The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-12-18
In An Extended Interview He.
. Discusses the Question
of. Civic Pride
HOW 10 awake SUCH
Benefits the Board of Trade
Brings the City Are
Touched on by Him.

/ Senator A. X. Thorn. secretary OF
the Board OF Trace, though busy
looking after the affairs Of the Board
and always on the lookout for bette-
and gseater things for clarksDurg'
ands time nevertheless. when called
/ upon, TO serve his beloved city in 9th
er ways. one OF which is to discuss
!! civic questions and present them In
such a manner as to be helpful and
! wholesome to tlfe community.
In talking to a representative of
the Telegram Friday morning secre-
tary Thorn struck some timely key
notes on the subject OF the awaken
ing OF civic pride. Mr. Thorn said;
civic pride or the lack of 1t Is an
individual characteristic \ MAJ
NAV he averse to civic progress for
several reasons. He may inherit a
rrouchy disposition. He may be a
man born narrow-minded and
brought up narrow-mtnded; because
of this he has not prospered in BUSH
ness. and has not become particular
IN desirable in society. He is pessi-
mist, hard-shelled. and not prone to
absorb the reasonable argument of
an enthusiast
TT seems to me the answer 10 the
question. how to awaken civic
pride?' is-education.
As already indicated. the indi i
vfdual citizen who IS devoid of civic
pride has some .petaeasons for that
ayerseness. Probably he dislikes
some of the. men who temporarily are.
conducting the organization known
as the Board of Trade; and as civic
pride must. of necessity, be express
ed through some such organization,
this condition would be cause enough
for that one individuals apathy Now
it is my firm belief tnat deep in the
heart of every man there is civic SEN
tfment, which in far too many in
stances is not given expression. The
CIarksburg Board of Trade as an or
ganization is working toward one
goal-the progress of the city. and
that one may become identified with
some branch OF the organization work
where one may do ones share OF good
and at the same time not come In per-
sonal contact with men whom one
dislikes. 1t frequently happens that
one group of desirable citizens re-
fuses to help your civic organization
because certain Others are in control;
and when those men go out OF Office
and u new administration come sin
another score or more of members re-
sign because of some personal differ
cnce with officers in the new admin
istration.
Let us Sc ewhat the constitution
of our local Board OF trade says re-
garding it's purposes Article II
reads as follows:
I The purpose of the Board OF
Trade shall he to project. encourage
and develop the manufacturing, mcr-
camille and other Industrial interests
of the City OF Clarksburg and its
vicinity; to collect. record and dis
scminate such local and general sta
tistIcal information relating thereto
as may promote the growth ard
financial welfare OF the community;
and to unto the business interests OF
Ithe city and vicinity in a concerted
effort to accomplish such purposes
NOW, what more lofty and high
purpose could any Organization have?
: But you say: SHOW ME where can
put my finger on net profit as a re-
: suit of blowing in twenty dollars for
a mombershiD fee in the Board OF
Trade
Well, il you have to be shown we
viii otto you to one example. About
six months ago the Board of Trade
located an Industry in this city whose
its annual payroll amounts to sixty
Thousand dollars and practically ey-
cry cent of it is srrnt here. If you
are merchant you can readily see
that had this industry located else
where. not dollar OF 1t would have
found its way to the Clarlssburg mer-
chants.
For every industry located here
Etbe merchants custom must. of ne
oessity. increase. The, professional
Imam win have a larger clientele and