Evening star., 1915-02-11
Board of Trades Anniversary.

60aIQ OF lTaQe anniversary.
The exercises last night celebrating
the Board oi Trades first quarter
century were appropriate and i'm
prcssiVc. Tie first president. Nj
Parker. sketched interestingly the
s. early history oi Washington and
gave its lessons = pointed modern ap-
plication to the Board of Trade era
e and to the troubled conditions OF to-
day. The address finished just be-
fore his death by President Single
ton-instructive and inspiring-was
admirably delivered by his son. Pres
ident Brandenburg in the light OF the
boards experiences OF 4 quarter
century sounded call to arms to
meet the municipal dangers OF to-
day. Justice McCoys anniversary
congratulations to the board and to
Washington were syInpathctically
and happily expressed.
The life OF the Board OF Trade
covers wonderful and inspiring
quarter century. The stimulus OF its
spirit shows wildly in the growth
OF nation. OF capital and OF the board
itself.
The nation has developed from a
population OF 62.ooo.ooo to one of
oS,OoO,ooo, with corresponding
growth in wealth, in resources. in
every material phase of national de-
velopment. Through the war with
Spain, which demonstrated that the
Union was now in truth "one and in
separable," the patriotic national SEN
tiInent was quickened and strength
ened. The states are more truly a
nation than they were twenty-five
years ago.
The capitals population has grown
from 100000 to $4,000, and WASH
ington has wonderfully developed as
the City Beautiful, the City Health
full and the City Good. In external
attractiveness, in healthfulness and
along lines OF mental and spiritual
uplift it has improved and advanced
and is fast becoming the ideal cap
ital.
? In this quarter century's develop
fnent OF the capital the Board of
Trade has participated actively and
effectively in every stage and at
every step. 1t has contributed help
fully TO such projects as the abo-
lition OF grade crossings, the i'm
p provement of railroad terminals and
the erection OF a fine Union station,
convenient, comfortable and archi-
tecturally attractive; the creation of
a tax-sustained public library, OF a
new municipal building, of bridges
across the Potomac and Rock creek !;
the reclamation OF Potomac, and, in
part, of Anacostia fats; the estab-
hshment OF comprehensive sewer
age system and OF filtration plant :;
street extension on lines OF original
= city; the enactment of code of laws /;
the building OF schools and hos
pitals-in short, it has been help
fully active in every phase of the
marvellous municipal development of
the nations city in the last quarter
century. The board itself has grown
in numbers from e33 at its first roll
call to 1906 today
The nation, the nations city and
that city's representative Board of
Trade have advanced or retrograded
together with even step. Their life
lines are intertwined. The prosper
ity or adversely of the nation is re-
fiected in the capital, and from the
capital is reflected in Washington's
largest civic representative organi-
zation.
The extraordinary growth in men,
bership OF the Board of Trade gives
. II wide representative scope and fits
1t to perform its highest function as
unifying. harmonizing influence in
the local community.
Is there nothing municipal left to
!. be done, Tor which the Board OF
Trade can fight. aggressively or in
= defense, with the accumulated
= strength and wisdom gained through
experience IN its quarter century oi
lie: There was never a time when
Washington, viciously attacked a,
vital points, so needed blows to bt
struck in its defense, strongly and
unitedly, by the fine body of repre-.
sentative Citizens whose aggregated
influence gives power to the Boarc
OF Trade today.
The board has reason to be prouc
OF its first quarter-eentury record
and Washington has reason to ex,
pect IRON it even greater and NOR,
helpful service in promotion of tn,
oity's welfare in the next quartz,
century than in the last.