The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-06-02
The Commercial Club.

take little interest in this institution Its Orgina
tors seeing the mpossblity of inducing the merchants
to form exchange conceived the plan OF blending
the social and commercial interest, and thus promote
intercourse and interchange of ideas among the citizens
It is evident that they misconceved the character
of our popuationlost sight of the fact that there is
but little public spirit with Each man for himself
is the almost universal rule of action here as in mos
new commercial communities. Such spirit never
builds railroads. manufactures accomplshes
any work of public utility. After the rooms of the
Club fitted up at considerable, aud unless the
items be examined it might naturally be supposed I'M
necessary expense, the business were urged to
come forward and give tone to the institution Some
of course had Joined from social motives though they
were anxious that their commercial friends should
utilise it for any available purpose The list of men,
bers comprised some hundred Of the most respectable
gentlemen iu the place 1t but reasonable to sup
pose that the advantages of such membership, and
pleasant suite of supplied with sufciency of
papers and magazines, where members could meet and
invite their country friends would insure the
of the Club peculiar feature of the place was how
ever, repeat lost sight of-the want of unanmity
of sentiment and concert of action which has retarded
and in many instances, entirely checked every move
ment undertaken. That our fire department. by
the way, has been able maintain so creditabe an
organisation, regard the ninth wonder of the
world Many of its members deserve more praise than
| they will receive.
Members of the club commenced prognosticatns its
failure within twentyfour hours after joining, and the
| prophecy will probably work out its own fufllment.
The truth however tn IF
people for whom we have so much attachment, we
are rather hypercrical community. 1.-The members
ought to do SO and So says one, who never comes
forward to help do it, however OTIS dull place
the constitution prohibits from having little
amusement by betting" says another, who has pen
chant for speculation. {" 60 and find DO one there"
say some fifty members. 1.-THE bar is a very obiec
tonable feature" calculates the merchant who proba
bly, sells thousand barrels of" Dexter" year, never
dreaming the while that he is guilty Of the nconsist
ency Of straniug at gate and swallowing a sawml.
Andso between them, the Commercial Club langushes
In regard to drinking, habit which far from
approving, venture the assertion that there is less
done in the Club than in the back of any large
grocery establishment in the place. Nor do we say
this to the disparagement of the latter for while
have fondness for taking little for the somachs
sake SO long will merchants be under the necessity
fanced real of offering their customers glass of
" fine old Bourbon" so-called.
These remarks not made in spirit of harshness
to the disparagement of the character Of our
merchants. Individually, they doubtless moral,
liberal and intelligent as those Of other places. But
the fault of want of concert of action is incident to
tn all tivelv |
of all natonalties are here thrown together in bust
ness competition. When pecuniary interests are in
volved, men naturally distrusfu Of each other,
and nothing but intimate acquaintance and social
intercourse will remove this dstrust. To accomplish
this end, far as might be, one of the leading
motives that prompted the organisation of the Club
That the object has not been accomplished is, we re-
peat cause of regret regret induced both by social
and business considerations.
Such organisations be rendered potent for good
The Hancock Club in New Orleans was powerful in
in the hands of the Democratic party pend
ng the last elections We recently had the pleasure
Of conversng with its intelligent President, Capt.
Pnckney Smith, the subject. He tells that the
Club numbers some thirteen hundred members, and
although it has bar and billiard rooms and other
iduncts, rendering it Objectionable to the moral
ensibies than the one here, yet a number of the
most moral citizens of New Orleans are members and
minister's are regular visitors.
Indeed this is the age of clubs. They are in some
or the levers that the social political and CON-
nereia world. In Paris, London, Vienna, Rome, Mad
id and New York their unseen influence for good is
et in all the departments of life. The Round Table,
IL H., 49, |
ects of public utility, has long article this SUBJ
ect which we would like to give to our readers but
ear they think we have already exhausted useless
mount of ink and rhetoric.
But aside from such ambitious efforts as those used
" the clubs of the Capitals of the world the attrac-
ions of daily intercourse with numbers of other minds
certainly have an improving effect upon each individ
al intelligence; and qualities and capacities would be
bus brought into play that might have lain dormant
nder circumstances less propitious This is the uni
ersal verdict of the great thinkers of every age.
Stated meetings for business purposes are always
nore or less dry and constant supply of enthusiasm
) requisite to prompt regular attendance. 1t was =
oped that this difficulty would be remeded by blend
ng the social with the commercial That the effort -
as failed is alone the fault of our merchants.
The semannual examination of the Mansfield Fe:] Ct
lae College will commence on the 18th of June We
re grafed to be able tie state that this Institute, un
er the efficient management of Mr.. Stewart, is in
prosperous condition We are frequently in receipt b
letters from one of the young ladies there and her
etters are always expressive of admiration and afec-
ion for the honored President and the teachers gen.
rally. e
The subject of female education is one to which our
eople seem to be fully alive. Indeed, it has some
ines occurred to that it is fault that more atten-
on is given to the education of girls than to that of
L.. |