Evening star., 1933-01-01
YEAR Of PROGRESS
BY TRADE BODIES
Winning of Merger Fight One
of Many Achievements
of Organizations.

IS Lney aliBueu themselves WIN CIVIC
groups to form the mouthpiece OF the
voteless community.
First in importance among their
was the bringing about
through concerted effort Of congress-
sional action on the street railway
This legislation, which passed
the House several months ago, was re-
vised and approved by the Senate and
sent TO conference. after number OF
trade and civic organizations, led by
the Washington Chamber of Commerce.
the Washington Board of Trade and
the Merchants e. Manufacturers Asso-
ciation, and including a host of other
influential groups, united in . move
ment to hasten its passage.
The merger was but one of the
phases of a comprehensive program for
of the entire transporta-
tion system hereabouts which the COM
bined organizations, acting as the Citi-
ZenS' Joint Transportation Committee,
adopted. Thomas P. Littlepage, prest-
dent of the Washington Chamber OF
Commerce, acted as chairman Of the
group.
Undesirable Legislation Fought.
The Washington Board of Trade, act
ing under the guidance Of President
Ben T., Webster. took an influential
part in preventing enactment of unde-
sirable legislation during 1892, and CEN
tered much attention on the task Of
saving the people Of the District from
increased taxation. This trade group
successfully led the fight opposing the
Mapes fiscal legislation which would
have imposed severe tax burdens on the
citizens and business concerns Of the
Capital.
After a score of years of active work
and campaigning, the Public Order
Committee of the board succeeded In
securing the adoption Of regulations TO
control the sale of firearms in the Dis~,
trict. The board through its represents
atives worked quietly and without pub
licity for several weeks with the Com.
missioners and the chief of police plana
ming the handling of the recent "hun-
ger march" on Washington. The trade
group also was highly instrumental In
securing approval by the President
elect Of an old-fashioned inaugural and
inaugural ball here March 4.
Many Conventions.
Efforts Of the Board Of Trades
Greater National Capital COMMITTEES. to
keep the flow of visitors and conyen-'
ton business to Washington at q steady
pace, resulted in substantially increas-
ing the number of national conventions
held here and in stabilizing the tourist
trade. Curtis Hodges, executive direc-
tor OF the COMMITTEES, estimates that up
ward OF $l6,000,0 900 was spent by sight
seeing visitors TO Washington during
1882, not including money placed In
circulation here by delegates to the
more than 200 conventions held here in
the l2-month period.
Through its four information booths
at strategic points on the
nam routes to Washington, the COM
Ini.eee mace S,eol hotel reservations, an
average OF approximately 700 q month,
In addition to supplying information 10
nearly $4,000 tourists during the war. :,
The group Las scheduled 90 national
conventions for the Capital in 1888 and
n for subsequent years. Several addi-
tional conventions are expected TO be
brought here in the new year.
Higher Insurance Opposed.
The Washington Chamber Of Com
merce, which looks upon 1882 as year
highly prolific in achievement, besides
leading the fight for traction merger leg
islation, also vigorously opposed q 26.e
per cent increase In employees compen-
sation insurance rates, and the trade
group believes its efforts resulted in an
estimated saving of 100000 to local
business firms. 1t believes another S70,-
600 to $4,000 saving also Is In prospect
through q freight rate reduction on an
thracite coal, originally recommended
by the chamber, in accordance with the
findings Of the examiner Of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission.
One Of the outstanding accomplish
ments of the chamber was the securing
Of q Bicentennial talking motion picture.
produced by Warner Bros, which gave
the National Capital Nationwide pub
licity on a scale never before achieved
IN this manner
On Capitol Hill, chamber representa-
lives urged enactment Of legislation TO
provide Federal appropriation for un-
employment relief, to be disbursed
through the Board of Public Welfare.
Another successful effort of the cham
per was in connection with passage Of
The bill establishing parole board in
he District, which it helped draft, and
he enactment of leislation providing
Tor parole law.
Active Year.
The year just ended Is considered by
he Merchants & Manufacturers As
iociation to be the most active in its
according to Mark Lansburgh.
president. While the association pri-
narily is federation Of local trade as
and devotes a major portion
If its time to the problems OF its so
,rade groups. 1t has devoted much time
70 cooperating with other local civic
md trade organizations in endeavortng
% promote projects that would aid in
he civic Improvement OF the District
md the betterment of local business
conditions.
Outstanding among the associations
were its cooperation with
he Citizens Joint Committee on Fiscal
Relations in opposition TO the tax In
.reases advocated by the Mapes Com
provide the District with new license
aw' which passed the last session OF
Congress: advocacy of establishment Of
/ regulation barring street sale OF gas
,line BY hucksters; Endorsement Of Q
plan to have q congressional committee
establish a definite boundary line be-
.ween the District and Virginia, and
approval of the Bingham bill providing
'or the establishment of an airport for
he District on the site OF the present
Hoover Field.
Better Business Activities.
In the face of adverse business con-
iitions the Better Business Bureau was
;uccessful during 1882 in carrying
Onward its program of truth in ad-
Yertising and integrity in business.
and lack of business ethics,
Usually brought on by unfavorable busi-
less periods, have been minimized in
n washington, the bureau finds, large
Y through the cooperative efforts OF
ne newspapers and advertisers. Dur
ng the year the bureau handled 1,7e5.
cases and also answered
1858 financial inquiries. t
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