Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1906-07-26
FOOD FOR REFLECTION.
Some Suggestions That Should Cause
Our Progressive Citizens to
Think and Act.

Ihe IraQ6sLnaH3 q pa~DllcdtlOu u
Chattanooga, 9enn., contains an
article on the subject of the consoli-
dation Of the commercial organiza-
tons in the cities OF the south. The
advice given applies not only to the
cities of its state, but should be a
matter Of great interest to Goldsboro
where one of the conditions describ-
ed seems to exist.
1t says: t1n most of the cities Of
the south there are three or four
organizations working along almost
Identical lines, and yet none are
strong enough to accomplish more
than the morest passing benefits, as
compared with what can be done
through one good, strong body, that
really embraces all interests and is
in position to intelligently stand for
them.
"There are two conspicuous z
amples that sustain these views in
the fullest degree, and these are the
Board Of Trade of Nashville and the
Business Mems Club of Memphis. In
both of these cities consolidation
took place between existing bodies,
and now the Board of Trade Of
Nashville has 1900 members, con-
tributing to the revenue and infu-
epce of that body, while Memphis
has even a larger membership, and
is nov erecting a magnificent build
ing as a permanent home for its
organization.
''Who doubts the greater work
that these organizations are able to
accomplish for their respective cities
in any direction than they were able
to do before? Who doubts the ad-
vantage that these cities now possess
over their neighbors whose energies
are divided through diverse organ
izations and efforts crippled for want
OF means to finance any of them
successfully?
I'm one city that we could name,
and this is only typical of a number
of others, there is a Commercial
Club, a Board of Trade,a Merchants
association, a Grocers' association, a
Builders Exchange, a Real Estate
Exchange, and what not, and yet
when any of these organizations
wish something done that will be
beneficial to their intereets, and not
in conflict with these of others, it is
impossible to secure such co-Opera-
ton from the others as is necessary
to obtain the end sought. On the
other hand, if these various inter
ests were merged into one body, and
each class given a strong committee
for that interest, the ends sought by
each separate body would be in
finiteIy more readily o~btainable,
while the general interests would be
almost impregnable against all dan
gers that could imperil them.
. ''This is so clear to US that it is a
matter Of surprise and establishment
that public spirited citizens in all the
cities Of the south do not get together
and bring about what Nashville and
Memphis have accomplished. One
, strong body fosters more easily that
civic pride which is the foundation
# public progress and lessons those
jealousies that are engendered
, through these necessarily rival
organizations.
:. "In these days of municipal mis-
> management and seemingly univer-
sal graft it is to the commercial
bodies that all must look more OF
less directly for a movement to
/ remedy these evils, since there can
be no progress under corrupt and
), rotten political rule.
"There has never been a time in
the history OF the south when there
was a greater need than now for all
, business and commercial interests to
unite in order to insure protection to
F their own affairs from this growing
evil" 4
There is food for reflection in this
statement of the case and the con-
ditions in this city seem ripe for just
such an amalgamation of the exist
ing bodies, with committees that
would be made up of the member
ship Of the present organizations