The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-11
thousand would add greatly to its eff

thousand would add greatly to its eff
cheney.
Began the Movement.
The people OF Richmond at this time are
deeply interested in the matter of the ex-
tension Of the corporate limits of the city.
They should know that the Chamber Of
Commerce inauguratcd the movement to
secure proper legislative enactment with
respect to this important matter nearly
fifteen years ago and has worked UNI
ceasingly for its success from that time
to the passage of the Anderson bill at the
last session of the Legislature, and in the
present agitation Of that important sub
jcct t
The Hon. George Wayne Anderson, the
author OF this law, which makes annexa-
ton possible, declared recently in a pub
lie speech that the chamber was the most
effective agency employed in the passage
of that law; indeed he said 1t should be
called the chambers BILL
Last year the chamber secured the de-
feat of q single measure before the Leg
islathre, the passage of which would have
cost the city nearly eighty thousand dol
lars, and it is respons BILE for the success
Of other bills considered at the same ses-
sion of the Legislature that are of great
value to the commercial interests of the
entire State. n
Yet the citizens Of Richmond do not re-
alize the amount or value Of the work
performed by the chamber, and the claim
thus laid upon each citizen to contribute
to its support, not only in money, but
by attendance at It's general meetings and
participation In discussions Of the Vital
questions with which it has to deal
4 It's beneficence or usefulness is not con-
fined to any class OF our people. 1t helps
the working man, because its mission is
to keep the factory going; 1t aids the
property owner by its Influence in keep
ing the tenant here and employed. It thu,i
furnishes the professional man with eli
ents and patients who are earning remun-
eratlye wages; 1t adds to the deposits Of
our banks andgmultiplies borrowers for
the same. 1t does all this, as well as and
as much as 1t helps the merchant or the
manu- facturer.As145 4 VI
1t does this by combining the Influence
of the individuals of the community and
by bringing that power to bear, wherever
In the wisdom Of the directors or the en-
tire body of the chamber, 1t should be
exerted. ., ri. f
And it does not take a narrow, selfish
or partisan view Of any question, but con-
sidcrs every subject from the point Of
equity, Justice and the public good.
The Traffic Bureau.
second-This committee is firmly Of the
opinion that in no part Of its work does
the Chamber accomplish more than
through Its Traffic Bureau, n department
1t established little over ten years ago.
Tho advantage Of having at the head Of
this department an expert traffic official
has been Of the utmost Importance to
the Chamber, and comparison Of the
efficacy Of its methods with the old
.si<,F iN,,
committee Of our members is sufficient
in itself to cause your committee to
strongly urge the continuance and loyal
support of this bureau by the chamber,
While the old system of doing this work
had accomplished MUCH 1t was done moro
by favor than by reason, and we conf
IDENTIFY assert that tho present system Is
more agreeable to the transportation
companies than tho old as it enables
us to present our views and complaints
in more Intelligent manner and de-
5privcs our requests OF all unreasonable
ness.
1t is almost impossible to express the
money value Of this department Of tho
chamber to the city We do not think
we err when we say We are not overesti-
mating itaat half n million dollars annu-
ally, both directly and indirectly.
a We arc surely able to assert that wo
can show direct saving to manufacture.
ers and merchants of 100000 In frelghts,
as we'll as the preservation of the busi-
ness Of our manufacturers and NOR
chants upon which the creation of tho
wealth OF the community absolutely de-
ponds.
The committee begs to reiterate that
tho protection the chamber has thus
afforded with respect to our freight rates
for n number of years is of a value 10
the entire community almost beyond
computation,
TO this protection may largely be as.
crlbed the growth Of our CITY as an
Industrial and financial center. Thus
every citizen Is q beneficiary Of Its work.
Third-It Is of paramount Importance
to the effective working Of the cham
her that 1t should have sufficient perma-
nent revenue to properly carry on Its
work; and wc. therefore, recommend that
the dues to the chamber be modified In
accordance with the following report OF
tho subcommittee:
The subcommittee. charged with for
mulating plan to secure a permanent
revenue for tho chamber. beg to report
that, in their opinion, the dues Of tho
chamber should be so distributed over
It's membership that those deriving It's
greatest benefits should pay dues COM
mcnsurate with those benefits, or their
ability anG disposition to contribute, and
that this can best be obtained by dlyid-
ing the members into four classes, \ the
dues of each class being graded accord
ing to the benefit derived from tho
chambers work, whether direct or indi-
rect, and we suggest that these classes
be known as follows:
I