The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-01-29
STATE FEDERATION.
OF Commercial Clubs Hold an I'm.
nOrtant SnSSion in nool,,ol

second annual meeting of the Fec
Grafton of South Dakota CONNER
ca' Clubs was called t, or Ter yes
terday afternoon in the parlors q
the Deadwood Business Club, by tn
president, Harvey j. Rice, of Huron
After few Introductory remarks
the president appointed the follow
ing committee on credentials
George V. Ayers, of Deadwood; D
F. Farrell, of Belle Fourche; H. F
Denton, of Webster At the conclu
sion of ten-minute recess, tn,
chairman of the committee reported
the following delegates present ant
entitled to seats in the convention
Presho-E. d. McKim, C. F
Chamberlain, Eugene Martin, M. E
Griffith, II. c. Barlow.
Lead-T. D. Murrin, P. A. Gush.
urst, John Esterbrook, L. p. jenkins
John Blatt.
Webster-H. T. Denton.
Draper. A. Robertson, w. L.
Wheeler, Alfred Jaske, 1. NJ Nors-
goard.
Sioux Falls-Will A. Beach.
Murdo-E. A. White, R. H. Sands.
Rapid City-Granville Jones. G.
S. Donohue, Fred Mccain, C. D. Mat
tison, DR.. A. NJ. Gitfin, D. B. Ingram.
Belle Fourche-J. H. Wilkinson,
w. H. Lancaster, E. ]. Ferrall.
Armour-Duel A. Dana.
Huron-Harvey ]. Rice.
Deadwood-H. B. Schlichting, X.
G. Phillips, George V. Ayers.
Fort Pierre-Warren Young.
Faullton-J. F. Armstrong.
The report of the committee on
credentials was adopted and Presi-
dent Rice delivered his annual ad-
dress.
Secretary's Report.
Report of the secretary to the an
nual meeting of the South Dakota
Federation Of Commercial Clubs,
Deadwood, January 10, 1909.
Gentlemen:-I beg leave to sub
init my annual report for the past
year as secretary of the federation
I took charge of the work one
year ago upon the adjournment of
the meeting in Pierre, at which
time and place the federation was
organized. The office of the secre-
tary was opened at Rapid City and
has, with the exception of one
month, been open for work
Under the bylaws of the organi-
cation, I was instructed to take the
field and organize new clubs, re-or-
ganize old ones which were inactive,
induce clubs to affiliate with the fed
Grafton, and cultivate public senti-
ment to the end that the representa-
tives of the state might by legisla-
Using the resources and opportun-
tiles of South Dakota. In pursu-
ance of these instructions l have
given eleven months of my time.
In this time l have Travelled 1928
miles and visited and revisited
twenty-four places in the interest of
the federation. work. I have organ
lied five new clubs and assisted in
re-orfianizing two old ones l have
attended several club functions sucn
as banquets and have attended and
addressed two fairs given under club
auspices.
During this period l have sent out
$500 letters on club business. In
order to carry on the work of the
federation the executive committee
adopted a financial plan which con-
sisted in an initiation fee of ten dol
lars per each club, together with
per capita tax of an amount equal
to one dollar per member to be paid
In annual or semi-annual payments.
The secretary was also authorized
to form SIS league composed Of
those who would pay that amount
for the purpose of the federation.
l believe that the efforts of the sec
rotary if followed up, have created
enough public interest to cause the
legislature to make an appropria-
ton sufficient to give us an immi-
the dignity and Importance of the
state. If this is done, one of the
chief reasons for the existence Of
the federation will have been real
lied.
The secretary has had some cor
respondence with parties outside the
state, enough to show the need of
some method of disseminating the
knowledge of South Dakota's re-
sources and opportunities.
There has been some serious him
ORANGES to the work. Chief among
these has been the lack of interest
among those to whom the secretary
looked for help and cooperation.
The best illustration of this is in
the fact that less than one-thirl of
the clubs in the state have been in
terested to the extent of paying ten
dollars for membership, and half OF
the remainder have only paid after
the secretary had spent more than
that amount in visiting and urging
the matter upon them. In response
to nearly 500 letters written to the
banks of the state my Office had the
courtesy of one single response, the
First National bank at Britton. The
executive committee, composed of
good men, were selected at points
SO remote that they have not held
meeting. In contrast to these dis
agreeable phases of the work the
secretary takes pleasure in mention
ing some of those who have cooper
ated and helped in the work.
The IS league, composed of those
who have given that amount to all
in the work, has on its roll the
names of H. B. Schlichting. I. NJ.
Hun, nh row Ehan w Mart;n E,,n1,,.