The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-10-11
GREAT SPEECH
To BUSINESS men OF
FARGO LAST evening

definite things to do and have become
more potent in doing them. ! think
Il is one of the most encouraging signs
Of the times that organizations such
as yours are taking a more and more
active interest in the affairs OF our
larger cities, because 1t seems TO me
that the weak spot. If we may call It
weak spot, in the American scheme OF
self government is in the government
of our cities. / think the greatest adj
vance in the next ten years will be In
the government of our municipalities.
I think the reason for this weakness
has been that we have looked upon
too much as political organizations and
too little as business organizations.
We have approached the problem OF
running our cities too much in the
spirit OF politicians and too little in
the spirit of business men.
Your organization is a business or
ganization. The city OF Fargo is a
business organization. In fact, the
biggeget business proposition in Fargo
is simply Fargo.
/ would encourage you to have, as
your object, not only the lettering Of
trade conditions for the business men
in and around Fargo, and throughout
this northwestern country. but, more
important than that, the lettering of
Fargo itself in every possible wayI
mean lettering it along the broad
lines which are for the good of all Of
your citizens.
over in my home city Of Detroit we
now have very strong board of COM
merce, and 1t Is working hand in hand
with the mayor and other officers Of
the municipality, and they are co-op-
Grating with the board Of commerce.
We expect to see great results accom-
plished from this kind Of co-opera-
tion.
Must Take Initiative.
An organization such as yours, or
such as the Detroit board Of commerce
which / have just mentioned, natural
ly includes in it's membership the lead
ing men of the community, It is your
duty, therefore. to take the initiative
in all good works for Fargo. You are
You have the ideas. you have the
time. and you have the money.
Every city needs number Of things.
These things differ in different cities,
SO that do not know exactly what it
is that Fargo particularly needs. Yet
] venture to say that any OF you men
can sit down and think of eight or ten
important things that you would like
to see Fargo have. and which you lack
today. My advice to you would be to
make up a platform of the ten most
important things which Fargo ought
to have and which your trade organ
ization ought to work for, and try and
get those things for your city.
Another great trouble and criticism
about trade organizations was that
most cities had two or three. Now, as
q matter OF fact IN most cities there
is no need for more than one good
commercial organization. and any
who has any civic pride at ali or any
pride whatever in his city, or the BUSH
ness Of his city. ought to belong to
such q commercial organization. I'M
fortunately, in every community there
are great many men who, when ask
ed to Join board Of commerce o. any
any other commercial organization
say, What am / going to get out of
it," Now Il is not q question OF what
q uldu ~ 6O1tlA 10 get out OI II l1AL
will tell for Fargo. or any. other city.
but 1t is question of what he is go
ing to put into 1t. You must have abb
solute faith in your city, and In It's
future possibilities. or you cannot
make other people have faith in It.
II any man doesn't believe that Far
go Is the right place for him to live
and do business. he ought, in justice
to the city and in justice to himself.
move out Of It as quickly as possible,
All for One, One for All.
What you men want to do from now
on is to get together. pull together.
and make Fargo really what she ought
to be and take the rank that she Is
entitled to In this great northwestern
country, You ought to have as your
motto-~All for C.ne. one for All, and
you ought to encourage. as much as
possible. your home industries. I be-
lieve in cities of this size particularly.