The Washington herald., 1911-04-17

mot in any spirit of antagonism,
and realizing that perhaps l am in
the minority said John Joy Ed
son last night, Il want to say that
my judgment, conviction, and ex-
perience are all against the proposed
consolidation. Ten years ago, when
l was president of the Board of
Trade, l saw plainly that there
should be two organizations in this
city, one to deal solely with COM
mercial problems and the other to
consider civic questions. The opin-
ion 1 then formed. has been
strengthened by time"
FIELD LARGE ENOUGH.
DO you believe that there is field
here large enough for a purely CONNER
cial body?''
Inquestionably.'' was the reply.
Take, for instance, the discrimination
against Washington in the matter Of
freight rates. Why is it that. with Cum
berland at our doors, the cost Of coal is
higher here than it is in Portland. Me-,
or. to come closer home. why is 1t that
we pay more here for coal and other
supplies than is paid in Baltimore, forty
miles away? The question Of freight
rates is one of vital Importance to this
city. and ought to be given serious con-
sideration by local merchants.
In the second place, am not opposed
to manufacturing here, because I believe
that the finer manufa ctures can be pros
ecuted without inJuring the city either
as a place Of residence or as an attraction
for visitors. Paris, which has long
claimed to be the most beautiful city,
has manufactures. / think that a COM
mercial organization might take up this
matter and see what can be done toward
giving US more business. There are q
thousand things connected with the city's
commercial side to which a purely bust
ness organization could and ought to
give careful and sole consideration
Consolidation Would Fail.
Gould not this be done by a con-
solidated organization"
TT could not, and I will explain why.
in my opinion. In a city where the peo-
pie do not vote, their only method of
popular expression is an organization. II
there is only one Of these bodies, It's
membership must include all classes.
lawyers, doctors, educators, editors, and
professional men generally, on the one
hand, together with bankers and bust
ness men. on the other, while there
would also be artisans and laboring men
interested in civic measures. Broadly
speaking. there is one class interested
in commercial matters, while another
class is concerned about health laws,
school management, and other topics of
purely civic administration.
My idea IS to divide these two classes.
You would never hear any one say that
the Bar Association and the Medical So
ciety ought to combine, and I think that
the two classes of people I have men
toned are equally distinct. Every city
has an organization attending strictly
and solely to business matters, and such
an organization always finds enough
to do"
Experience of Past.
What has been your own experience
in the natter"
II recall that many years ago there
was a split from the Board Of Trade be-
cause 1t was said that the body was not
sufficiently commercial The Business
Mems Association was formed, but in
stead Of keeping within the commercial
sphere It took up other questions and
finally disbanded. Then came the job
bers and Shippers Association, and this