The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-05-29
Commercial Secretaries
Convention in Atlanta.

! ings of the year will be held in At
lanta July 9TH and Sth. This will
be the convention of the Southern
Commercial Secretaries Association.
It's deliberations will cover topics
of deep concern to every city and
should be productive of new energy
and achievement on the part OF all
southern commercial bodies.
Among the more vital subjects to
be discussed will be. Good roads,
how to build them ''The work OF
commercial organizations in municipal
bettermentF Cooperation between
commercial secretaries" Municipal
advertising" Cooperation between
industrial and advertising or publicity
departments of railroads and COM
mercid secretaries" Commercial or
CARNATIONS and legislation" The
seeretary's local troubles-how to
overcome them" and Commission
government for cities"
These are truly great questions. and
in their proper solution and enforce
nent of such rules and regulations as
will necessarily result from the soIu-
ton will depend, to a great extent,
the future growth amt influence OF
Southern cities.
|. Nothing is more needed than a
great awakening to activity on the
part o. the business men of every
community. In these days of sharp
competition tne spirit should be Just
as strong in rival cities as in rival cor
porations under ordinary business con-
troll; and that city is sure to lag in
the rear whose commercial body is
not vigilant, active, progressive and
eVerlastngly going out after results
b. means of well considered advertis-
ing and tempting offers made to capi-
tai and labor to seek settlement with
in its limits or in its neighborhood.
The Chattanooga Tradesman, COM
menting upon the Atlanta convention,
speaks well when it declares:
As a rule Chambers of Commerce,
Boards OF Trade and like bodies are
unimportant Factors in municipal de-
yelopment. We say las a rule" be-
cause few cities give the support nee
essary to, make the business body
stand for little besides general mat
tiers of only general interest. Period
icaHy some little activity Is evidenced.
sporadic advertising campaigns inaug-
urated, lite show of actual vital
lty, and then a return to the coma
tose condition most generally in evil
dence. Commercial organizations
should stand for everything that
spells progress and advancement. and
while the secretaries, without the Co
operation of their respective bodies,
can accomplish little as individuals,
still as an organization they can
arouse sentiment that world be for
lasting good and decided industrial
betterment.
And The Journal would add that
the holding Of this convention which
will be participated in, o. course, by
the secretaries of every wide-awake
commercial body of the South, will go
a long way toward arousing a progress
sive sentiment. besides opening I'D
avenues of action as a natural Sc
quence to combined and intelligent
labor.
THE comatose condition most gen
elally in evidence" in commercial
bodies, 10 which The Tradesman calls
attention, is often due as much to a
lack of knowledge of what is the
best thing TO do as it is to natural
or unnatural-inertia and a dread OF
the exertion entailed by going to
work to do it.
Therefore, great things are sure to
result from cooperation between COM
mercial secretaries; free and full dis
cussion of means to be adopted for
city building and the resultant en-
thusiasm which is sure to be inspired
by such cooperation and discussion.