The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-10
ON A new BASIS.
Commercial Club Will Be Re-
organized.
Board of Directors to Represent
Varied Industries.
OLD MEMBERS TO QUIT
Hoped by This Means to Inject
New LIE.
Much Work Is Ahead for the
Organization.
OLD MEMBERS TO QUIT

The first winter meeting of the Com
mercial club which was held last night
| was a frost and the indications are
that it was of the killing variety, as
| far as the old organization of the club
| is concerned. The Commercial club
has been a headless body since Presi-
dent Jensen left the city in the spring
and the vitality of the membership is
all that has kept it alive this length OF
time.
1t seems to be a case of dry rot or
rusting out for the lack of a reason
for existing, though hundreds of rea-
sons why Topeka should have a live,
wide awake commercial club is ap-
parent to everyone. For a year or
more the Commercial club has been
such in name only, for 1t has accom-
plished little if anything at ali.
1t was on the decline when w. F.
Jensen was selected as president and
then there was an awakening though
it was not a permanent one and when
Mr.. Jensen removed from the city the
membership again dropped back into
Sunderland. There was a yawning
and stretching among the few live
members who attended last nights
Van Wrinkle sleep is to again be
broken.
The interests of the live members of
the club who have been in the saddle
for the past year have seemed to be
identical and that feeling has caused
lack of interest on the part of the
membership. The first open rupture
occurred when meeting was packe d
in favor of corporation ownership of
OIL MIA TQxy oil y
unanimous vote the Commercial club
went on record as favoring the sale
of the city lightning plant. The meet
ing was attended by those whose inter-
ests were OF such a nature that a
change of. this kind was desirable to
them.
Secretary A. B. Poole presented a
plan at the meeting last night which
1t is hoped will again place the Com
mercial club in the position which it
should occupy in Topeka The scheme
is this: The present board of direc-
tors consisting of Robert Pierce, T. F.
Doran, A NJ. Patten. c. K Holiday,
A. NJ. Mills, w. H. Davis ]. B. Nichol-
son and H B. Lautz will be asked to
resign. 3sE
The different commercial and pro-
fessional interests of the city will be
asked to name man for. director in
the new organization. the board of
directors to consist of fifteen, more or
| less, as the number of interests repre-
sented demand. This board of direc-
tors in turn will select a president
who is to be the inspiration and guild
ing star for the new organization.
The plan proposed seems to meet
the approval of the representatives of
the Commercial club who were pres
ent at last nights meeting though
hardly quorum was present when
the meeting was called to order. A
| dozen members dropped in one at
a time later in the evening until twen-
ty members were present.
All agreed that the present condition
of the Commercial club is such that g
reorganization is imperative and thai
action must be taken Immediately II
the existance OF the club is to be saved
A session of the legislature Is to. be held
in Topeka this winter and an appropri-
alton for a state fair is to be asked
and this is given as one of the urgent
reasons for the prompt reorganization
of the club along broad lines.
Secretary Poole stated last night that
he had talked with all of the present
board of directors with one exception
and that each Individual had expressed
desire to resign in favor of another
to be appointed under the plan sug.
gested by the secretary. The bankers
held a meeting Friday and designated
Scott Hopkins as their member of the
reorganized board of directors and 9th
er interest will be asked to immedi-
ately designate their choice for a di-
rector of the club directorate.
Another meeting of the Commercial
club will be held within a short time
| and the details for a plan for re.
| organization worked out and a new
| Commercial club formed from the
| membership of the old one will be
| the result. There was plenty of en-
thusiasm per capita at last nights
meeting and the indications are thai
| it will crystalline into a sentiment
which will bring about a strong Com
mercial club in this city.
A committee appointed at las
nights meeting presented the follow
| ing resolutions concerning the death
of Ralph S. Brigham former presi.
| dent of the club:
| Whereas, The Topeka Commercial
club, while humbly bowling to the viii
of the Divine Master. deplores The
| death of one of it's oldest and mos
active members and feels that in the
demise of it's ex-president, Mr.. Ralph
worker and Topeka and Kansas ar
honorable, upright and patriotic citi.
! zen; therefore be it
| Resolved, That the Topeka CONNER
| cial club hereby extends it's heartfelt
| sympathy to the family of Mr.. Brigham
| and orders that the charter of this bod,
| be draped for a period of 80 days ant
| that a copy of these resolutions be for
warded to Mrs. Brigham.
| 'E. H. CROSBY, Chairman
&C. K. HOLIDAY.
| M HEERY.
"a B. POOLE. Secretary