The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-14


they should in the best interest of the
town. This club must strengthen the
hands of those men and this can easily
| be done.
| I'm my judgment it is possible to eff
feet greater efficiency from this club
and accomplish much greater work by
| concentrating more of the work in the
hands of the secretary. The real active
| head of this club or of any other SINH
lar organization is the secretary. His
position demands that he be man of
large affairs, that he be able to devote
his time and his energies to those larger
things which are continually coming
up. He should be the analyst, the con-
structive force, the force which drives.
All matters should come to him. The
merit or demerit of every proposition
should be threshed out in his mind. The
| good things resulting from his selection
or of his creation, should be presented
to the proper committee by him and
with his aid, that committee should
| take such action as is deemed advisa-
Bile and the plan thereby be carried to
/ a successful conclusion.
Relieve the Secretary.
"a secretary can not devote his
time and energy to these larger things
if upon him devolves the RESPONSE
bility of looking after the detail of a
cafe, a pool room, the collecting of
annual dues, the detail of bookkeep-
| ing, and the dozen and one other
things which come up in connection
with the operation of an organization
tSuch as this
1.-THE secretary of a real live COM
mercial organization should by virtue
| of his duties. his accomplishments and
his possibilities, be the biggest, most
| important man in town. L urge upon
| this club careful study of the merits
| of this recommendation. Our Secre-
tary acting in this capacity can make
| this club so strong, so useful that the
loI nf MS
! of support would be the least of the
clubs worry. One year as president
| leads me to this belief and expressed
feeling
81 am not unmindful of the impor-
tant part which the secretary of this
club under the present system of or
ganiZation has played. His untiring
energy and constant devotion and en-
the interest of the club It is my idea
| that to his position should be added
greater responsibilities.
Before concluding, let me thank the
press of the city. The papers have
shown a highly commendable dispo-
sition in aiding in the work of arous-
ing the civic conscience to greater ac-
tivity.
"I acknowledge the hearty and
earnest assistance and cooperation of
every officer and member of this or
ganization.
1.-THE members of the Topeka Com
marcial club have sacred duties to per-
form for the city of Topeka. Realize
in all it's fullness that no man liv-
eth unto himself and that each owes
something to his city and the age in
which he lives. As individuals we can
accomplish but little for the general
good. United. We may do much"
Report of Secretary.
Following is the annual report of
the secretary, George S. Badders:
THE work of the club has been
conducted along practicable lines, be-
ing absolutely free from political in
f1uence and from the efforts of any in
dividual members to secure personal
gain. I believe there are not as many
as one-half dozen members in the club
who retain their mem berShip for what
they can get out of it personally.
can safely say that more than ninety
per cent of our membership contrib
ute to its support because they be-
lieve it is a real and potent force in
promoting TopekaS industrial and
commercial welfare.
with the same support in the year
1911 that we have had in the year
1910, there is no question but what the
club will accomplish something worth
while for Topeka along the lines that
Commercial club is intended to
work. In 1910 nine regular meetings
have been held with an average at
tendance of 80.
III WISH TO mGnIlOn only TWO
that the club has done during the year
the first is the pushing to a success
full conclusion the commission form
OF government and the securing of
what we believe good men for the re-
spective offices; and second the rails
ing of fifty thousand dollars by popu-
lar subscription for big agricultural
exposition, and the following of this
by successful campaign for fifty
thousand dollar bond issue for the
same proposition.
THE board of directors have held
twenty-one meetings during the year
with an average attendance of nine,
those being most faithful in their at
tendance were Scott Hopkins, Geo.
Hackney, J. Will Kelley, John Sargent,
w. S. Lindsay and Charles P. Adams.
We ommenced the years work with
an outstanding Indebtedness of ST.
1850, $625.00 of which was due the
twenty-five boosters who gave one
hundred dollars each when we came
into our new rooms This $1,125.00
Indebtedness has been reduced more
than one-half so that on January 1st,
1911, the club has an outstanding in
debtedness of $4,000, and outstand-
ing dues with which to meet this in
debtedness of $4,000.
1.-The Merchants association, of which
your secretary is chairman. is really a
branch OF the club. 1t is supported
by about so members This year it
mas received ana OlSpOSeQ dppTOAl-
mately 100000, eighty per cent of
the amount going for the booking and
entertainment of conventions. There
are now $50 members in the CONNER
cial club. The cafe account has been
kept separate from the regular club
account and for the year shows re-
ceipts OF $7,950.5O and disbursements
sS22.59 or loss of $4,000 for the
year or $21.S3 per month.
THE board of directors considered
this very good showing. 1t is hoped
with a few more banquets and dinners
this year the cafe can be made to
break even. The MONDAY luncheons
themselves cannot be served at a profit
if the present standard is maintained
and we do not propose to lower the
quality OF the lunch served.
..1,ha recairfS from the billiard room