The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-03-08

4
lirmed by the experience OF those exc
cutve branches of the Government
which are more especially charged
with measures calculated to develop
domestic and foreign Commerce. In
the past several attempts have been.
made TO organize commercial bodies
upon national basis, hut for one re elg
son bF another these efforts have , q:
met Wt:h success, One of the great
idiRdutties arose from the fact that
none og these general Organizations
.waso l a character 10 make IT possible
or ptopeti Ior the Government to recog-
nize ii as Representative of the com
merclal and industrial interests Of the
country. The plan Of broadly repre-
sentative national organization so pro
posed by me has met with such re-
Spouse from commercial and indus
trial organizations inevery part OF the
country that believe the time is ripe
btp;phtiit to a test Of practical expert
mentb ana 1 have'concluded TO take the
might've so as to create the opportuni-
b. for fun discussfonaand decision by
the delegates OF representative organt'
cation
1t is not my intention to define the
purposes of such all organization, or
indeed in any manner to anticipate
the scope of the discussion upon which
such delegates may conclude to enters
but it appears to NE TO be obvious
that such an organization must be in
sunmeutal in very large field to aid
and assist the executive andN legisla-
tive branches of government in the in
telllgent and impartial development Of
domestic and foreign trade. For illus
tration, such an organization properly
represented at the seat Of government
could be OF incalculable assistance in
advising the executive branch of gov
,ernment with respect to the methods
and rules to be adopted in the admins.
tration of existing law Il lconlt be OF
like assistance in giving advice in re-
gard to proposed new legislation and
in counseling representatives OF the
executive branch when asked to sub
INSTRUMENTATION upon bills intro
ducsd and pending before the COM
mittees. Such an organization would
be in the best possible position to sug'
gest fields for neYEluquiry at home
and abroad, the methods by which such
inquiries should be pursued, and the
means by which the results can ne
most adyantageoNsly Brought to The
attention OF. our merchants and manu-
.acturers; and it is safe TO assume
that II such an organization is created
its chief activities will be developed
in the light of our own experience, 1t
may moi be necessary that we adopt
a course In all respects patterned upon
the system Of any other commercial
or Industrial country, but tits obvious
that by some means immediate rela-
ton between the government activi-
ties aud the commercial and indust-
rial forces OF our country must be es-
tablished II We propose to enjoy the
full advantage of Our Opportunity IN
domestic and fofeign trade.
! have, accordingly, instructed the
Secretary OF Commerce and Labor TO
take the necessary steps 10 initiate as
soon as practicable at Washington a
conference of delegates from organiza'
tions which are engaged in the promo
ton and development Of commerce and
industry in their respective districts,
such conference to consider the estab-
lishment Of representative national
organization for commercial develop,
ment, and to outline the principles by
which 1t should be governed. The de
velopment OF the plan will be left en-
tirely with the aeGredIted representa-
tiyes of such commercial organizations,
the essential principles4being that the
national association shall be broadly
representative of the commercial in,
terests OF the whole country, and that
its Organization shall be such that[
hose in control Of the association shall