Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-10-08
PUBLIC MONEY FOR BOARDS OF
TRADE.

The value Of business organizations
IN The uE3uilding Of cites is becom e
more appreciated every day Cities
that already have Boards Of Trade or
Chambers &c Commerce are exerting
themselves % increase their member
snip. TO swell their revenues. 10 p1s
competent men in charge. and TO make
them more effective weapons for the
public welfare. Other places thlt
have been slow to recognize the value
Of union among their business men are
no awakening TO tie error Of their
past course and are perfecting organ
5zation OF this character. The time IS
accordingly. not far distant when 10
town OF any pretensions whatever W Il
town without an enthusiastic union &C
its citizens, working solely for the pr)-
motion Of the material well being OF
the entire community.
Railroad Commissioner Gray. WHO is
also the secretary. or executive officer.
OF the Savannah Chamber % Com
merce. one Of the most pushing Of tie
advertising agencies in the state. r.
Gently addressed the business men Of
Triton on tie necessity Of Organization
among them. At the same time t.
made a pea for support for sue1 Dr.
CARNATIONS. which are entirely pu1l. &c
in their nature. from the public treas
uries. Said he in this connection
Working under a serious handicap
indeed IS that Chamber Of Commerce,
unless Il BE- located in a very large and
ve~y wea thy community, which has 70
depend entirely upon membership dues
for its sineWs Of war As Il is with
practically every other public enter
prise, 50 Il is also with tire Chamber
OF COmmeTce-th burden of the man :
/ is carried by the few. All honor aud
praise to the patriotic fax who respond
50 Willingly ana so literally 70 the in
spiTations Of civic pride. But, gentle
men. We are all confronted with the
fact tut the contributions Of the gel
erCIs few. however cheerfully given,
do not aggregate an amount CONNIE l.
surate with the Importance and mag
nitude Of the work necessary to BE
accomplished.
Wh2- is the solution Of the problem ?
It IS easy enough 10 reply 10 tLis ques-
zion 10 sugga-t the theory Of equaliz I
contributions from all business con
Germs aud well-tO-do citizens on some
basis Of net profits Of income. We are
not dealing, however, with a the0re--
ical or academic problem, but with an
intensely practical one and one that
demands practical and parmaneat
solution. To my mind. the financing of
a Chamber Of Commerce on TIE bas' 8
suggested would involve problems sim
ilar to and possibly as difficult Of sd J.
ton as the equalization of the tariff o.
taxation. Up to this time eyerythinS
that has been said is but preliminary
TO the suggestion which I now tenta-
tiveAg offer for the consideration Ct
this and other organizations Of Ike
character throughout the state. name
", that inasmucb as the Chamber Of
Commerce is essential to the continued
growth and prosperity Of the city auI
county in which it is located il should
be financed by bots the city and coun-
ty on some we'll thought out CO.
operative basis, which wiz permit it TO
measure up in great achievements to
the highest expectations of the citizens
OF its community.
Upon first thOIght. this suggestion
may impress some OF you as very IA i
ical, but careful study Of the condi-
tons as have stated them and as yoa
ami others know them. points to the
conclusion that this suggestion is not
a radical but progressive one, and OF
fers logical and pr'3cticaa solution If
the financial problem which today con-
fronts everE organization of this char
acter in the South. While it is i'm
practicable to obtain absolute equal-
ization Of any public burden, certainlv
the adoption Of this suggestion would
mean tie equalization as far as pos
sible Of the public burden Of conduct
ing city's greatest pubic enterprise.
its Chamber of Commerce.