to the proper conduct of the COM
merce OF the country that order bills
of lading, SO important a vehicle in
the movement of its crops. should be
SO segregated by all practicable means
from the so-called straight bills of
1ading that they can be readily recog
nized."
The following was offered in the form
of resolution: That the National
Board OF Trade hereby petitions and
prays the interstate commerce COM
mission to require for order bills of
lading distinct and separate form. 50
differentiated by its wording. color.
etc. that it. shall be readily distin-
guished; and that forms be submitted
To the commission for its considers
ton
Mr. Read presented tho. forms of a
negotiable and of n-negctiabie
bill of ladng which were approved by
the board, and he was authorized 10
appear before the interstate commerce
commission TO conserve the interests
OF the resolution.
Improvement of Rivers.
Reporting for the river and haroor i'm
prcvenlent committee, Chairman Henry 4
Fry said: The existing condition of
ol,c business interests, due largely 10 the
inability of our limited transportation ia
cilities TO properly handle and econom-
icaliy transport the large freight move
meat of the country, calls for some speedy
aH1 permanent relief. and it has beer
freely admitted by many Of our conn4ner
cial bodies and manufacturing interests
that the only practical and permanent
relicfI must come through the improve
menf OF OR rivers and haroo:s and in
ternal waterways.
Resolutions were adopted recommending
an annual appropriation of $51,r00. 0.U00yby
Congress for inland waterway improve
ments, and the policy of cooperation
between the national, state and munich
pal governments and corporations.
William II. Gibson of tie New York
Board of Trade and Transportation offered
a supplemental proposition-that the ma
tionai board favor the establishment Of
A new government department. to have
charge of river and harbor improvements
and all other similar nu'olic works. Much
discussion followed. and d counter motion
WIS finally presented by James Richard
Carter os Boston. that the tlat1er bc
referred to IL special committee 10 report
at the meeting of the natioaal board
next year. This motion was carried by
a vote. of -; 10 l..
As to Drawback Laws.
Following report by Chairman Antonio
yucca on the question of drawback laws
a resolution was adopted in which the
board indorsed last years recomlneatia-
ton that this subject shall be referred to
commission of experts to report, or that
Congress shall pass 4 suitable drawback
law for the benefit OF our manufacturers
Consdera BILE debate orcarred IN conncc-
ton with the presentation OF the problem
OF the customs administrative act, and
the following form of resolution Wa IS
finally adopted:
THAT the Secretary Of tho Treasury he
authorized To instruct collectors OF Gus
toms duties and internal revenues to ac-
cept in payment of duties and revenues,
III time OF money strinSency or other
events. certified checks on nat-cnal banks.
thus avoiding the accentuatinS Of a crisis,
Cue to financial panic, and the Increase OF
premium on currency. as jIst happened
William Harris Douglas. president of
the New York Produce Exchange. made
an eloquent plea in behalf OF ship sub
sides in connection with the report Of the
rinc, and he emphasized the humiiatiag
spectacle which WIGS presented when il
vas necessary to charter foreign bottoms
to carry coal for the Pacilic-bound fieat.
Adopts Summary.
Mr. Douglas views and the views of tie
committee were succinctly SCI forth in tile
following summary, which tie board
adopted:
The National Board of Trade believes
that the greatest commercial question. in
volving the interest of the entire country,
is the recreation of the merchant marine,
and 1t deplores that no action has been
taken by Congress. Tho carrying trade
of the United States is practically monap-
olized by aliens, who have established |
their lines from its ports 10 all parts or
the world. This board strongly urges The
mail and freight lines TO South and Cen
trail America, Australasia, South Africa, |
China. India ana Japan, and 10 our de-
Tendencies.
The board further advocates proper en- |
couragement should be given 10 creating |
an Afnerican-built sail and steamer ton |
mage, so necessary to the extension and |
the country. an adequate merchant ma |
rne is OF inestima BILE value in time of
peace. and absolutely essential in time OF |
war"
And TO this was added tho following |
resolution: That in our judgment the /
commercial interests Of. The country re- /
quire prompt legislation. s;ch viii re- |
sui il the re-eStaoisilment of an -Anlcri- |
can merchant marine.
International Arbitration.
report in favor of international arbi-