Evening journal., 1910-04-08
7residenfR. j. MacIean RefireS as Head offhe Board
725 Members Now, and Cry is for 1,OOO-Com-
miffees Tell of Organizations Progress.

all the interests of the entire city.
on your behalf, your President extends
his most sincere thanks to the delegates
who have attended the various trade
and waterways conventions. spending
their own time and money cheerfully in
order that they might advance the well
fare of this community.
The Boards Prestige.
Seven years ago, the membership Of this
Board was 1872 now it is 725 The mem
bership should never be allowed to fan be-
low 200 and L hope to see the day when
it can be held year after year at 1000.
The splendid standing and prestige
which this Board now possesses should
never be allowed to diminish but on the
contrary should be increased year by
year. The good reputation of the Board is
to-day a valuable passport to our MEM
bers aud other citizens when travelling in
other cities and States. The name VIII
mington has to-day the right ring about 1t
and when one is travelling it is a pleasure
and a very great satisfaction to be able
to say that he is from Wilmington, Del
aware.
Wilmineton's Good Reputation.
Due to their municipal graft and street
car and industrial strikes, several cities
are to-day the subjects Of jokes through
out the country. This is very unfortunate,
for it subtracts daily from the good name
and prestige Of these cities. In Whining
ton, due largely to the work of this Board
and the personnel of its members, there is
strong and healthy civic spirit which
makes it impossible for graft and strikes
to thrive here In some communities trade
organizations are more ornamental than
Useful and are apparently too timid 10
take a positive stand on any question on
which the public Is more or less divided
| Ii board of trade has a large member
ship. consisting Of men in all the various
/ lines Of business and industry, it should
be able to direct public sentiment and
make the present misfortunes of certain
cities impossible Wilmington to-day
stands before the world as a city of good
reputation and it is one Of the functions
of this Board to see to it that this good
name is sustained.
Mercantile Prosperity.
The enterprise shown by our merchants
is another subject for congratulation. The
past year has shown very remarkable
improvement in the exterior, as well as
theinterior, of the leading stores of the
city They are better lighted and more at
tractive and as a consequence the mer.
chants are doing a greater business thar
ever before More Improvements are now
being made OH Market street than at any
other similar time in the history of tn,
city. Wilmington was never more prosper.
Gus than at present and the future looks
bright.
! CITIzens appreciate manufacturing plants
To our many manufacturing estab ish
ments some of them of national and
! worldwide reputation, this city owes mos
of its prosperity. These plants are eX
changing their products for the cash o
other states and countries and are there
fore constantly enriching this city and in
fusing new financial life into il. Withou
these industries. thousands Of our citizen
would be compelled TO go to other com
munities to make a living and it is of ia
highest Importance that we continue
lprotect and foster our manufacturing in
dustries to the fullest extent OF our re