The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-12-29

tAoh INTO central pouy,, ~" W
merchants can get credit references IN
less than an hour and at one-n1tn tne
former cost.
The Boston merchants and pubic SUI
tered greatly from itlnerant merchants,
who set up shop for few months, solo
goods guaranteed" for year and then
skipped out. 1t was unfair competition
Tor the business men ana o1ten an lmpo-
sltion on the people. A prohibitlve IL
cense has now been imposed winch Keeps
out the commercial adventurers.
There was great deal OF costly snop-
lifting and the authorities seemed lncap,,
able of handling it. The retail board
hired the best criminal lawyers IN the
town and prosecuted the Offenders TO the
limit of law, not only breaking up the
practice but destroying various fences
that thrived on the thefts.,
Many merchants complained that their
ire insurance was costing too much, so
the retail board prepared booklet en-
titled How You Can Save Money on Your
Insurance. 1t shows speclhcally now
premiums may be cut down by simple
precautions. Here are some store rules
which will give some idea OF the helpful
hints in the book:
nave boxes Oh sdiiu hooA nio'oAS Oil"
elevators
''Oil waste should be kept in safety
cans only"
Zone hand extinguisher may save your
store"
CAN wastepaper should be baled in
stead of being placed in bags.
keep rats and mice out OF the build
ing. They have caused fires. ~
Form a fire brigade, even if there
are only two people in your store"
'Only safety lanterns should be carried
by your watchmen."
Fire insurance is mutual. Help your
self and you help the company.
HOW THE CITY HELPS THE COUNTRY.
The chamber early realized that what
was good for New England was good for
Boston, and vice versa. Advance New
England" became its slogan. 1t turned
to agriculture and found an ample field
for upIift. For long time the farmlife
there had declined because of the COM
petition of free land in the West. eve
must teach our boys to stay on the farm"
became the motto of an organized cam
paign. A glowing booklet On The Future
of the New England Farm was sent out
broadcast. When the fruit show was
held in Boston the chamber gave din
ner to all exhibitors and their allied in
terests. Here the value of the farm and
farmllfe was eXpounded; and the result
has been that the nurserymen of Massa
chusetts have sold more goods at home
within the past six months than for
year before. Likewise there has been
bigger demand for New England farms
in that period than for five years before.
To further impress the advantages of
getting the boy into the producing end,
whether on the farm or in factory, the
chamber will hold New England indus
trial and educational exposition next
year.
The chamber maintains a technical
trade department which, in simpler
terms, is board Of trade in grain. 1t
is the only institution of the kind in Bos-
ton. 1t issues monthly magazine call
ed Advance New England, which has
special numbers, such as Rod and Gun in
New England, for, in addition to want
ing buyers, it seeks hunters. 1t also
publishes weekly newspaper entitled
Chamber of Commerce News, which is
on every members desk the first thing
Monday morning, and which not only has
all the news and projects Of the chamber
but vital and live Boston business news
generally.
What have described as happening in
Chicago, Cleveland and Boston you can
find to varying degree in more than
dozen other cities, for everywhere the
idea of co-opera-
ton is reconstructing communities. The
work of such secretaries and organizers
as Walter D. Moody, of the Chicago AS
ISOLATION Of Commerce; Munson A. Hav-
ems, of the Cleveland Chamber of Com
merce, and James A. McKibben, of the
Boston Chamber Of Commerce, is estab-
fishing new professionalism of civic
engineer. When town needs upbuild-
ing it sends for a man of this type and
experience.
Behind this inspiring spectacle is a
larger significance than mere business
getting and municipal advertisement and
advance. The lesson of unselfish voun-
teer service presented day after day by
ousy business and professional men, who
perform many of the tasks for which
,ity officials are paid, will not be lost on
The voters, who in time will learn to de-
nand higher and larger capability from
heir public servants.
If, as economists tell US, the city is the
nope of the democracy, then the Cham
Der of Commerce is doing the greatest
work for the realization of that hope.
THE CHILDREN LlxE IT
kENNEDY'S LAXATIVE