The Washington herald., 1909-01-22

At a largely attended and spirited meet
ing Of the Washington Board OF Trade
last night al the New Willard. current
reports Of six standing committees and
those OF three special committees were
adopted. and a special report by the COM
mittee on manufactures relating TO the
bread law Of the District was rejected by
a vote Of 81 10 Sc.
The report OF the committee on manu-
features attracted the most attention and
prompted considerable discussion. This
report was submitted by William T. Gal
liner chairman OF the committee IN the
report attention was called 20 the case OF
the District versus George Hauf, which
has for its object a test Of the validity
Of the present law. passed in 1855. regu-
-lating the weight Of bakers bread In
this case Judge KimbaIl, Of the Police
Court. some days ago declared the law
unconstitutional and void
Law Declared BurdensOme.
The report then cited that the law was
DID. Ambiguous. antiquated. and imposes
restrictions which are a hardship upon
the bakers and ought 10 be repealed L
was set forth thai the effect Of the law Is
the restraint Of trade and prevention OF
competition. and that II has other OBJ
jectionabie features.
The report recommended that the Com
Tuissioners be asked 10 abandon the ap-
peal OF the case from the decision Of
Justice KimbaH TO the higher court. and
TO recommend TO Congress the enactment
OF such modern legislation as viii prop
erly protect the public as well as the
baker
In support q the report AIr- GaTiher.
Arthur c. Moses, and others. explained
that the law was a relic OF Olden days.
that it resulted IN hardship upon the
bakers trade and that IL ought 70 be re-
placed by better statute Ii was claimed
that the pure food law contains nearly ali
the good features OF the old law. relat-
ing especially 10 quality OF material. and
that the other requirements II the old
ordinance were winked at by the au-
thOrities and had been for many years
Speakers Object to Report.
Several speakers. among them d.. VIII
lam g Woodward and William H Single
ton. took the ground that the report OF
the committee was too indefinite. That
Il proposed the destruction Of the present
statute without putting anything in its
place The old Law might be objection
able. but il served a most useful purpose
in placing the limit OF the weight Of the
loaf upon the baker and was better than
No law. Il was further objected that
there could ne no harm in passing upon
the constitutionaIity Of the law IN the
higher courts. That. Il was declared. was
the proper course 10 pursue. and when
the decision OF the court OF last resort
was had the status Of the old law would
be settled and II found wanting another
could b. enacted 10 take its place.
This view prevailed, and when the
adoption OF the report was put 20 vote
the resolution embodied IN IL was lost, as
stated
Revenues Declared Sufficient.
a report submitted by John Weaver.
chairman OF the committee on assess
ment and taxation. called forth a spirited
debate The purpOTt Of the report was
that under present conditions the Dis
trict does not need new sources Of reve-
nue.. that present taxation is high. that
licenses and special taxes are sufficient
10 meet current expenses and TO provide
a surplus for extraordinary improvements.
and the committee recommended that
Congress be urged 10 allow the present
tax laws 10 remain undistuTbed
Mr.. Weaver explained his report. strong
" advocating its adoption N ]. Weller
went into the subject Of assessment at
some length. and showed that District
property. being taxed al twO-thirds OF its
appraised value. really pays q larger per-
centage OF tax than is exacted in other
municipalities where the tax rate is high
lower. Mr.. Weller pointed out that the
revenue Of the District is sufficiently
high for all necessities. and warned the
Board OF Trade Of his fears that Con-
gress was seeking a reason 10 absOive
itself from paving one-half the expenses
Of the District by trying TO raise the
revenues 70 q point where the surplus
would give a pretext for making the Dis
trict pay all
Views Warmly Seconded.
The views OF AIr. Weller were warmly
approved by Adds B. Browne and F L
Sid5ons, while some objection TO the
proposition was made by Dr. ". c. Wood
ward on the ground thai the revenues DO
not permit Of many Improvements much
needed. and that the calls OF the Commits
sioners every year are much scaled down
by the legislators on the hill before being
enacted into law.
Adds 3. Browne took the ground that II
Congress would 90 its duty as It ought
10 By allowing an issue Of bonds TO pay
for the large and extraordinary expendi-
lures. the solution OF the problem would
be found al once. and future generations
which viii benefit By the improvement
would be saddled with part payment Of
them.
The report was unanimously adopted
Approve Jail Reform.
The report Of the committee on chart
ties and correction was presented by
Thomas c. Noyes. and was in the nature
Of a supplement 10 the current report
adopted at the last meeting. Il was in
approval Of the report Of the special
commission upon the penal Institutions
Of the District submitted to the Presi-
dent and was unanimously adopted
Other reports were passed without much
discussion
Near the close OF the meeting William
Knowles Cooper was recognized by the
president. and made q statement relative
10 The testimonial 20 be given by the
II c A 70 g. ". Woodward upon