The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-19
Secretary c. F. Larson Makes An
Eloquent Plea For Greater
Membership.
COMMENDS COUNCIL
In NEWMAN MATTER
Thinks That Policy of EXEMPTION
From Municipal Taxation Wi werk
Wonders When Business Revival
Sets in.

Mr.. c. F. Larson, Secretary of the
Hattiesburg Commercial Club, makes
the following timely plea for larger |
membership and greater interets in |
an organization that is doing splendid |
work for this splendid city:
Editor, Daily News:-
| have read, with great deal of
pleasure, the letter from Mr.. c. F. Las +,
sitter, commenting upon the action of
the citizens of Hattiesburg in mass
meeting assembled, under the auspices
of the Commercial Club, June 10th,
to. take action on the great and import
ant question Of relieving the ]. ]. New
man Lumber Company from taxation
on their mill property in the city. of
Hatiesburg as an inducement to get
them to rebuild their plant, recently
destroyed by fire.
THAT the action was unanimous in
favor of supporting the city govern
ment in thus exempting that corpora
ton, was but natural Hattiesburg is
composed of citizenship unequalled
in this country when 1t comes to a
matter of business or civic pride and
both elements were here presented. AS
a matter of business we needed the
rebuilding of this great industry, CIV
employment to nearly thousand per-
sons and distributing over our city
annually about 100000.
From the point of civic pride we.
could not permit the establishment
to be removed from Hattiesburg for
he sake Of few dollars derived from
taxes and thespirit that animated one
OF our substantial and ever awake
citizens to offer to be one of the ten
persons to pay the taxes of the J. j.
Newman Lumber Company rather than
suffer them to remove to some other
point, was simply another exhibition
of the kind of civic pride that 1t takes
TO make up city of the proportions
OF Hatiesburg.
: 1t is this spirit that will continue
the growth of our city and more is
the pity that the GOOD example set
at this meeting cannot be as enthus'
iastically continued lat all gatherings;
by this l mean that it is a pity that
an progressive citizens will not come
forward and become members of the
Commercial Club and lend their mora
and financial support to its mainten
ance so that 1t will at all times be
ready to take up such large and mo
mentous questions a. the one under
( consideration.
\ These questions will arise from time
10 time as other industries will seel
to enter our city and other grea
questions of our future will arise, ef
fecting not only the business issues
but other elements that go to maxi
up city.
Our Commercial Club should be
clearing house for the city, plac
&Wnere every question: ihNolsihs III
good of the city can be discussed an
brought to a point where good vii
ensue.
The great meeting of June 16tl
brought up and settled question tina
should have been brought up earle
/. e. the question of immunity fror
taxation to all manufacturing ente
prises for the statutory period, tina
might want to engage in business
Hattiesburg, therefore the meeting a
complished two great things at ono
The City Council is to be commen
ed for its promptness in handling tn
question.
1 thank Mr. Lassiter for his gene
reference to the work Of the Cor
|cial Club and to its humble Sc
tary,
&C. F. LARSON.