New York Produce Exchange, Richmond Chamber of Commerce, St. Louis Union Merchants' Ex- St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, Troy Board of Trade, Wilmington (Del.) Board of Trade. REVISION, JANUARY 13, 1903. This association is formed for the purpose of promoting the efficiency and extending the usefulness of the various commercial and manufacturing organizations of the United States of America, securing unity and harmony of action with reference to business usages and laws, and especially the proper consideration of and concentration of opinion upon questions affecting the financial, commercial and industrial interests of the country at large, and to provide a concerted action regarding national legislative measures and governmental department affairs. ARTICLE I. NAME. SECTION 1. This association shall be known and designated as the National Board of Trade. ARTICLE II. SECTION 1. There shall be two classes of members, constituent and associate. SEC. 2. Every commercial or manufacturing association or other body organized for general benefit in matters of public concern, and not for private purposes, shall be eligible to constituent membership in the association. SEC. 3. Any business or professional man who is an American citizen, interested in the purposes of the National Board of Trade and who may be deemed worthy of such consideration, may be admitted to associate membership upon invitation of and election by the Board of Managers. Such associate membership shall confer the right to receive all of the publications of the Board (but shall not have the right to vote or participate in debate) and to suggest, with the approval of the Board of Managers, subjects for consideration at the annual meeting of this Board; provided, that such subjects shall be general in their character and of national significance. SEC. 4. Every applicant for membership in this association shall present an application, accepting and agreeing to abide by the provisions of this Constitution and the By-Laws or any amendments thereto, which application shall be submitted to and acted upon by the Board of Managers, hereinafter provided for, at its first meeting subsequent to the date thereof. If the said application shall be approved by the Board of Managers the applicant becomes a member from the date of such approval and shall be promptly notified of the fact. SEC. 5. Membership in this association shall be subject to termination or suspension as hereinafter provided. ARTICLE III. REPRESENTATION. SECTION 1. Each member of this association in good standing shall be entitled to the following representation and vote at all conventions: A member having fifty constituent members, with right to vote therein, shall be entitled to one delegate representative and vote; having one hundred such members, two delegates and votes; having an excess of one hundred members, one additional delegate and vote for each full two hundred members of such excess; provided, that no association shall be entitled to more than sixteen delegates or votes. No member of this association shall be considered to be in good standing unless its dues shall have been paid in full to date. SEC. 2. Delegates, who shall be active members of not less than one year's standing in the association which they represent, shall be selected by said association in such manner and for such term, of not less than one year, as it may elect. They shall be required to present at each convention of this association credentials properly executed by their association, and such credentials, further, shall certify the number of the association's members entitled to vote at that time. Duplicate of such credentials shall be mailed to the Secretary of this association at least fifteen days prior to a convention. Substitute delegates may be recognized and seated upon presentation of proper credentials, but "proxies" issued by delegates shall not be recognized. ARTICLE IV. DUES. SECTION 1. The annual dues of each constituent member of this association shall be payable to the Secretary on or before the first day of January of each year, as follows: Each constituent body having 100 or less active members shall pay the sum of $20; each constituent body having an excess of 100 active members shall pay in addition thereto $5 for each 50 or major fraction thereof of such excess; provided, that no constituent body shall be required to pay a greater sum than $300. Each associate member shall pay dues in such an amount as may be determined by the Board of Managers, but shall not exceed $20, payable on or before the first day of January of each year. SEC. 2. If any member of this association shall fail or refuse to pay annual dues within a period of sixty days after the same are due and payable, the membership of such member shall then stand suspended and may be terminated. The Board of Managers may, however, in its discretion and upon such terms as it deems proper, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, restore such suspended member to good standing. All suspended memberships shall be finally terminated at the expiration of one year from the date of suspension. ARTICLE V. OFFICERS. SECTION 1. The elective officers of this association shall be: A President, A First Vice-President, A Second Vice-President, A Treasurer, who shall be elected by ballot at each annual convention for a term of one year, commencing with the adjournment of said convention, and who shall serve until their successors are elected and installed. A majority of the votes cast shall elect. SEC. 2. The President shall preside at all conventions of the association; he shall be a member of the Council and of the Board of Managers, hereinafter provided for, and act as chairman of both; he shall perform such other duties as are usual for such officer. SEC. 3. The Vice-Presidents shall, in respective order, perform the duties of the President in the event of his death, disability or absence. SEC. 4. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys paid to the association and shall disburse moneys only upon written orders signed by the Secretary and countersigned by the President, which shall be his only vouchers for disbursements; he shall carefully account for all transactions of his office and make full report of the same to the annual convention, or at any time upon demand of the President; he shall furnish good and sufficient bond in such sum and with such sureties as may be required by the Council before entering upon the discharge of his office. ARTICLE VI. MANAGEMENT. SECTION 1. The direction of the affairs of this association shall be vested in a Council, acting through the Board of Managers, as hereinafter set forth. SEC. 2. The Council shall be constituted as follows: There shall be as many members of the Council as there are constituent bodies in the association. Each constituent body in the association shall be entitled to one member of the Council, who shall be elected at each annual convention, for a term of one year, commencing with his election. The nomination of the member of the Council for each constituent body shall be made by its delegation at the annual convention, but in the absence of such nomination or failure of a constituent body to designate its choice for the office, the convention shall nominate and elect. Vacancies in the Council shall be filled by appointment by the President, who shall first request nomination for the vacancies from the constituent body affected. SEC. 3. The Council shall meet upon the call of the President and organize for the ensuing fiscal year. It shall also meet the day prior to each convention and at such other times and places as in its judgment may seem best, and may be convened in special session upon call of the President or by demand of one-third of its members. Notice of all meetings of the Council, excepting the meetings immediately preceding and following its election, shall be mailed to each member at least twenty days in advance thereof and shall state the business to be considered. At all meetings of the Council the presence of five of its members shall constitute a quorum. SEC. 4. The Council shall determine the general scope and direction of the work of the association and instruct the Board of Managers. ARTICLE VII. BOARD OF MANAGERS. SECTION 1. The President, upon assuming his office, shall, subject to the confirmation by the Council, appoint a Board of Managers, which shall be constituted as follows: The President, the First VicePresident, the Second Vice-President and six representatives of members of the association. Vacancies in the Board of Managers shall be filled by the President in the manner of original selection. SEC. 2. The Board of Managers shall have immediate supervision of the affairs of the association; it shall actively endeavor to prosecute its objects and comply with the instructions of the Council. The Board of Managers shall have direction of the disbursement of the funds of the association. It may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as shall be deemed advisable, and may, in the execution of the powers granted, appoint such agents as it may require or deem necessary. SEC. 3. The Board of Managers shall meet and organize as soon as practicable after appointment and confirmation of its members. It shall further meet upon call of the President at such times and places |