The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-12-07
get TOGETHER" IS.SLOGAN
Merchants at Banquet
Plan for City's Ad-
VanCement
Ryerson Richie Tells
of Needed Action
for Progress

| with her material reconstruction
| three fourths accomplished and her
political future safeguarded beyond all
doubt, San Francisco turned last night
to the celebration of a new spirit in
her commercial life and at an impress
sive banquet in the Palace hotel well
coined into being the reorganized and
| rejuvenated San Francisco Chamber
| of Commerce.
| 1t was the first social bow of the big
amalgamated civic body, which hence
| forth merges into one effort the ac-
tivity of four sound organizations that
for years have watched out for the best
| interests OF San Franciscos business
and industrial life. The San Francisco
Chamber of Commerce stands launched
| before the world-an organized op-
portunity for progress and prosper
| ity
| Nearly thousand of the leading mer-
chants, manufacturers, lawyers and men
of affairs in San Francisco and the bay
region attended the banquet. which was
second in size and enthusiasm to none
in the history of the city. Cheers for
the new organization mingled with
cheers for the speakers, each of whom
dwelt on some phase of the city's fu-
ture and spoke constructivcly of the
immediate problems presented.
Cooperation Is Theme
The theme of the big gathering was
|
executive officer of the Chamber of
Commerce, and one of the leading au-
thorities in America on the subject of
cooperation among business men for
civic betterment. His subject was The.
Modern Chamber of Commerce" and
in other states he told his hearers just
what can be expected from conce~ted
EFFORT among Abe merchants of San
Francisco.
THE modern Chamber of Commerce
is public trust was his definition of
their organization. "and it serves as
brain for the city
So must the San Francisco Chamber
Of Commerce become the brain, or di-
recting power, in the activities that
make for commercial and political
prosperity in this commonwealth, and
Ryerson Ritchie sketched the means
of bringing success to the new organ
ization.
High motives of service and city
pride must obtain. he declared, before
any civic body can win the real ele-
ment OF power In building a city, which
ence that the brain must be consistent
and intelligent. must study the prob
lens and act in concert and with en-
thusiasm. Only in such a way can
business enterprise be massed for un-
selfish use in building UP the COM
munity.
San Francisco's Possibilities
Ritchie dwelt upon the possibilities
OF San Francisco as unfolded in the
three great events OF the past year,
James Rolph Jr., the breaking of
ground by President Taft for the ex-
position in 1915, and finally the cele-
bration of the new Chamber of Com
merce, which merges into one asso-
citation the four largest commercial
bodies of the city. He called attention
to the close relationship existing be-
tween the three events, since each de-
pends upon the others and all are in
dications of new spirit that spells
progress for San Francisco.
His address was received as the key
suggestions he made for the admins
tration of the new association met with
hearty response. The principal one of
these had to do with the immediate
need for an industrial department of
the Chamber of Commerce. which
should be as active in securing new
industries and factories for San Fran
cisco as Is the Convention league in
bringing big meetings to the city.
From the welcome given the suggestion
last evening it is probable that such a
department or bureau will soon be
made a part of the organization.
Merger of Cities
Another suggestion that won quick
response as being in keeping with the
spirit of the evening was made by John
A. Britton, who declared in his address
on "Co-ordination" that the time is
coming when there shall be no division
between San Francisco and the bay
cities, but that all shall be merged into
the sGreater San Francisco" and admin
istered as the leading progressive city
OF the west.
The unity of spirit that has grown
out of adversity was the subject of
Britton's discourse, and he pointed to
the amalgamation of the commercial
bodies as proof that San Francisco had
found herself as never before in her
history.
Throughout the evening from the
first speaker to the last, there was a
plea for unselfsh effort and serious CO.
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