Arizona republican., 1909-02-16


 mail yet, There was no suspicion that the letter was not intended for the. board of trade, and the matter of rep presentation of the board in yesterdays meeting was referred to B. A. Fowler, chairman of the committee on trans portation, with power to act.
 A few days ago another letter was. received from the Tucson Chamber of Commerce, saying that its former let ter was intended for the Maricopa County Commercial Club, to which it asked that it be delivered, though by this time some suspicion began to be aroused that the name of the board of trade had been used in Tucson with an ulteriOr motive, that it had been made a name to conjure with in cer-. tain quarters. At a subsequent meet ing of the board of trade the matter was discussed and recommitted to the care of Mir. Fowler, with power to act concerning representation as in his Judgment he thought best, and he re- quested also that Dr. Foss, president of the board of trade, serve on the committee with him. Later the sec retary of the board of trade was in formed by a director of the commer- cial club that the Tucson letter was not intended for the board of trade nor was it proposed that the board of trade should be represented in yester- days meeting.
 Yesterday morning MT. Fowler, in conference with visiting delegates. learned that their understanding of the purpose of yesterdays meeting was to form a general federation for the purpose of doing practically all those things in which the board of trade has been engaged for the last twelve years. That being true, MT Fowler had about decided that to be loyal to the board of trade, which has achieved so much, he could not well participate in a gathering designed to undermine it and usurp its functions Those with whom he conferred were astonished to learn for the first time that the board of trade was not the author of the movement and indicated their unwillingness to attend unless the Phoenix Board of Trade was rep resented. MT. Fowler and one other member of his committee went to the Melczer hall. finding two members of the commercial club there, and by whom they verified the report that they were not-wanted as representa- tives of the board of trade, and with drew. Later. on an invitation by tele- phone, Mir. Bowler and Dr. Foss at tended the morning session, when the sv,fS al rTNt-- also returned in the afternoon during the deliberations of the committee on organization. The matter of repre- sentatiOn of the individual clubs in the directorate, one member for each, which was to have power to levy as- easements, etc, whether the member ship of the club was but a few souls or membership of hundreds, did not appear to him as safe, fair, or equita- ble, and he left before the committee made it's report. There were other methods he did not approve of as con- sevative and safe, but decided not to participate further in the deliberations of the meeting. Dr. Foss attended the banquet last night and made, one of the many interesting speeches.
 In the matter of the misrepresenta- ton of the board of trade in Tucson, President Foss and Secretary Cowgirl have forwarded a letter, of which this is a copy, to the Tucson Citizen and the Tucson Chamber of Commerce:
 We have noticed in recent publica- tions of your paper that you seem to have confounded the Phoenix Board of Trade, established for over twelve years. with the Maricopa County Com mercial Club. established January, 1908. The purpose and scope of these two organizations is so different that we feel it but justice to call the facts to your attention
 The Phoenix Board of Trade has been for years and is now working along many lines to develop the Salt river valley, and has committees such as finance. auditing, transportation and legislation. advertising, county and municipal affairs, house and ex- hibits, exposition, immigration, mem. bershp and grievance. parks, bouIe- wards and roads, meetings and recep- tions, and foreign trade, taking up all lines of civic improvement. Its mem bership is now over 300, and it is rec ognlzed as one of the most effective forces for the upbuilding and develop ment of this community
 The work of the Maricopa County Commercial Club. as far as we know, is entirely along the lines of securing an improvement of freight rates for. this community.
 No representative of the Phoenix Board of Trade has ever conferred with the representatives of the Tucson Chamber of Commerce, as has been stated in your press, although we should be pleased at any time to CO.,, operate with them in matters of public good for the territory. and believe should be the friendliest and most CO., operative spirit between organizations of this character"