Evening journal., 1910-02-18
DovER's BOARD OF TRADE.

4 ilE+ lover otatc news, We tnink has 100
h high hopes OF what the Board Of Trade
of that town will be able to do. The News de-
clares that there should be an attendance of at
least 200 at every meeting Of the Board, but if
such thing should happen Dover would be
very lucky indeed, and would have one of the
most interesting Boards Of Trade in the coun-
try. If the regular attendance at the meetings
of the Board should average twenty-five, We
think there would be not the slightest reason
for Encouragement the part of the progress
sive citizens of Dover.
In the actual operation Of a Board Of Trade,
like any other organization or body, the real
work is done by few persons and the vast ma
jority of the members are content that it shall
be Wilmington would rejoice if the at
tendance at the meetings of our own Board ap-
preached the figures set by the Dover News,
and we have a very large total membership in
this city, much larger than Dover could hope 20
attain. A small active body Of men can do
much towards advancing the interests Of any
city or town, and even. dozen devoted work
ers in the Dover Board of Trade could keep that
body in the front rank of commercial organiza-
tons.
Every other town in the State should have its
Board of Trade Such bodies afford splendid
opportunities for the exchange of views. Al
most every topic under the may be discuss
cd with profit. The Dover Board of Trade could
consider not alone things that directly affect
Dover, but also those that relate to the county.
A Board of Trade can create public sentiment.
1t is a very easy matter for influential men TO
form public opinion. Men as individuals may
have their opinions, but unless they find vent
in some public body their ideas are likely to be
lost Boards of Trade which have lively dis
cussions help City Councilmen and town au-
thorites in their labors. Often a legislator,
state or municipal is at sea on a question-can-
not make up his mind what is best to be done
and would gladly hear the views OF organiza-
tions representing responsible persons.
If each town in the lower counties had an en-
crgetic Board of Trade does any one believe that
we should have had so much trfng over the
good roads question, or any other matter relat-
ing to public improvement? We have an eX
ample Of this i'm Sussex county where the trifi-
ing of the Levy Court with the road question
and the election of road engineer have caus-
ed so much vexation that one of the newspapers
of Georgetown suggests that the Levy Court
should be impeached If there were Boards OF
Trade in Sussex county towns that took the
right view OF things. the view that the improve
ment of the roads is not partisan question,
would not the Sussex Levy Court have proceed
ed i'm business-ke manner to elect an engineer
and wipe out the last vestige of the road over
seer system? And il Kent county were alive
with Boards of Trade would the road subject
be in such a muddle as it is in that county?
1t might be said that the towns not dl-
rectly interested in road improvement that It
is an affair belonging strictly TO the rural regions
but this objection would be far fetched The
towns of the state are intimately connected with
the country districts because of the constant trav-
el into town, and because the prosperity OF the
towns depends upon that of the surrounding re-
! gions.
Boards of Trade could do great deal to-
wards creating heathful public sentiment which
would insist on the application of business
! like methods TO all town and county AFFAIRS
! II is true that in the administration of the az
fairs Of the towns politics does not enter and N
this the towns are more fortunate than Viii
/ mington is, but the same spirit should be cN-
/ tended TO county affairs.
Here in Wilmington our Board Of Trade has
created considerable sentiment in favor of the
! improved methods in municipal affairs
The greatest applause that greeted the speakers
at our last Board of Trade dinner was when
reference was made to these subjects. AS we
have said, while it is desirable TO have large
attendance at the regular meetings OF the
Dover Board, a small attendance would not in
dicate an inefficient or inactive Board and would
not be proper cause for Encouragement.