The Washington herald., 1910-05-30
BENEFIT TO CAPITAL
Convention Idea Outlined by
Granville NJ. Hunt.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS SPENT MONEY
Active Worker in Movement Asserts
Washington Can BE Seat of Every
Big Session and Sure Project VIII
BE AccOmpIished-Hea of
Association Should BE Here.

Enthusiastically referring to the mani
fold benefits derived by Washington from
the recent Worlds Sunday School Con-
vention, Granville NJ. Hunt, chairman Of
the conventions committee and one Of the
most active workers in the movement.
last night broke into optimistic company
by declaring that the National Capital
should be the seat of every convention
in the United States, as we'll as many
foreign conventions.
Without fear OF contradiction. Mr.
Hunt asserted It was his belief that II is
possible for Washington TO procure every
American convention. And II Il is pos
sible." he continued. 1t is probable"
Referring 10 statements made TO him
by a number OF prominent financial men,
Mr.. Hunt declared the Sunday School
Convention, as well as several other con-
ventions. held in Washington have bene-
hted the city 20 a large degree.
harvest for Merchants.
"One OF the best known shoe merchants
in Washington told me his sales Increased
enormously as a result OF the thousands
Of visitors here attending the conventions,
and If shoe merchants benefit, it is rea-
sOnable to assume that other merchants
accrued increased profits in a correspond
ing ratio" said Chairman Hunt. "Car
company officials did not hesitate TO as
sert that daily receipts We're larger by
hundreds Of dollars while the Sunday
school delegates were seeing the National
Capital.
Washington should not strive only 10
make itself the convention city of the
nation but it should endeavor 10 per-
suade every organized body TO establish
permanent headquarters here. Legislation
affecting the big organizations emanates
from the National Capital. which is only
one among many reasons why these
bodies should have headquarters here.
Capital Waking Up.
Washington has been asleep. while
cities like Mobile, st. Paul, Los Angeles.
Des Moines. and Rochester have been
on the alert for everything which might
benefit them. But Washington Is gradu-
ally awakening. The convention project
Is being put on a business basis, and
system counts. The time will come when
We VIII have scouts in every section OF
the country on the lookout for cOnven-
tions. and the time VIII come when
Washington can Procure every convention
worth having"
Chairman Hunt was no more optimistic
than H. c. c. Stiles. who is known to
his colleagues as the father Of the con-
vention project" Three years ago Mr..
Hunt introduced a resolution in the
Chamber Of Commerce providing for the
appointment Of conventions committee.
Since then he has taken an active part
I'm nursing the scheme. lie is confident
the project will ultimately be accom-
pllshed.
Mr.. stiles Is a member Of the commit
tee appointed to procure the Locomotive
Firemen and Enginemens' Convention for
Washington in 1872 The next convention
will be held in st. Paul in a few weeks.
Firemcn Good Spenders.
I'VE are after the 1912 convention said
Mr.. Stiles "and we are going to get IT,
St a conservative estimate. the dele
gates 70 the convention VIII spend a
third Of a million Of dollars In this city,
and that is worth working for. Each
delegate Is allowed s. a day for expenses
and the convention is in progress for
three weeks, and sometimes longer.
I'VE can look to the recent Typothetae
Convention II we wish TO learn how much
o city benefits by such bodies meeting
here. The convention was composed Of
about 800 of the leading printers in the
nation and they spent many hundreds Of
dollars"