The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12
THINKS 1T A MISTAKE.
There should Net lie COnsOIida ton
of the Two Commercial Bodies.
To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:

To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
The proposed consolidation Of the Com
mercial Club and Board of Trade is a mis-
take. so far as public interests are con-
cerned The argument put forth in favor
Of it is that the amalgamaton of the two
organizations will give greater strength to
new organization than Is possessed by the
two maintained separately This is purely
a financial proposition which does not prop
erIy take into account the public usefulness
of organizations formed for the purpose OF
promoting public welfare. AS the avowed
and true object of such organizations is TO
promote public interests, it is of first im-
portance to consider how the greatest
amount Of effective work for public inter-
ests can be brought about. Experience has
demonstrated that this cannot be accom-
plishcd by moves such as is now proposed.
In those cities where there are TWO or more
such organizations as the two commercial
bodies in Indianapolis there is much more
activity than where there is but one, and
much more is accomplished. If each is do
ing its utmost now the work will be les
sened one-half il the two are reduced to one
working body; if they are not doing their
utmost the fault is in failing to fulfill the
purposes for which they were created, and
QuC dllGUtluil SllJIlO DG 5lNCtA ~ tAAA- -NeAA~A
than to destroying good machinery
The Board of Trade, as now constituted,
represents consultations with other rival or
contemporaneous commercial bodies. If,
therefore, this scheme of consolidation were
a good thing for the public and if it could
have accomplished all that is now claimed
for this move, manifestly the Commercial
Club never would have sprung into exist
ence so vigorously and so successfully.
Where there is but one such organization its
tendencies naturally become so extremely
conservative that it settles into the routine
of the self-interests of the organization. 1t
feels no longer the quickening spur Of the
enterprising and active contemporary. Inc
years that followed the last consolidation or
commercial bodies into the Board of Trade
until the Commercial Club sprang into ex-
istence constituted a period of comparative
inactivity instead of increased usefulness IL
was as a revolt against this inactivity and
extreme conservatism that the CommeIclal
Club came into existence with MEMBER
ship twice large as the older organiza-
ton. The eight or nine years OF contempt
raneous existence of the two organizations
that have since followed constitute the Pc
Rod of greatest progress ana development
in the history of Indianapolis, and 1t cannot
be truthfully denied that this era or I'M
provement was almost wholly que 10 lhe
organized efforts thus brought into opera
ton and directed to the very Things Ihas
have been accomplished. For the good OF
the city this work should go on as 1t mas
gone in the past. 1t will If the two organ
i2ations are kept active; it will be back
ward move to narroM the work into one
channel. and will inevitably result, as II
has everywhere. in diminishing activity, IN
causing conservatism that confines itself 10
routine, in nonprogressiveness, and in the
mere maintenance of organization interests
instead of forwarding public interests.
The possibilities of usefulness In these
two ORGANIZATIONS have not been exhausted.
They need. if anything, more of or at least
a stimulation of the same spirit which has
kept them so active in the past that there
them to cease to exist. Those who are M
trusted with the responsibility of continu-
ing work so successfully conducted hitherto
should not now be trying to devise plans
for the life, to parapnraSe little. OF put
one blade Of grass where two have hour-
ished before. 1t is strange too that TINS
talk should come in the very hrst year a1ter
the founders of the club retired from al
ministration of its affairs.
The Board oE Trade is without lndeDteu-
ness and is on sound basis. The COM
mercial Club has been carried through all
the vicisstudes of establishing a new Or
ganiZation, and its affairs were reported a
wear ago to be in better condition than ever
before Surely no conditions have since
arisen which make it more difficult 10 con-
tinue the two organizations separately tnah
have been overcome in the process OF build
ing UP. The greatest benefit to the puDhc,
which should receive first consideration,
will be derived from fostering the two or
carnations as they have been conducted
heretofore. PHO BONO RUBLlCO.
indianapolis, Feb Il.