Evening star., 1915-02-11

left by the founders of the country and
it's capital, citizens of the latter have
banded themselves together to present
to the federal legislature matters of
moment relating to the welfare of the
District of Columbia.
1878 Committee of 100.
I'm 1878 there was formed a COM
mittee of one hundred, to whose exer-
! tions is due the basic law of this juris-
diction, the organic act of 1878. Con-
ditions later again called public-spirit-
| ed men to the front. November 81, 1889.
a number of gentlemen met and organ
lied the Washington Board of Trade,
, the charter of which was verified De-
| cember 2, 1889, and recorded Decem-
ber II, 1889. SO that the Washington
Board of Trade began it's work at the
! close of 1859. There were twenty-six
/ charter members, of whom ten survive;
of these eight are now members of the
| board, and of these eight three have
| been it's presidents. and another vice
president, having declined the office OF
president.
THE first roll call contained the
names of 233 members, of whom tWen-
| ty-two are still members of the board.
and of these seven have been its pres
idents-M. NJ Parker, =. H. warner, ..
W. Woodward. T: W. Moves, John Joy
Edison, T. w Smith and the speaker
the first three, also charter members,
and the first six the first presidents, in
order, of the board. On that first roll
are also the names OF Two otner iiving ii',i
charter members and that OF HVlhS
ex-president, who are no longer mem
bers of the board. From an initial
membership of twenty-siX the board.
in a quarter of a century, has grown to
a membership of 1900 The first list
contained the names OF 233 members.
| In 1913 there were elected 275 new
members.
Purpose of Board.
THE first bylaw has always had this
statement:
| at shall give special attention to the
| promotion of public improvements.
November IA. 1898. Il former presi-
| dent, Theodore W. Noyes, said
1.-The Board of Trade, representing in
| it's membership every section OF the
| District and every local interest, and
| dealing on broad, liberal lines with
those subjects which are of general
| concern, is a needed unifying force in
| the life and progress of the municipal
ity::, ,ooc os,aa,+
Mr.. S. W. Woodward, said:
LAS humble citizens of our gracious
| republic, fortunately residents in this
| its beautiful capital city, let US go for
| ward in every movement looking To-
| ward the health and prosperity OF It's
citizens, the beauty and adornment OF
| it's parks and avenues, the protection OF
i it's public buildings: with such unsel-
| fish purpose and evident interest, IN the
| public welfare, that we shall SO COM
| mend ourselves, and our undertakings,
| to the peoples representatives in Con-
| gress, as to find favor with them, and
| thus. united In our enorts, we snall
RI N.a q n n q
sense typical and worthy OF the high
est citizenship of the worlds foremost
| nation
! $50 constituted and with such aim.
| the washington Board of Trade has
| ever advocated measures which make
| for the enhancement OF the country s
capital. Actuated by the principle thus
! laid down, broad public improvements,
the Washington Board of Trade. during
| the quarter of a century just closed
! has unflinchingly stood for the welfare
of this community, as the country
| capital, and not merely as the home of
| it's inhabitants. In vain may ltS rec
| ords be searched to find a single Spe-
| cial interest fostered.
| Care in Actions.
I Matters broached have been considered
by standing committees and exceedingly
rarely, and then only in obvious cases. has
anything passed the board which had not
had prior treatment by the proper com
mittee composed Of men who have care
! fully examined measures submitted TO
them. Defeated interest may charge par
tialty, but fair mindedness, If informed
will find no just cause for criticism.
| what then has the washington Board
| of Trade done during it's quarter OF cen
tury of existence? 1t would be tedious to
catalogue all the measures iii which 1t has
been interested, or even all the measures
| the fruition of which 1T can Justly claim
was due, at least in part, to its efforts
and which even questionerS must admit.
To show that the existence OF this body
has not been in vain and that this COM
! munity and the country at large have ben
efitted by its existence statement of
| few Of the most important things
brought about by its influence may
| suffice.
"At the very beginning of its career the
| Washington Board of Trade considered
such matters of general import as: The
/. office building, a municipal building, To-
cation of the government buildings south
Of Pennsylvania avenue, street extension,
F, Improvement Of the harbor and river
front. Potomac and Anacostia flats, the
health of the District, the removal Of gar
| bage and sanitation. Persistent efforts
/ In these, as in other directions, have
been crowned with success.
- Made a Clean City.
i Nor did the Washington Board of
Trade confine its efforts to the material
welfare of the District. 1t early took
under consideration the physical and
moral condition of the people. Among it's
first committees were those of public
health, charities. public library and uni
versities. In 1891 the committee on pub
lie health reported the city to be "the
cleanest in the world and the statistics of
IxI,A
I the healthiest"
"In 1893 and 1894 the committee on
) public library made detailed reports