The Washington times., 1911-05-17
COMMERCE BODY
PUTS MERGER UP
TO TRADE BOARD
Meeting Last Night Almost
Unanimous for Con-
solidation.
PROTEST RESOLUTION
QUICKLY PUT DOWN
c. C. Lancaster Only One to Raise
Violent Objection to
Proposal.

Members of the Board and Trade and
Chamber of Commerce today have shift
ed their attention from the Chamber 70
the Board, and are eXpectantly await
ing the latter's action with respect to
the proposed consolidation at the spe-
cial meeting to be held next week. Prac-
tically solidly in favor Of the merger
members of the Chamber now consider
that 1t is up to- the Board of Trade.
The Chamber last night at its special
meeting, which was attended by about
200 members, Overwhelmingly declared
its belief that the best interests of the
community would be served by the Or
ganization of one body by passing with
a shout the resolution of H. c. c. Stiles
approving the proposed merger and au-
thorizing the president to appoint a
committee of seven to meet a similar
committee from the Board, provided one
should be authorized, to arrange de-
tails.
Resolution Adopted.
This resolution was thus adopted i'm
mediately after administering the same
sort of a verdict in opposition to George
y. Worthington's substitute resolution
that the best interests of the city de-
mand the continuance of the Chamber
and declaring the Chambers unwilling
ness to consider further propositions
looking to amalgamation with the Board
of Trade.
No division on the Vive voce votes was
demanded, for evidently very few
raised their voices against the merger
program in addition to those who
spoke against it on the floor during
the debate. The action was practical
ly Unanimous, for two of those who
urged considerations in opposition to
the merger, Robert n. Harper and
Charles w. Darr, declared that they
had come to the meeting with open
minds and undecided how to vote, and
another member who spoke at lerv'
in opposition, George Y. Worthing
ton, asserted that he would abide by
the decision of the majority.
The debate lasted two hours. but
was characterized by little bitterness
except when c. c. Lancaster made the
opening speech in opposition crying
dramatically that eff any man at
tempts to haul down the flag Of the
Chamber of Commerce, shoot him on
the spot"
Speak for Merger.
John H. Magruder asked the volun-
tary committee of four to tell the
Chamber why 1t favored merger.
James Sharp, one of the committee,
responded. William F. GUIDE declared
1t impossible to separate the work of
the two organizations and that the
best interests of the whole commun-
ity demanded their getting together.
James s. Groves, formerly of Nor
folk, told of the satisfactory expert
ence the trade organizations of that
city had had by combining. oliver
Metzerott said that Congress would
give the combined body more consid
Grafton. William E. Shannon showed
that Buffalo had combined five of it's
organizations; Detroit seven; st. Louis
nineteen. and Los Angeles nine. and
that the large work done in those
cities testified to the efficacy of the
combination of effort.
Conrad H. Syme pointed out that
Just as the Chamber had resulted
from the com bipation of the Business
Mems and the Jobbers' and Shippers
associations, so a much greater body
would result from joining the pres
ent two. John Dolph closed the de-
bate by calling for action upon the
motions, saying that the proposed
committees would thrash out the
question and that it would again be
submitted to the Chamber before
lnal action was taken.
A buffet luncheon was served after
the meeting.