Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-21
ADDRESSES NATIONAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Five Hundred Delegates Here From
All Parts of the Country.
SENATOR CHAMBERLAIN TALKS
Says United States Has Right to
Exempt American Shipping From
Tolls in Passing Through
Panama Canal.

d"eSIoh OF the true functions or
government. to determine what the gov
ernments should be allowed TO do for the
people, and what the people should d.
d"oweu 10 DO Tor themselves Is the great
prooiem the decision on which will de-
cue the future existence of the nation.
secretary Nagel OF the Department OF
commerce and Labor, this morning told
the Chamber Of Commerce Of the United
states or America, at the opening ses-
sion OF its convention in the New Will
lard Hotel.
Waste is the great fault of the Amer
lean people. he said. urging conservation
or human energies as well as natural
products.
we are an overpromised people," lie
said, alluding to the many unredeemed
political pledges upon which parties are
carried into administrative power.
Secretary Nagel defended the probity of
men In public life, and spoke OF the Taft
administration as one of the most bust
nesslike the country ever has had. He
also deplored the abolition of the tarffr
commission. and proposed the protection
of American shipping by all means and
by legislation which will not be ques-
toned by foreign powers
Can Exempt American Shipping.
Senator Chamberlain Of Oregon declar-
ing that the Canal Zone would be for ali
time AMsican territory, and not within
the puFv1ow of the Clayton Bulwer treaty,
maints,t1ed the right of the United States
to lee1nGhte to exempt American shipping
from tolls. He also declared that tariff
commissions Of the past never have ac-
complished any purpose except to delay
action.
Representative Henry ID. Clayton of
Alabama, chairman of the judiciary COM
mittee Of the House, the third speaker OF
the morning, expressed his belief that
the bill to provide a national charter for
the Chamber Of Commerce of the United
States of America would surely become
law soon. despite the interjection Of the
question of constitutionality. The COM
mittee of which ..e is head, he said, has
no doubts Of the right of Congress to
grant the charter.
The convention was presided over by
Harry A. Wheeler of Illinois. John H.
Fahey. chairman of the executive COM
mittee. responded to Mr.. Nagefs ad-
dress Of welcome. The business Of the
convention then was taken up.
Although the opening of the conven-
tion was scheduled for 10 O'Clock.
hardly any delegates had taken their
seats at 1870 o'clock, and it was a half
hour later before the gavel fell The
delegates number about 500, represent
seated according to the states they
represent. blue banners inscribed with
the states names indicating the places.
Besides the states of the Union. the
District of Columbia, Hawaii, the Phil
ippines and Porto Rico and the Ameri
can Chamber of Commerce of the Le-
want. Constantinople, also had delega-
tions present.
President Wheeler. after calling the as
sembly to order. announced that sessions
of the convention hereafter would be on
time and business would be done. if nee
essary. with empty benches. He then
presented Secretary Nagel.
Mr.. Nagel Lauded.
To Mr. Nagle President Wheeler paid
compliment as one Of the best friends of
the organization. Mr. Nagle, he said,
was not only one of those who fathered
the project for a Chamber of Commerce
OF the United States of America in its
inception, but one who had great part.
officially, in its creation and organiza-
tion.
Reviewing the history of the move
ment for a national chamber Of com
merce. Mr.. Nagel told OF his part in
making it possible. claiming credit only
for bringing together the varied in
terests already favoring the proposi-
tion. 1t has seemed to him proper he
said, that the United States government
the nation. and he had found that the
reason why this was not SO was merely
because they did not touch shoulders.
He congratulated the body on the choice
of officers Without Mr.. Wheeler as
president, he said there might be some
doubt of the success of the enterprise;
with him in that post there could be no
doubt.
Referring to the consideration of a bud
get by the board of directors. Mr.. Nagle
declared his belief that the real buuget
that confronts the people is the question
Of the true functions Of government. The
of what the government
should do for the people and what the
people should do for themselves, he said,
provides the most important problem be-
fore the nation. and upon the determina-
ton of what are the proper functions or
depends the permanency OF
the republic.
The fate of the tariff commission, lei.is-
lated out of existence, was deplored by
Mr. NagIe. Unless some similar function
s bestowed on the Department Of Com
merce and Labor, or otherwise provided
FOR. in the opinion of Mr.. Nagel, the bust
ness interests of the nation will suffer
under the tariff in the same old way.
Zach individual interest appearing before
.ommittees of Congress to get what IL
IAN without regard to the welfare OF any
,ther interest.
Protection of Traffic.
Regarding American shipping and the
Panama canal rate exemption for coast
wise shipping. Mr.. Nagei suggested that
he thing TO do was to protect the coast
wise traffic. and II the present proved to
,e the wrong way, then the proper way
would be to adopt a plan that would not
,e subject to question by any foreign
Intelligent direction is needed. ne said.
n the industrial affairs OF the nation as
veil as in all other questions Political
lgitation, he said, has written more
misery upon the people Of the United
states than all the factories and sweat
hof,s ever could do. Unredeemed politi-
red. promising amelioration OF human
onditions that never could be kept
The man who proposes to reduce the
ost of living said Mr.. Nagel, has a big
contract on his hands. While something