The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1897-10-06
A WORD TO THE COMMERCIAL
CLUB.

L 1UC SluO vi SAIy
is enjoying a season of high prosper
lty. Organized not quite two years
ago, the club soon attained degree
of popularity which insured its fin
ancial and social success. Its mem
bershIp grew till it embraced the
greater portion of the. .city's business
men, and the club rooms became the
central point in the social life of the
town. By the patronage which at
tended from the start the club soon
paid off the small debt incurred at
the outset, and every month showed
a surplus, till the question of what to
do with the money called for the at
tention of the directors.
The club is now entering upon an
enlarged career. 1t is doubling its
present quarters, putting in twice as
many bowling alleys, and making
the social features more attractive
than ever. The rooms when finished,
as they are to be next month, will be
unsurpassed in point of elegance and
comfort by any such. organization
on the coast in city no larger
than The Dalles. This is an extremely
felicitous state 'of affairs, and every
citizen will rejoice in the success
which has accompanied this venture
to give The Dalles what it has long
needed, rallying point for its social
and business interests.
The influence of the Commercial
Club has been of the best, its rooms
have had an attractive welcome for
the young men Of The Dalles; there,
they have been enabled to meet on
common ground their elders in years,
and the intercourse has probably
proven as pleasant to the one as
profitable to the other. The gymna-
SUM and bowling alleys have offered
inducements to those who needed
the stimulus of light exercise, while
at the same time taking it in pleas
ing form. The reading rooms have
supplied want which had long eX-
listed, and so, altogether, the Story of
The Dalles Commercial and Athletic
Club is a pleasant one to write.
AS the club occupies public po-
sition in the eyes of the community,
the press of the city feel justified in
discussing its affairs with greater
freedom than they would the enter
prises of private individuals, and
what We say in this connection is
done in an appreciative manner and
without any feeling of criticism.
But the question has arisen whether
or not the Commercial Club has pro-
gressed equally along all the lines
upon which it was founded, or if it
has not developed the social side to
the detriment Of its commercial and
business features.
The latter question can be an
swered in the negative. The club
has not done too much in the social
line, and all its efforts and successes
are worthy Of praise; but the former
question may call for another answer.
Many people joined the club with
the hope that by such an orgaEiza-
= ton a discussion of the city's inter
ests and needs would be at all times
pertinent and plans devised for their
furtherment. To a certain extent
this has been done, and well done /;
but there are other pressing questions
that are demanding more attention
from this organization than they are
receiving. The matter of good roads
leading out of town; the question of
inducing foreign capital to invest in
The Dalles; the establishment of
manufacturing industries here, which
will give market for our raw prod
ucts and the employment of labor;
plans for the reducing of taxation
and Improvement of the citV's GEN