Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-06
SECRETARY OF DIES MONIES COM.
MITTEE DELIVERS CONVINCING
TALK ON CITY PROMOTION.
REPEATS LECTURE GIVEN
AT RAILROAD Y. M. c. A.
Audience of 100 Men Hears Him =
Walter conaser, Secretary of Boone
Commercial Club, Tells What His
city's Club Has Done-Meetns Held
to Promote MarshaIItown Club.

For the second time within a few
weeks Mr.. Lucius E. Wilson. secretary
of the Greater Des Moines Committee
appeared before a local gathering OF
business men to talk on CITY Boost
ing. AT the east court room FRIDAY
night MIR. Wilson had an audjence of
ABOUT 100 men which. while much
larger than the audience that greeted
him at the Railroad Y NJ. C. A. a short
time ago, was still very much smaller
than it should have been.
Those who were not there missed a
most convincing argument on the es-
seh'lais necessary TO boosting a city
commercially by man who is in the
business and who has first hand knowl-
edge of his subject
Guiding city's Future.
Mr. Wilson said the first question all
ways asked regarding boosting a
city was Can it be done?" He de-
clared that there was nothing funda-
mentally impossible in controlling A
clty's growth and a city can be legiti-
mately guided in its destiny and in its
future
The speaker branched off into a re-
cital of what other cities had done
merely as a suggestion of the possibili-
ties that Marshaltown or any other
city might accomplish, He spoke of
Saginaw, Mich, a city of $4,000 people.
raising 100000 a year for four wears
for its development ANY town." he
ha
100000 a year on it's future is going
to do something" "Lynchburg Va"
he said, "a city of $500, built on
dreams and "reminiscences recently
awoke and subscribed $4,000 for its
regeneration"
Land Speculation Detrimental
Mr. Wilson declared that one of the
principal reasons why Iowa had not de-
veloped more rapidly industrally was
because of the widespread speculation
in land in which millions had been in
vested by Iowans while people Of other
states We're investing their surplus in
manufacturing and Industrial develop
ment. He declared that this speculation
in land had led thousands of Iowans
out of the state.
TT is useless" he said. "for any city
to attempt to go out and grab factories
and set them down in its midst. when
it is unable to keep its own people at
home"
Clubs Function Educational.
THE function of a commercial club
he said. '"is largely educational 1t IS
necessary to convince the people of the
possibilities of their own town and
create hearty enthusiast CONNER
cial club must also do more. it must
instill into its people a reason for it's
enthusiasm. 1t is the function of the
commercial club to teach men to do
things here. 1t is the function of a
commercial club to push back the
horizon of thought of men. Tt must
bring men together It must bring men
who are at swords points into close
friendship. The future of your town
is in the hands of your young men.
They will be dickerers, swapners. horse
traders or merchant princes, just as
you make them"
Boone Secretary Talks.
After Mr.. Wilson had closed. Mr. w.
w. Doolittle, who presided at the meet
ing, introduced Mr. Walter Cronager.
secretary of the Boone Commercial
Club, who told briefly what the club of
that city had done in the one year
since it was organized.
Mr.. George Gregory member of
the membership club of the proposed
Marshall Club. closed the meeting by
telling briefly the purpose of the gath
ering, which was simply to give the
men present clearer idea of what the
purposes of the club We're as expressed
by Mr.. Wilson. No effort was made to
secure members.
Before Mr.. Wilson began speaking
the Imperial Male Quartet sang and
responded with an encore.