Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-05-06

Keep your promise Make good.
Functions such as this one are de-
lightful. are commendable and are
valuable. But you can hold ban
quet every month in the year and
have real orators address you upon
each occasion. and yet if the good
fellowship and enthusiasm here dis
played chases off after the winds as
YOU leave this place YOU will have
gained nothing for your home town.
Ii is valuable thing. an edu-
cational occasion, to meet and dis
cuss matters of interest to all alike,
but we must be honest with each
other. We must do something besides
talk. We must let each other know
where we stand as to doing the
things we applaud and believe In.
We must make good by doing.
We must be equally square with
each other as was the honest old
Venetian Jew, Shylock. who frankly
informed his friend, Bassanio II Will
buy with you, sell with YOU. walk
with YOU and so following; but / Will
not eat with you. drink with you, nor
prav with you
Thomas Edison. the wizard OF
electricity. once said: Eyes. l have
reason to feel grateful because l have
been of value to the people as whole;
but nv best thanks 90 out because /
did not. like many men better Inform
ed and more skillful than myself,
keep on Just studying, tried for Ie-
suits. Of course. / studied. but
also did things. lots of them dire fall
ures. and at last got there and made
good. "
Marconi. who produced the wireless
miracle. was scolded by his father
laughed at bv MS other kinsmen and
charged with being mot just right
IN his mind" by his fellow citizens
because he avoided society. neglected
public affairs and became a one ldea
person. But ne has made good
Therefore let me repent; You must
do things Talk is cheap
s. How can YOU do thingsg
can not tell YOU In detail beyond
asserting. with all the eaTnestness at
my comm aud that united, dependable
and harmonious cooperation between
! the business men of this community
is the prime essential Without this
Won can accomplish little. With It,
having single purpose-the better
ment Of Alma in ali ways-you can
accomplish much.
r Speaking of doing something besides
3 merely talking and OF having
) clearly defined, specific purpose, lei
D me cite an example right here al
n home
t Did vour venerable citizen. Mr..
d Wright. daily long with details in the
% beginning Of his interest in You
, town.
Did he talk about four or five wear
q and not actY Did he spend FIVE or 81!
4 additional years drawing out plans AM
Il specifications and then lay the who'll
o thing on the shelf so that he could g
If all over the matter againY
IS Not much. He knew what he ha
Il in view and making uD his mind o
V all points, be produced results. ID
Al made good
K '.Oh yes" some one observes. "bu
n Mr. Wright had capital to wor
IT with -
5. True. he hao capital but the mos
II potent portion of his combined n
p sources was his faith in the proJeC
Of he had in view You citizens of Aim
e, have the same sort of capital and, {
t. unit that kind of "a resource rs i
" repressible. Have faith in vor
town.
be If Won haven't that andSif you cal
= not. as a unit exercise that faith yo
~ would better "A bandon all hone of pr
IN ducing results that are worth Il
Nv while
ee I want to say a word further as
an the genus ''knocker. in the hol
~ that if Alma has any such you ma
to helm toward thcir reformation.
on The average nan who KIN ocks b
e own town does not do SO as a matt
of spite 1t is, pure and simpl
is because of ignorance. In nine cas-
no out of ten the "knocker has travel
set little. while the tenth one who b
Travelled. mayhap. has not oDserv e
Oh They have heard someone tell som
for thing fine about some other town
ful they have read some account by
or highly imaginative reporter abo
lat what some city elsewhere is doing
vs. going to do, and grasping these ide
as for a handle to their hammer th
~ 90 about rounding their own tov
Nv that they may hear the noise.
We There is an odd fact about. {
on "knocker - If il should ever happ
lal and 1t does once in while-th