Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-20
own business is sure to improve" h


argued.
Harmony First Essential.
The purpose of. the business mems
organization, Mr. Green pointed out
is four-fold. 1t is to harmonic, edu-
cate, benefit, and protect. Again Mr..
Green quoted scripture, Behold how
good and how pleasant it is for .breth- |
rem to live together in unity" and in
his estimation nothing can be accom-
plieshed unless there is unity. Har |
mony he considers the first essential. |
Get together, know each other, and
you can surmount any obstacle, you
can get the needed factories, and you
can really make Rock Island greater.
Lift. boost. Do not knock" Accord
ing to the speaker, practically every
trade abuse can be traced directly to
jealousy
Mr. Green dealt with the educational
phase of the organization, and turned
to the head of benefit He argued that
! in order to derive benefit the mem
Der must make an investment, and the
| investment must not only be of the
dollars for membership dues, but must
| include the other thing he invests in
/ a business from which he expects
Iprofit - his personal attention. He
lpointed out the mistake often made,
of endeayoring to run the association
on methods contrary to good business
pRecepts, and at the same time with
| the expectation of good business re-
turns.
He holds that business is largely
done by example, and that what one
individual inaugurates is soon adopted
by others. But he went further, and
showed that what one individual may
linaugurate, he is not always able to
abandon alone At this point he took
up the trading stamp evil and pointed
out the objections TO it.
In concluding his discussion of the
Isubject of benefits, Mr.. Green present
ed figures to show that the member of
the association benefits hundreds of
dollars annually as result of associa-
ton activity, while the annual cost is
but S12
4
Mr. Green devoted some time TO
discussing the bills now being pushed
in the Legislature, and among others
the enabling act, by which Illinois cit
lies will be able to adopt the commits
SIGN plan of municipal government.
Mr.. Green is one of the strong advo-
Gates of the commission plan, and has
taken an active part in the efforts to
secure the adoption of the bill by the
; present legislature. He reported the
results of the hearing given the com
mittees representing some of the cit
les more particularly interested before
the senate committee on municipali-
ties. AS result of this hearing the
senate committee has designated a sub
: committee to visit Galveston and Des
Moines and investigate the systems
; there. The bill has also been intro
), duced in the house, and it is hoped
that the same favorable consideration
will be accorded it there. The inves-
tigation at Galveston and Des Moines
: lis expected to be concludes within
two weeks. so that a report may be
submitted in that time. The commits
sion plan of government is something
for which Mr.. Green has been working
for several years at Peoria, and he is
: one of its most enthusiastic advocates
ut is a big step forward toward good
municipal government. At Des Moines
there is a provision for returning to
the old form of government, but there
i, does not appear to be any disposition
TO change back he said.
Talks OF Rating Key.
Mr.. Green concluded his talk with n
| discussion of the rating code, and the
| dvertising agreement. He argued
: that the latter should be rigidly en-
| forced land demonstrated that if this
is done. much saving will result to
l the business men.
i Park TX Endorsed.
On motion of e. b. Kreis, the asso
citation adopted the following resolu-
ton regarding the Seventh ward park
project:
The Business Mems association oil
Rock Island takes pleasure in endors
ing the movement of our citizens oil
the Seventh ward, towards PURCHASING
the tract of land known as the Cas-
property for use as public park, and
commend the action of the board OF
park commissioners, and of the city