Evening star., 1909-09-03
4 "CHAMBER OF CITIZENSHIP"
CLEVELAND'S REMARKABLE
CIVIC ORGANIZATION
Good Government and Sound Eco
nomics the Controlling Idea Of
the Organization.
From Leslie's Weekly.

From Leslies Weekly.
Cleveland enjoys the unusual distinc-
ton Of having a chamber of commerce
that is interested in many things besides
planting dollars today and getting them
back tomorrow with an increase, regard
less of other considerations. To be sure.
the chamber gives close attention to such
matters as the development of new in
dustries, excursions, freight rates and all
the factors of commerce which have TO
do with immediate results in money
making; but that does not tell the whole
story 1t plants for. the future on
truly magnificent scale and the harvest
has already begun.
The controlling idea of the chamber is
that solid and enduring commercial sue
cess rests on a foundation of good gov
ernment and sound economics. Thls
means that the Cleveland Chamber of
Commerce believes that 1t pays In the
ordinary commercial sense to create con-
ditions that will make better men and
women by safeguarding health promot-
ing education, and by working for the
uplift of the city In every way.
Divided Into Groups.
So you will find the 1900 representative
manufacturers, bankers. lawyers, whole
salers, doctors. retailers, preachers and
others who compose the chamber divided
into eighty-five groups, each group
earnestly and actively engaged in seek
ing the solution of problems which are
generally supposed be outside the
scope of body organized for COM
mercial purposes. These men do good
citizenship work of the most approved
type, and thus has come about the
designation. Chamber of Citizenship"
which is used with increasing frequency
by officers and members, and which they
justly regard as a title of honor
Business and professional men of the
chamber, who did not dream few years
ago that they could possibly spare any
time from business for civic duties. are
now active and enthusiastic in solving
difficult public questions which are so
often left, with indifferent results to in
dividual reformers or-nObody. They give
hours to committee meetings and in
vestigations that they might devote to
making more money for themselves, but
they give gladly of time and ability with
out thought of immediate personal re-
turns. Such an atmosphere of devotion
to the larger interests of the city exists
in the chamber that the members make
their citizenship duties part of their
regular scheme of daily activity. Time is
saved and goodfellowship promoted by
holding committee meetings during the
noon luncheon In the private dining rooms
in the chamber of commerce building.
Things Accomplished.
Everything under the sun of human in
terest is considered by this unique organ
ization, and for the chamber to consider
anything means that something is going
TO be done about it. Among some of the
definite results gained are a better con-
sular service. the inspection of meat and
milk, the planting and the care of trees
school sanitation, public lighthouses, pub
a. low rQdncfinn ho nlro
nuisance, and complete supervision of the
charities of the city. This does not in
cIude all that has been done. but 1t gives
a fair idea OF the diversity of the cham
ber's activities.
Slum conditions have been minimized
by action of the chamber in obtaining
building code which prohibits the erec-
ton of insanitary and unsafe buildings