Evening star., 1913-01-18
SEVERAL ADDRESSES MADE
Senator Poindexter Thinks People
Should Decide Local Questions.
WOULD BE HELP TO CONGRESS
Representative Kahn Favors Ac.
QUESTION of South Side Of Avenue
for Government Purposes.

-. D.. n,
dent of the Chamber of Commerce; Henry
Franc and the toastmaster. Roe Fulker-
son, were the speakers who entertained
the Retail Merchants Association at its
annual dinner in the Hotel Raleigh last
night.
President Strasburger. the first speak
er. discussed the organization, it's origin,
history, separation from the Chamber Of
Commerce and subsequent expansion.
The association now has nearly 200 men,
bers, he stated, with the prospect Of
doubling that number within a year.
The business union. he declared, is profit
able to the merchants and the public,
both of whom are saved money by it's
activities.
was one of the accomplishments of the
organiZa ton, its president declared. This
had saved $4,000 to the merchants of
Washington. he was confident.
A discount to members of Congress on
whatever they buy from the retail mer-
chants. in the interest of reducing for
them the cost of living, was the demand
with which Senator Poindexter prefaced
his remarks Commenting on the fact
that many citizens of Washington see no
reason for taking over their own affairs
into their own hands. he urged that leni-
ency be shown to the national legislators
In their consideration Of Washington
needs. He wanted the Retail Merchants
Association to use it's influence In the
direction of making the people of the
District of Columbia decide many local
questions, so that Congress could legis-
late in accordance with popular view.
Points to the States.
The states Of the Union. he pointed out,
exercise self-government, and he had
never heard request from New York or
any other commonwealth or municipality
to have those rights taken away and an
other form of government substituted.
All seemed fairly well pleased to take care
of their own affairs. and never COM
planned. The District of Columbia, he
commented, Is made up of people of the
same type, ancestry and ideals as those
of the rest Of the country, and he favored
according them the same suffrage as is
enjoyed elsewhere. But If they did not
want that. he asked that they show Con-
gress the way to decide local matters in
the wisest way.
Washington, he said, is the center of
the greatest republic of the modern.
world.
Representative Kahn was introduced by
the POSTMASTER as actor, philanthropist,
politician and bald-headed child of des-
tiny" He complained that the affairs of
the District of Columbia drift along be-
tive. He favored the speedy acquisition
OF the south side of Pennsylvania avenue
for government purposes, and the enact
ment of legislation to accomplish other
projects for the development of the Ma
tional Capital His approval of the half
and-half system of financing the city's
expenses won general applause. He ex-
pressed the belief that the whole nation
is interested in the National Capitals
beauty and development.
Mr.. Callahan's Views.
The president of the Chamber of Com
merce, Mr.. Callahan. was called unex-
pectedly by the POSTMASTER, and made a
brief response. He expressed satisfaction
with the present form of government,
and declared his belief that Washington
is the best governed city on earth. He
favored. however, the Introduction of
small industries. despite the opposition
to the idea met with in many quarters.
He said that such enterprises would not
detract from residential Washington. but
would seek locations where they would be
neither distractions nor nuisances.
Let it be possible for our boys to eke
out an existence independent of the gov
ernment," he pleaded
Mr.. Franc. the last speaker. defended
business from the suspicion of dishonest
practices.
The dishonest merchant has not a
chance to succeed, he declared. He said
that the attitude Of the patron is fair
and intelligent toward the merchants.
The purchaser considers that the mer-
chants have the goods he wants. and that
they expect a fair profit on the sale of
them, he said, and has faith in the ability
and decency of the shopkeeper. Never
before, he declared. has retail business
been conducted on such a scientific basis.
Songs a Feature.
George H. O'Connor sang several songs
in the course of the evening. Isaac Cans
of the dinner committee read kilograms
from Commissioner Cuno H. Rudolph
and Maj. Richard Sylvester regretting
their inability to be present.
The officers of the organization are: Jo-
seph Strasburger, president; r. P. An
drews, vice president; M. A. Leese, treas
urer, and w. F. Eller, secretary. The
dinner committee consisted of R. P. An
drews, chairman; Isaac Cans and Sidney
West. The reception committee was COM
posed OF Gerson Nordlinger, e. III. Sny-
der. George Topham, T.; c. Dulin. J.
Maurice Bird, F. V. killian, Edwin H.
Etz. P. T. Hall and Bailey Shumate
Those at the banquet included: Isaac
Cans. Sidney West. Eugene c. Gott. Nor
ris Haasburger, Roe Fulkerson, Mr.. Bal
derson, Gerson Nordlinger, D. Sanger, I.
Behrend. Samuel Bensinger, H. Zirkin, 7.
S. Vandoren, w. l.. Boyce, Henry
r. Offterdinger. Theodore T. Off
terdinger. Joseph strasburger. Thomas
Grant. A. L. Galley. w. B. Davis. Sam
Louis, Jules A. Demonet, M. D. Rosen-
berg. Harry Franc, Emile Berliner. 1. w.
Nordlinger, ]. Maurice Bird, E. c. Grum-
man. Oscar Baum. Leroy Mark, E. H.
Snyder, E. c. Graham. Ralph w. Lee. d.
S. Porter D. j. Callahan, Jacob Eisen-
mann, Moses Eisenmann. F. v. Killian,
Joel Hiilman. Charles Schwartz. L. B.
Schloss. s. T. Schwartz, Julius H. Dueh-
ring. w. F. Eller. C. L. Linz. F. w.
Mackenzie. George Topham, George E.
Hubbard. Albert Sigmund, w. w. Griffith.
Edwin H. Etz. c. L. Bowman. Edward
Kohner, E. Sommers, T. c. Dulin, Anton
Stephen, Wellstood White. Horace Dulin,
l. Goldenberg. H. c. c. Stiles. A. F.
Jorss, A. McSween. Philip T. Hall. w.
NJ Furr, NJ. A. Leese. Frank P. Milburn,
Michael Hester, w. F. Brice. E. L. Brice.
D. j. kaufman. Joseph A. Berberich. Jo-
seph .Auerbach. c. F. Sewers, r.. Wal
lace, Harold Levi. w. Marche. r. L.
Lowe. A. P. Conway, j. p. Hermann.
A. Lisner. Tyler Nordlinger, b. A. Mat
tingly and Lyman d. Post of New York.