Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-10
The Right Kind Of Boosting.

Under the caption, why the Des
Moines Boosters Get Results" E. P.
Adler, publisher OF the Davenport
Times, writes an intensely interesting
story of a recent visit to Des Moines,
on which occasion he attended one of
the noon day meetings of the Greater
Des Moines committee, recites the
work Of the organization, dwells on its
accomplishments, speaks of the inspi-
ration he gained from the experience
and finally points an example worthy
of emulation in Davenport. In the
course OF the article Mr.. Adler says:
The committee is composed OF 30
prominent men OF Des Moines, is in
Corporated, and the committee itself
selects members TO take the places of
vacancies from time to time, The COM
nittee will permit no drones on its
list. If a member does not attend
meetings he is politely informed that
his place On the committee is desired
for more active man and he is push
ed aside and a hustler who will hus-
tie is selected in his place. 1t meets
some times every day for a month, or
on call for noon lunch, changing about
from one hotel to another, the mem
bers take lunch together, each member
paying for his own lunch and the com
mittee fund taking care of any guests.
They meet at IL o'clock and try al
ways to adjourn at 1:15 On this COM
mittee are such men as F. NJ Hubbeil,
one of the wealthiest men in Des
Moines; A. c. Miller, president of the
Home Savings bank; w. G. Agar, pres
ident Agar Packing company; Chas.
Hewitt. president wholesale grocery
house of Chas. Hewitt G Sons Co.; q.
2. McKinnon, vice president Mechan-
icvs' Savings bank; H. H. Polk, presi-
dent Interurban railway; C. s. Walker,
president Kratzer Carriage company;
NJ. Frankel, president Harris Emery
company; Lafe Young, Jr., business
manager Des Moines Capital; Harvey
Ingham, editor Register and Leader:
Frank D. Jackson. Simon Cassidy.
George e. Hippo, H Luthe, and others
equally well known as among Des
Moines' wealthiest and strongest mex
of affairs These men give up their
own time for the work of this commit
tee-go out themselves soliciting for
funds, and attend to various other
tasks that are placed upon them in
the daily routine of the committees
work
ION account of the magnificent
work of this committee Des Moines
has located in the past three years in
that city nine new factories, all at
racted by the push and energy dis
played by the big men of the town, and
rot by one cent of bonus or subscrip-
ton to stock The only inducement
that has so far been offered has been
free taxes for five years. Think what
this committee can do later on when
1t secures a big fund to be used to as
sist in financing industries which want
to come to Des Moines and branch out
with more capital. This is one of the
next things this oammittee expects to
tacllle-the raising of such a fund.
But they have accomplished wonders
without it. They have assisted in
many other ways, such as entertain
ing conventions, raising 100000 for
coliseum, which is being dedicated
this week with big corn show, and
in hundreds of other ways.
There are two cities in Iowa that
are being talked about more than any
others-Des Moines and Waterloo. The
business men of these two cities have
been up and doing. and are giving
their own time, attention and money
to the upbuilding of their cities.
so much for what Des Moines and
the Greater Des Moines committee are
doing What is Davenport doing? Ara
we always going to retain the name
of being a slow, sleepy, conservative
town, or are we going to be up and
doing? Des Moines has nothing on
Davenport We are located for freight
rates on the river, better by far than
any interior city in Iowa. We have
hundreds of other advantages which
can be brought out in a telling way
and can be used to good account. VIII
We do it?
1.-THE Davenport Commercial club |
vas organized primarily to get factor
es for Davenport. Has it brought any |
here? will admit 1t has done a great |
Zeal of good, but not one-tenth uf |
what it might have done, or what it |
night do. We need shaking up, and |
among some of our big men |
Who ought to find time to DO a little |
work on the side for their home twn. |
The CLUB now has before It a water
,ower proposition. which I'll bet If a |
similar proposition was before that |
Oes Moines committee they would |
eat it up in "a hours. Looks like
t was going by the board in Daven-
,ort We have an interurban PROPOSE
ion which has sll the symptoms of go
ng to pieces in the same way for want
# some action on the part Of the club
that is, some concerted action. The
Tub has handful Of members who
AVE always been on the firing line on