The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-02
COOPERATION
FOR SALESMAN
PULLING TOGETHER AMONG
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS IS A
TOPIC MUCH DISCUSSED THESE
DAYS AS VITAL PART OF SALES
MANsHIP.

In The Tradesman of Aug. IL, the
following article on Board Of Trade
Cooperation was credited to Chas. G.
Gilbert assistant secretary OF the
Nashville board OF trade:
The meaning of the word co-opera-
tion is ito pull together" and / can
think of no greater benefits to several
commercial organizations than to thor
oughly put into practice the spirit of
pulling together" for the mutual bene-
fit OF all.
The formation of a commercial or
ganization is for the purpose, first, of
helping the firms and individuals COM
posing it's membership, to build UP the
town In which 1t is located and to as
sist in every way possible the develop
ment of certain area or community.
The first duty should be to help the
home people. 1t is far more valuable
to town to have fewer number of
mercantile establishments or manu-
featuring plants all In a prosperous
condition than to bring to that town
competitive concerns until competition
has wrought a disastrous effect which
is hard to correct or overcome. 1t is
4 AnE DEANEA QAtG41t4AnC6 10 say 10 a WOu4A-
be prospect that the market is already
crowded and that it would not be a
wise move, than to offer inducements
in order to increase the population of
the town or the number of its inhabi-
tants.
The real rating OF town lis not 80
much the number of its inhabitants or
even it's establishments, yet both OF
these count, it Is the prosperous condi-
ton of the people. Show me town
with good substantial bank clearings,
with firms well rated, prosperous man
| ufacturing concerns with large and
regular pay-rolls and will show you
a town with a future, one which will
attract attention.
Too often q board of trade is like
an industrial agent-give you a ticket
to get there and allow YOU to get back
as best you can. The home concern
should receive as much help and en-
couragement If it needs 1t, after its To-
cation as 1t received in inducing 1t to
| locate.
Now. what has all OF this to dc
with board OF trade cooperation
or pulling together? 1t is this One
4 b4TtA Va AAa0G vi 8aAA16AAOn ElAOAtl
help another. Suppose a manufact-
uring plant desires change in To-
cation and has In view certain area
4 advantageous to it's particular bust
ness. and suppose this fact is known
by certain board OF trade. and sup
pose further that town would weaken
some we'll established concern by
| bringing In this plant; on the other
hand suppose there was a town near
bv which needed just such an enter
prise; 1t should be the duty Of the
several boards Of trade to combint
their pulling strength and secure this
plant for the town which needs Il
most. The same thing would apply
to conventions or public gatherings
| of all kinds. There should be a pro-
cess of eliminating whereby this
towns not In position 20 handle tbs
proposition could materially assist
the town which can. Take, for in
stance, this, city. A few years bacl
an opportunity was open to secure !
great convention. Upon investiga'
ton it was found that some OF thu
requirements OF the convention coulS
not be met. This city began irnme
aiately to assist another nearby city
Il and the team work OF the tw'
brought the gathering to this section
! Of the country.
II Al board OF trade must build up |
town in which it is located. Thi
can be done through organized ef
forts Take the most active mem
beers and place them on committees
making them responsible for results
let these committees know that 4
make d failure OF their work. mean
a failure OF the organization. Their
, are many general propositions whicl