Evening star., 1915-02-11

Commissioner. being an engineer ofhcer
of an autocratic. military government,
was 4 mistaken one"
Col Parker referred to his service as
Commissioner. which brought him into
close association with many members
of Congress earnestly enlisted in the
task of building up the District on
national basis
FROM a small beginning, he con-
tinued. w ashington has become a city
OF recognized Importance. It's future
and the activities of our city seemed
to demand the assistance of strong.
central, civic organization. Up to 1896
no organization of this character exist
ed. The rapid growth of our population
and the manifest necessity for public
improvements thatwerc
essential to US as Il capital c1ty-re-
quired an organization such as is re-
ferred to. The relations we occupied
with the general government were pc
culiar and widely different from those
attaching to other leading cities.
Being governed by a board of Com
missioners appointed by the President,
and without representation In Con-
gress. the necessity for an organfza-
tion like our Board of Trade. repre-
senting without favor or prejudice all
sections of the city. was apparent. lt
was the common remark in both
houses of Congress that there was no
general organization i'll Washington
representing i'll a public. impartial. un-
wishes of the community. 1t was a
well known fact that local measures
our interests had, from time
to time. been antagonized by various
local organizations. located in different
sections of the city. by reason of which
much needed legislat tion has been de-
layed la I'd and an often defeated The Board
los
might be overcome. and that by con-
certed action through a representative
body wider influence might be exert
ed in Congress and more satisfactory
results accomplished. In a, word, that
local conditions might he made cosmos
and not continued chaotic.
Origin of Board of Trade.
''OLc day. meeting B. H. Warner, we
talked of our city and it's probable fu-
ture. Al this interview Mr.. Warner
suggested the organization of a board
of trade. Articles of incorporation were
prepared. 4 meeting was called in the
red room at the Ebbitt House and an
organization perfected. Thus. then and
there the Washington Board of Trade
was launched. having for it's sole OBJ
ject the betterment of the National
Capital. How we'll our board has per-
formed its mission through all these
years will be told you more III detail
by one who will read the able address
es prepared by our late lamented pres
ldent and by our present president
Our first years membership number
ed about $50. An efficient executive
committee was appointed and empow-
cred to cooperate with the chairmen
Of the various committees in present.
ing the needs of the city to Congress.
Among the important things accom-
plished by the board was the passage
Of an act for the extension of streets
and avenues. This bill was drawn by
the Board of Trade and substituted for
one prepared in Congress. Col. Trues-
dell and myself stood sponsors for this
bill before the committees of Congress.
that have resulted from
the passage of this act have been of
untold benefit to our city.
1T is an undiSputed fact that the
idea of properly celebrating the 400th
anniversary of the discovery of Ameri-
ca by Columbus had its origin with our
Board of Trade Under its direction a
mass of literature was prepared and
spread over the country. Through the
efforts of our board governors of states
declared themselves enthusiastically in
favor of the celebration. Boards of
trade and chambers of commerce
project. For years we continued our
labors as a board Of promotion. Over
$4,000. generously contributed by our
citizens. was expended
in the work.
"once a year the national board of
met in Washing gton, bringing
to our city the most influential and
representative citizens of the republic.
The annual banquets given on these oc-
casions by the Board of Trade, at which
were usually seated about 400, were
notable by reason of the character of