The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-01-28
IOWA,s LESSON FOR VERMONT.
lMnntnaIier Lonrnal.l

pelier and of Vermont it has urged
again and again, the need of publicity
; TOR our industries and for our re-
sources. 1t has urged repeatedly that
greater efforts be made to develop
our latent possibilities. 1t is inter-
esting and helpful to see what other
cities and other States are doing and
for that reason the work that is be-
ing attempted for the city of Des
Moines and the Slate of Iowa, as re-
lated in the magazine called Town
Development is given herewith.
"The annual report of the Des
Moines Commercial Club is very in
teresting, because all through the
many pages of this report, runs the
story of what the organization has
done for Des Moines.
1T is interesting also, because Of
the very big thought brought out by
Secretary Gels Botsford of the Com
mercial Club, in an incidental way.
"The thought properly developed
will be found to be Of more than incl
dental interest. It's development Is
one of the biggest things Iowa can
do. Not alone is Des Moines interested
in seeing it done, but all Iowa, when
it realizes what potential possibili-
ties underlie the thought, will clamor
for it's adoption and execution.
Mr.. Botsford sums up in the last
few lines of the annual report, some
of the things which the Commercial
Club hopes to do this year:
Ito urge upon the railroads the
possibilities of Iowa, by bringing to
their attention facts relative to the
States agricultural, mineral, manu-
featuring resources and, the capacity
of its population to consume and to
try and influence the railroads to in
vest some small portion of their pub
licity funds in an exploitation OF the
great traffic-producing State of Iowa,
to more fully than heretofore recog-
nize the fact that the future Of Des
Moines depends upon the future OF
Iowa, and, to cooperate with the sew
eral communities Of the State in all
laudable undertakings for the gener-
al good OF the State
"Iowa's agricultural possibilities
are not properly exploited. One sell
dom sees them referred to In news
paper and magazine advertising, as
are the possibilities of the great
Northwest States or Texas, Oklaho-
ma and the Southwest 1t will, there.
fore, be a good thing for the Des
Moines Commercial Club to get be-
hind a movement to interest the ag-
ricultural and other business posi- |
bilities OF the great State of Iowa.
But let us not rest our efforts
here.
Let US not rely upon the rich and
generous railroads TO do our own
work for us. The railroads are not
more interested flnaclally or other.
wise, In the doing of this thing. than
are the farm owners, merchants,
manufacturers, bankers and other
business men In Iowa.
Let US have the help OF the rail-
roads II we can get that help.
But whether we get that help or
not. let's advertise the State of Iowa
and the rich returns awaiting capital
and energy and enterprise in Iowa.
Iowa should have great State
League, with ample
funds for it's work to advertise and
promote the common good OF all Sec
tons and all communities.
Iowa can have such a State De-
League or Chamber Of
if the people of the State
want it. A sufficient amount of funds
can easily and readily be raised in
Iowa, for the conducting and sup
porting the proper work of such an
The people of Iowa
will generously support any good,
sane, well-balanced, decently manag-
ed campaign for development, when {
he people can be made to see where
hey will get their fair return for the
money invested. {
This Iowa development scheme
should not be merely a Des Moines {
movement projected by the very eff I
,ient Des Moines Commercial Club. I
t should be an Iowa movement sup +
ported by every commercial club in r
he State Towns which have no COM Z
nercial clubs should have one, and o
he proposed Iowa Development
league could do no better work than 7
o sustain a corps of travelling rep I
esentatives that will visit towns a
vhere no organization exists and S
uild up one, and where an organiza- Y
ion exists in name only, as we men q
ioned in the December number of I,
own Development, tear 1t down and n
uild up a good one that is something VI
lore than a skeleton or a shadow. n
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