The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1902-12-27
ORGANIZATION.
The Address of Mr.. Tom
Richardson, botore the Pro-
gressive League.

with yon this evening, and | wish
TO acknowleGe the compliment you
pay the New Orleans Progressive
Union by adopting at least por-
tion of it's name.
There is no reasonable limit to
what can be said upon the subject
of organization, but I shall confine
my remarks to what [ know has
been, and | think can be accom-.
plished, by bodies similar to your
Progressive League
In all great trade centers. the
Board of Trade, Cotton Exchange,
Stock Exchange, Produce Ex-
change, and other bodies of Il like
nature which have for their pur.
pose the buying and selling of Il
given commodity, are, under ex-
existing condition. an absolute ne.
cessity both to the producer and
the consumer. | shall. however,
deal exclusively with organiza-
tiOns like the New Orleans Pro.
gressive Union and the New Iberia
Progressive Lea,ne which have
tor their sole object the upbuilding
and betterment, in every possible
way, of the community they re-
present.
This character OF organization,
on the part of the citizenship of
different communities. has only
become general during the latter
portion of the Nineteenth Cent.
uary, and that they have accom-.
plished great deal of good is. l
believe, to-day, admitted even by
the most ultra conservative capt..
alists. merchants and manutact
urers
In the newer cities Of this cOun.
try. this character of concentration
of the commercial, financial and
industrial interests, has brought
to the fore front the very bes,
brain and energy Of the cities re
presented, and to be an officer OF
such body is in many places
considered, a greater honor thar
election to the highest public
Offices within the gift of the city
or state.
| 1t is probable that tho popular
commercial body has reached itl
zenith in the great West. and te
be explicit, l expect California hal
accomplished more through sucl
agencies than any other state il
the world or Union; but the middle
West and the South have beel
tremendously benefited through
the work Of commercial bOdie
which have been organized exact
lily like your Progressive League
One of the greatest difficulties
to be overcome in the older CON
munities Is the habit of the aver
age business man offering, as a
excuse to be relieved from publ
duty of a patriotic nature, tina
Gle is too busy" Another excus
frequently offered in the South is
81 will subscribe, but / will nc
solicit subscriptions, nor will
serve upon Committee and th
same difficulties that will to b
Overcome in New iberia, in orde
bring about the very best result
exist in New Orleans, and in ever
other large and small city througl
| ont the South.
If ten strong, active bushes
men and property holders, wh
have the confidence of this cor
munity, will agree to give two hou'
time for one evening each wee
for a term of six months an
pledge themselves that they wi
allow no other engagement to i
terfere with their attending sue
q meeting, manufacturing pr
: positions, business proposals ar
other matters Of Importance wou
be put such body Of men whit
if successfully carried out won
result in doubling the populatl'
Of your enterprising City within
period Of i've years, and more th'
double the value of the person
and organized wealth Of this co
munity.
/ realize that such q commit
would be bored on many occasio